Pokertits.com – Tits and Poker

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I read a great article the other day written by Howard Lederer, which basically draws out a couple different reasons why slow playing can be dangerous. Of course the obvious reason that it is dangerous is because you allow a player to catch a hand while not putting much into the pot, if any. But another reason that a slow play can be bad is when two other things happen.

Lets say you catch a set on the flop and there are say two hearts on the flop as well. You have a perfect flop, but if you slow play there is a chance the other player could catch a flush. If the flush card hits on the turn either A- the player caught his flush and you let him in cheap, or B- you let him in cheap and he doesn’t have the flush and now your bet will more than likely scare him off, even with top pair or an over pair.

What Lederer is basically saying is that the best way to play a hand like this is to get the player to commit on the flop and get your chips in early to maximize your profits on a hand like that.

Of course, there are some occasions where slow playing is the best choice. If you flop quads or something like Queens full, you’ll want to give an opponent a chance to make some kind of hand on the turn or river. But frequently, the best option is to play fast on the flop. It may be your only chance to win a big pot with a big hand.