Many beginning poker players think that if you have a hand, you have to bet. While in many spot this is true, there are some situations that require that you slow play a hand in order to get maximum value. While most of you know what slow-playing is, some of you may have trouble slow playing in certain spots or even make mistakes. Below are some strategies for slow playing.
Chances are that someone is slow playing here.
What is slow playing?
Slow playing is a tactic used to disguise the strength of your hand. A bluff is a tactic to make the other players think you are strong. This is used to get them to fold. Slow playing is exactly the opposite. You want players to think you are weaker than you actually are. The idea being that you will confuse them into overvaluing their own hand.
How do you slow play? First you have to have a hand. You don’t slow play one pair, or a gutshot straight. You slow play sets, flopped flushes, two pair, sometimes you will slow play over cards. Most of this action takes place on the flop though you can also slow play preflop.
Slow Playing Pre-Flop
You don’t want to slow play pre-flop too often. The situation has to be right. The best situation is to sow play a big hand like Aces or Kings against one or two opponents. You see Phil Hellmuth do this quite a lot. He will flat a raise with his entire range including Kings.
Suppose someone makes a raise and you have pocket Kings. You can flat. The person will be hard pressed to put you on Kings since most everyone will re-rise with Kings pre-flop. Then on the flop you can get them to act with a misconception of your actual hand since they have not included Aces or Kings in your range.
The benefit of flatting with a big pair is that you can sometimes get a player to act after you to squeeze. Lets say that a player opens in early position and you flat on the cutoff with Kings. If the player on the button chooses to make a squeeze play then you can put in another raise.
Slow Playing On the Flop
This is where most slow playing takes place. You don’t need to hold a premium hand to be able to slow play. Suppose you were dealt 8c9c on the button. A loose aggressive player in early position raised and two people called. You called as well and the blinds completed.
The flop comes 8x8x9. This is a fantastic flop. You are in a large, multiway pot so the chances are someone has something. If you over bet you will chase out the draws. You should check call. Then put pressure in on the turn.
If the flop comes 7cTsJs you might want to rethink slow playing. If you are in a multiway pot then it becomes a dangerous proposition. There are many hands that will call a big raise from you: KQss, TxJc, sets and other hands. However, you want to charge them and not give them free cards. Because this board is so drawy you should not slow play.
The safer the board and the fewer players involved, the more you can slow play. If you are in a large multiway pot, or if the board is super wet, then you should try and get the money in with your hand.
Slow Playing Mistakes
Don’t slow play big hands pre-flop against multiple players. You might think it’s tricky to flat with Aces against four players but look at the numbers. Preflop you have 50% equity against those four players. Against each individually you have much more. So why not put a big raise in preflop to thin the field and get value.
If you flat then you will be in a bad spot. It is better to flat with a big hand with the intention of back raising, or to flat against a single opponent.
Don’t slow play wet boards. Wet boards are boards that are dangerous because they are coordinated. A flop like JcTc8s is a wet board. Something like 2c7sQh is a dry board. Do not slow play dangerous boards. You should be charging people money for their draws.
Don’t slow play the wrong person. Some players are not the type you should slow play. A calling station is not the right person. Just value bet your hands against these players. You should slow play a tricky player, or a tight player.
Most Commented