The 888poker team are continuing to aid new and novice players with another instalment of their Made to Play strategy videos.
This time, Sofia Lövgren goes over five tips for slow playing at the poker table. And, as always, be sure to watch the video and read the rest of this article.
Slow Play Great Hands, Not Good Ones
Don’t slow play a hand that is nowhere near being the nuts. If you have top pair, that’s a good hand, but it is not a great hand. Top pair holdings are very vulnerable if the board is very draw heavy and connects with your opponent’s range.
You do not want to give your opponents any free cards, even a flopped flush can be vulnerable. In this case, it always better to raise than to slow play. Sometimes the people we are playing against will get their with their draws but you want to make them pay to hit their hands.
Hands like flopped nut-flushes, full houses and quads are better to slow play as it is very unlikely that your opponent has connected at all with the flop.
Pick Your Opponents Carefully
There are two very different types of players you can slow play against profitably. The first are the super aggressive types who keep betting until someone plays back at them.
The second are the more conservative players who fold to anything as long they don’t hit the board. For this player type, you want to let them catch up and put chips in the pot on the later streets.
Stack Size is Important
Slow playing against a short stack can be great strategy, especially if one or two bets are enough to get your opponent’s stack in the pot.
10 Hold’em Tips: Slow Playing Do’s and Dont’s
Don’t Slow Play Too Much
Naturally, you should be aware of what your opponents think of you. If they have already seen you slow play big hands before, they’re more likely to think that you’ll do it again. Remember, good players will profile you, just as much as you profile them.
Sometimes, straight betting and raising is a much better way to build a pot rather than waiting for your opponent to do it for you. The goal is to win the pot, not trick your opponent.
Be Unpredictable
Use slow playing to mix up your game so you become unpredictable. When playing against talented players, you’ll be too predictable if you only bet and raise with your good hands and check-call with your weak holdings.
Slow-playing, from a meta-game point of view, can be a good way to mix it up. Although there are situations where slow playing is the best play, it is not as often as people think. New players can slow play too much and lose on value when compared to playing more straight forwardly.
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Editor and Live Reporter
Calum has been a part of the PokerNews team since September 2021 after working in the UK energy sector. He played his first hand of poker in 2017 and immediately fell in love with the game. Calum’s proudest poker achievement is winning the only tournament he has ever played in Las Vegas, the prestigious $60 Flamingo evening event.