Slow play is often a term used in poker – specially Texas Holdem – for trying to lure your opponents into producing a large wager so that you simply can trap them and take down an enormous pot.
It can be usually used with a incredibly very good pre-flop hands such as pocket Aces on Kings. Instead of betting major, the slow player will sit back and limp in (call or check) as if he doesn’t have a hands worth wagering, hoping that an opponent will have caught a lower pair or a straight draw and will come in with an enormous wager.
It is really a classic poker manouever and one which has won a lot of money for poker gamblers down by way of the ages, except it has lost it’s effectiveness. The simple reason for this is that everybody is now sluggish playing their big hands so it is almost expected.
So how do you use this circumstance to your advantage?
Should you catch a big palm, you have to arrive out betting. In place of wanting to tempt your opponents into producing a move so that you can are available in more than the top, produce the bet yourself. Now most amateur gamblers baulk at the thought of this in case the rest of the table folds and they "waste" their big hands, except in reality you might typically usually have some betting action from somebody.
By betting your massive hands in place of slow betting it, you might be performing a double bluff since most individuals would sluggish bet on it. Your competitors will usually assume you are bluffing and you might receive a number of betting action and ultimately win far more money.
The other reason you must bet is that should you do not wager, you are allowing your competitors a no cost look at the cards and every single time a card is turned over they could be converting a losing palm to a winning one.
There’s only one circumstance where it will always pay to slow wager on your hands – when you flop an absolute monster that almost cannot be beaten. As an example say you happen to be dealt Ace, Four of clubs and the flop is Queen, 10, Nine of clubs. You have just flopped the nut flush and you’re pretty much unbeatable. OK anyone could have a pair of Queens, Tens or Nines and catch a fourth on the turn or river, or they may be holding the King of clubs and catch the Jack for a straight flush, except the chances of you not succeeding are now remote.
This is the time to sluggish bet on your hand. You will discover all sorts of hands that anyone else may be holding to make them believe they are in a very good position here; 2 other clubs, a straight draw, triples and even just a Queen for the top pair, whatever they have got the chances are somebody will believe it’s worth wagering. If the flop or river produces a King, Queen Jack, Ten or 9 you may well receive a big raise or even an all-in from somebody.
Now you let them build the pot up by just calling the bets and take down the pot with your nut flush.