See hole cards or see board cards?

[Stoo_Pot]

If you could choose to be able to see everyone's hole cards or to be able to know what the board cards will be, which would you choose and why?

This discussion was on a poker TV channel and the experts seemed to say board cards but I think I'd prefer to be able to see hole cards. Please enlighten me!

[mug77]

I would choose to see hole cards. If you knew what the board cards were coming you would only play when you were going to hit good cards and there isn't always a guarantee that you would get paid off anyway. But if you could see your opponents hole cards I thing the +EV would be enormous. This is the reason, you would know when you have them beat when they bluff. When they stick out a big bet and you are ahead or they are str8 bluffing and you only have AK you can call. Also, if you just had one of those good draws you could see just how good it really is. If you could see all your opponents cards you could see what isn't going to come so whether your outs are cut out or not.

[soko]

In limit it would be see board cards because the strength of your hand is more important than the strength of your opponents.

In no-limit it would have to be opponents hole cards as this would make it amazingly easy to steal blinds and pots when people miss the flop, being able to value bet with king high and such, this can't be denied.

[_TKO_]

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In limit it would be see board cards because the strength of your hand is more important than the strength of your opponents.

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I don't see why you would prefer to see the board cards in limit. It's easy enough to estimate the probability of certain cards showing up, but seeing hole cards would enhance your ability to count your outs. The information gained by seeing all streets is minute when compared to the information gained by knowing exactly how your opponents are playing.

[MatthewRyan]

HOLE CARDS- even if you knew theboard you still will end up paying off better hands. If u see theirs, you will never 'lose' a hand.

[_TKO_]

This kind of reminds of a blackjack question I once asked, about whether you would rather see the top card of the deck or the dealer's down card. Most people would answer the deck card because they don't understand the math behind the game. I feel the same applies to poker. Most people you ask would say they'd rather see the board cards. These are the same people that count winning sessions and how often their good hands hold up.

[jbones]

I don't see how this is a close decision at all. If you see the other players' hole cards, you're not going to make any mistakes and are going to come out way ahead.

[Peter Olley]

As in all poker situations....IT Depends...which would give you the best chance of profit? Are you playing no limit or limit? As in figuring anything you have to have all the variables to make an educated and right decision.

[Dromar]

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I don't see how this is a close decision at all. If you see the other players' hole cards, you're not going to make any mistakes and are going to come out way ahead.

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[_TKO_]

[ QUOTE ]
As in all poker situations....IT Depends...which would give you the best chance of profit? Are you playing no limit or limit? As in figuring anything you have to have all the variables to make an educated and right decision.

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, what do you think it depends on?

That said, I'm wondering if there is indeed a situation in which seeing the board cards would actually be better than seeing hole cards. I'm thinking along the lines of playing against 9 uber-LAGs, who bet and raise at every opportunity on every street.