To show or not to show, That is the Question!

[PokerintheI]

I'm playing at Greektown, at a must move 200max 1/2 table. It's playing fairly tight. Some big pots when certain individuals get involved, but obviously some decent skills at the table. I'm getting a pretty dry run of cards and finally I get fed up and decide to push a little bit, raise PF in MP with 10d,3d. Figuring I can let one of my two callers push back on teh flop and then muck face up for advertising value.

The way the hand plays out, I get one fold after a turn bet, and get the last fold after a river bet. (they were both obviously on two broadway cards, and the board was all <10)

At this point I can't decide if I should still show. I like the idea of showing the bluff, but I don't think I want them to know that I can carry a bluff that far. So I decided to muck the hand and mumble something to the effect of "good fold".

What do you think? Do you go ahead and show at this point, or is this more information than you want your opponents to have?

[EJXD2]

If someone tells me "good fold" I automatically put them on a bluff, so even though you didn't show, you certainly advertised that you bluffed them out of a pot.

[PokerintheI]

Really? I tell people that all the time when they do make a good fold. Although, I tell people that when I bluff them out too. Hmmm.

Whats the reliablity of that tell?

[AKQJ10]

Personally I don't show bluffs, because my table image is very tight and I'd rather continue to cultivate it so as to make my bluffs more profitable.

Generally when I show it's online after my second or third PFR in a row that takes down the pot, when I don't want people pegging me as too aggressive. The desired effect is, if I show only my good hands then people are supposed to assume that all my hands are good hands.

I'm starting to do more mischievous one-card nonsense (show the ace when I really have a two-card flush, or show one flush card when I really have an overpair) in B&M but that's probably -EV and just me goofing around.

[bernie]

[ QUOTE ]
If someone tells me "good fold" I automatically put them on a bluff, so even though you didn't show, you certainly advertised that you bluffed them out of a pot.

[/ QUOTE ]

This isn't true. Lots of people are just satisfied with just winning the pot and will tell you good fold because you didn't suck out on them. Even though the odds v the pot weren't giving them the right price to draw anyways and they should like the call.

b

[cpk]

Don't show bluffs at weak-tight tables unless you are actually caught bluffing.

[ScottySo]

[ QUOTE ]
Personally I don't show bluffs, because my table image is very tight and I'd rather continue to cultivate it so as to make my bluffs more profitable.


[/ QUOTE ]

Really? I show bluffs for the same reason. My table image is also very tight so I show bluffs so that when I pick up a hand I will get more action from people who remember the time I bluffed them.

[AKQJ10]

Yeah, that's the other school of thought, and either one makes intuitive sense to me (but not both at the same time!). I think my present philosophy was influenced by Gordon's Little Green Book: "I always want my opponents to put me on a good hand." (quoting from memory)

[bernie]

link

b

[EJXD2]

[ QUOTE ]
Really? I tell people that all the time when they do make a good fold. Although, I tell people that when I bluff them out too. Hmmm.

Whats the reliablity of that tell?

[/ QUOTE ]

Impossible to know for sure, really, because in almost all cases this tell comes after the cards are in the muck. I just think back to villian's betting pattern and try to pick up clues from there.

Anytime I hear "nice fold," though, I automatically think bluff then I try to reconstruct the hand before being married to the idea, but this post certainly reinforces my belief that "nice fold" means "thanks for folding to my bluff."