Slow
Playing In Poker
There’s
nothing that raises the pulse more than setting a trap
in poker. A successful trap takes cunning, skill and
patience. It’s a game of psychology. Stalling,
checking, raising, playing cards others wouldn’t
expect you to play. It’s all about sending signals
to the other players that you’re holding the weaker
hands, and then making them guess wrong. The end
result is that your opponent bets into your winning
hand and the pot gets fatter.
In
Hold’em, trapping is more commonly known as slow-playing,
and its main purpose is to keep your opponents off
balance.
The
first thing to know about slow-playing is being
disciplined enough not to use it. To be
successful, it’s important to pick and choose your
spots. For example, if you’re holding a great pocket
pair of aces or kings, you want to take advantage of
the situation and make those monster cards pay off.
When
holding a monster hand you do not want every player to
fold before the flop, therefore occasionally
slow-play good hands early to see if you can lure
in a few extra opponents. This also provides some
added deception to your hand allowing you to
camouflage a powerful hand once the betting begins. In
the early position, you should check-raise after the
flop. Bet or raise from the late position.
What
you’re trying to accomplish in slow-playing a great
hand is allowing your opponents to put together a hand
that is good, but not good enough. Conversely, in
breaking down your opponents, it’s critical to
figure out which ones slow-play high pairs early, and
which ones never do. And when you’re defining high
pairs, think aces or kings. Slow-playing with queens
or below can be dangerous, with a 41% chance of an
overcard hitting on the flop.
Remember,
in poker, good cards help, but image can be
everything. Slow-playing helps cultivate that
image. If other players view you as tight (playing few
hands), you will likely thin or fold the field with
your bets. If you’re viewed as loose (playing
several hands), then you can bet and raise before the
flop and still find some willing participants who want
in on the action. And if you get the chance to trap
your opponent, don’t hesitate. That is where you
will reel in the most money during a game. And if you
"scare" the table with your trap just one
time, every player will remember your move for the
remainder of the game.
Interested in reading more poker strategy articles?
ThePokerSource recommends the following poker strategy reads:
The Theorem of Poker
Online Poker Tells
Bluffing in Poker
Avoid Going on Tilt
Playing Short Handed
Player Profiles
The Worst Hand in Poker
Poker by Numbers
Poker Position
Pocket Pairs
Common Holdem Mistakes
Basic Betting Strategy
Omaha Poker Strategy
Changing Pace in Poker
Big Suited Connectors
Unsuited Connectors
Limits in No Limit Holdem
Playing Past the Flop
Free Cards
