[Rekinu]

It is possible to use the showing of your cards to your advantage. I played against a guy in Atlantic City once who kept raising with a garbage hand (I think 4 7 off suit) just to eventually buy the pot. He showed his cards so that everyone saw he was bluffing. Then the next hand he did the same thing. This time however, he had pocket kings and caught a set on the flop. I think that he showed his cards the first time to get people to think that he was playing garbage, then caught them the next time around with the best hand on the board.

[Lytspeed]

Originally Posted by Rekinu

It is possible to use the showing of your cards to your advantage.

By the same token, showing cards when you have bought a pot with a monster hand can make people think that you only bet when you have good hands, and make them think twice about calling you. It's all part of table image.

[Arjonius]

I tend to pay very little attention when people voluntarily show me their cards. If the person wants me to think in a particular way, how good can it be for me to do so? And if the person just showed because it seemed like the thing to do at that particular moment, then any conclusion I derive from the action is wrong since there was no intent.

[IvanDrago]

Oh man showing cards is most definitly helpful. It gives you good table image and good table respect. But then again it only applys for the people who know what that is. Example:

Lets say you see a tight player raise a couple of times during like 15-20 minutes of playing and he shows you like AA KK or QQ, everytime, you'll know next time he raises to get out of his way. It shows that when hes betting hes got something huge or he wouldnt be in the hand at all. I've seen people like this and have folded AQ 1010 and stuff like that to them becuase i knew i was beat. I have good respect for him that i didnt want to be in a hand with him unless i had the nuts. But once people start to get use to this and wont call you anymore, you gotta switch it up and start raising with junk or marginal hands so people get confused and you can steal pots.

I usually show the hands that i need to so people know when to back off from me when i reraise or raise so i can take pots down even with a bluff after that. So showing cards can be used to advantage.

-Drago

To the End!

[FrostPoker]

I agree with Lytspeed! But sometimes I show my bluffs to players who I know they will go on tilt. To get under there skin and all.

[Thinkerbell]

I generally don't show my cards. I think uncertainty in the minds of my opponents is a good thing. Every once in a while, if the cards are really falling for me, I'll show AA or KK to prove I'm not just raising every hand with nothing.

[ad1129]

I don't show anything when i'm playing seriously.

[iceberg]

I'm just to too dam lazy to show my cards (win or lose). BUT I do take notice on what is happening at the table. If I see someone bluffing with garbage, then I target that person with my poker laser and wait for something good. Then Check-Raise and blast away.

[Thinkerbell]

Originally Posted by iceberg

Then Check-Raise and blast away.

Remind me to duck.

[rocknroll]

I'll usually only show a bluff when I'm getting revenge on someone who talked trash or showed me a bluff.