To muck or not to

One thing to consider, as a player I'm aware that the general advice is if you're a tight player show your bluffs to get calls later on, and if you're a loose player show your strong hands so you can bluff more. But when I see this in action it automatically tells me what type of player I'm against.

For example, if I see a player only showing bluffs when he does show, I know he's a tight player. Same thing for a player only showing strong hands, I know to call him out more often as he's probably bluffing a lot.

The only time I'll ever show cards is if I'm bluffing to try and put someone on tilt. And I usually only do this if I have a sizable chip lead.

[jedimoose]

There is no reason to ever show a bluff. It will be known when someone calls you down that you are bluffing. Why take away your advantage until someone calls it down. If you show a bluff early, good luck getting away with it again. The only reason to show 1 early would be to trap someone later, and have it in your mind that you probably wont get away with it again, so you better have good hands after that first show. Only time i will show is quads or better or when tourney is down to three or less and i have a respect for my remaining opponents/opponent. Nothing worse then going out or not calling and never knowing what your oppositions holdings were.

Originally Posted by billybob16

One thing to consider, as a player I'm aware that the general advice is if you're a tight player show your bluffs to get calls later on, and if you're a loose player show your strong hands so you can bluff more. But when I see this in action it automatically tells me what type of player I'm against.

For example, if I see a player only showing bluffs when he does show, I know he's a tight player. Same thing for a player only showing strong hands, I know to call him out more often as he's probably bluffing a lot.

The only time I'll ever show cards is if I'm bluffing to try and put someone on tilt. And I usually only do this if I have a sizable chip lead.

That's a very good point and a very good strategy, I try to do so too (expecially with those who show bluffes because I've experienced on my skin that they do it to make you call their nuts).
But it is a strategy that not everyone is aware of, so if you think there are fishes in tour table, you may try to "trap" them by showing cards in the right way....

I show my cards from time to time but it has to fit in my gameplan.
If e.g. there are 1 or 2 fishy bigstacked potential callingstations at the table who aren't involved in the actual hand I will show if I succeded with a bluff against an other player hoping now to get called from one of the calligstations when I place really big bets on my strong hands. I know that on the other hand it will be now be much more difficult (impossible) to bluff again but if the right hand comes my chances are good to get payed off.
I also play a lot of forum games (on an other forum) with the same people every weekend where I usually play quite tight. There I sometimes show a successful bluff too for nearly the same reason, I want to get some calls in future when I have strong hands.
I think showing your cards in some situations can be a good weapon but you should know WHY you do it and be quite sure that the effects that it has on the other players will help you.
Expecially If you face some good players at the table you should be even more careful with what kind of hands you show because they often know what you are trying to do. Here the opposite tactic might work: show a bluff and try to bluff again when you are up against a skillfull player.

Originally Posted by billybob16

One thing to consider, as a player I'm aware that the general advice is if you're a tight player show your bluffs to get calls later on, and if you're a loose player show your strong hands so you can bluff more. But when I see this in action it automatically tells me what type of player I'm against.

For example, if I see a player only showing bluffs when he does show, I know he's a tight player. Same thing for a player only showing strong hands, I know to call him out more often as he's probably bluffing a lot.

The only time I'll ever show cards is if I'm bluffing to try and put someone on tilt. And I usually only do this if I have a sizable chip lead.

that is a very good stratagy in my opinion. i myself like to show somtimes to make a image. like u said but if i move to a new table i might switch gears or change mu gameplay up and start a different image there.

I played my first online game tonight and did show some hands that I lost but still don't know if you should show or not.

i like 2 show my bluffs just to get under peoples skin nd i think its fun but i normally only show them pre-flop cos next time i raise ppl will wonder if i'm bluffing or not it will keep dem guessing plus i get more fun out of showing bluffs dan not showing dem

[kymi10]

Here's a good quote related to this topic from Matt Lessinger's "Book of Bluffs":

"If you never get called,you can never lose".

So it's always muck for me.

[andybee]

to show or not to show......

well it all depends...... i would say if you are new to poker under 6 months play .... then i would say dont show you will be giving yourself away... but if your not new....

poker is also a game of infomation .... and most people think by showing you are giving infomation away.... well in a way you are but it is under your control so give out miss information..... to confuse the oppersition

if you a good tight player .... then try and show 2 bluffs on the run .... now players think your a loose player and a bluffer .... once 2 bluffs shown dont bluff again you will always get a caller when you have a hand ...... once you have won a few heads up then try show an other bluff

you can use the above in an oppersite way .... if you show 3 winning hands on the run .... players now think your a tight and good player so your now clear to bluff once in a while

finaly ...... and most players can learn from this ..... trust me you can get alot of infomation this way ..... most good players dont tell you this... for all thoses who said tick auto muck ..... learn below....

when you tick auto muck .....players think that your hands are being mucked at the end of every hand if you loose.... not true ...eg some players take you to 5th at the show down one player wins with pocket aces ....you loose with your pair of kings and auto muck and a third player held aks and also auto mucks....... what most people dont know that even i who sat at the table but folded 72os preflop ..... can see all three hands .... so i know how you played your kk and how the the other player played his aks..... all i have to do is look at hand history

try it on ap .... or even better on CD poker .... as there i can even see how you betted at every stage ..... this works on nearly all poker sites.... you can learn so much about your opponents

so my final answer to your question is..... yes ... show ... but dont do it too inform but do it to confuse

andy

I very rarely show and encourage others to muck too, with showdowns so often these days your cards are turned over a lot so any opportunity to muck them gets taken.

I will only show in an extreme case, normally when I want to advertise a certain image to my table.

Simon