Strategy for showing hands in home game. comments/advice wanted...

[zooey123]

Hey everyone,

I'm a newbie (go me), but have set up a regular home game with five of my poker playing friends. They're not brilliant, but solid. They think on about a 2nd level I'd say. So I have a plan...

Choose a line of play for a hand, and do it with a bad hand (nothing), a marginal hand (TPGK) and a good hand (set). I plan on showing them my hand on each occassion, my thinking being, next time I follow that line, they won't know where I stand, given they think about what I have, but not deeper.

Is this a stupid idea? Obviously, it is specific to my home game, but the idea in general...

[BlueBear]

It's rarely a good idea to show your hands. Unless you're doing it for fun.

[basementproject]

Showing can be useful if you're deviating from a usual strategy for one particular hand and want to toy with your opps emotions.

This is pretty meta though, can't imagine you'd ever need to do this at a home game.

[SellingtheDrama]

You're overdoing it. Play good solid TAG poker and you'll win. Personally I find it more difficult to deal with someone who plays every hand the same way and I'd suggest doing that (and don't show your hands!).

[Boise123]

Trying to put your friends on tilt could blow up in your face.

[Mazzinger]

I agree with basementproject. Showing your hands is arely a good idea. If you know your opponent, and you know that showing him/her a bluff will be to your advantage its OK. However, don't make a habit out of it.

[Small Fry]

You don't need to go to all that trouble. All you need to do is think on the 3rd level and act accordingly.

[kayaker]

I show a hand every now and then, but it's pretty rare. As I'm known to be pretty tight, people will lay down a lot of hands when they feel I'm strong, and they'll push against me with air if they think I'm weak.

I counter this by intentionally pushing a bluff hard every now and then, as well as calling down with a bit more of a marginal hand than usual sometimes. In both cases I will definitely show the hand (win or lose). This tells my opponents that I don't always have it and that I might call them down with less than the nuts.

In the long run, I make more money this way when I do get a big hand.

[BaronVonCP]

never show a hand until you are called. If they never call, bluff more. They'll have to call eventually and then they will see that you can bluff. Then you play tight and showdown only solid hands until they start folding.

[Albert Moulton]

I wouldn't show your hands at all unless you're called.

I suppose you might want to occasionally show a hand that supports an image you are trying to maintain, but I wouldn't show a mix of hands in order to "mix up" your opponents.

You will do better if your opponents incorrectly pigeon-hole you (i.e. as a "bluffer," or a "solid" player who doesn't bluff, etc.) because then you can occasionally exploit that image for maximum profit later.

For example, if you are perceived as tight and solid, then you can bluff in some big spots vs observant opponents that a loose player could not. And if you had a loose image, then you might get a big bet called down light when you wake up with a big hand.

Therefore, it is sometimes ok to show a hand or two that supports the image you are cultivating in order to encourage others to pigeon-hole your play in a way that you can exploit later.