NLCASH: Whether or not to play unexploitably
 

Should you try to play unexploitably or just play whatever maximizes the EV of your current hand when playing HU NLCASH?

I have an example:
You are in the SB, raise preflop, get called and BB checks. I think the unexploitable play here is to never slowplay.

If you slowplay, you are giving your opponent a free card. You may say that by slowplaying your opponent is less likely to bet you out of the pot on the turn in the same situation only you have a bad hand which wasn´t even worth bluffing with on the flop.

But this metagame-advantage of slowplaying is outweighed by the extra credibility your bluffs would get in the same situation with a bad hand on the flop as your opponent knows you would be betting with a monster too.

So in sum you give away a free card when slowplaying, which is exploitable.

But if you play unexploitably in these situations you will be giving away information if you check. Your opponent will know you didn´t have anything on the flop.

If you just play what you think is best for the current hand, you would be giving away much less information. You may even trick your opponent to think you have something you don´t.

I know playing unexploitably is optimal against a player of your own strength, but you shouldn´t be playing those anyway.

Thoughts?

Re: NLCASH: Whether or not to play unexploitably
 

HU play maximizes the EV of the attentive player,more then any other form of poker,cause its just you and him. And if you are always doing the same things, your oppenent is going to pick up on things, at least that's my 2 cents.

in a full ring, you can play more optimal, since you can wait for hands, less so short haned, and less again HU

Re: NLCASH: Whether or not to play unexploitably
 

You really need to alternate your play style in accordance to the situation.

C/Ring the flop is a great example. If you are C/Ring with air and your opponent has caught you, you need to have something next time.

The more you mix it up, the more profit you are going to make as your opponent will be quite confused. Have a gameplan but alter the way you reach your goal. Don't just say "in situation X I will do Y."

Forget exploitability. People are so scared of getting outdrawn that they miss tons of value. I guess the bottom line is to do the most EV move.

Re: NLCASH: Whether or not to play unexploitably
 

Always value-betting is not playing unexploitable.

As you said the opponent might push you off a hand on the turn if you just check your bad hands.

Unexploitable play is alot mixed up play, your handrange should also always contain the nuts to some probability.

But unexploitable play is very very complex, read Mathematics of Poker if you want to get frustrated lol.

They are trying to give insight of how unexploitable play could look like at very simple cardgames, poker isnt anywhere near to be solved.