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A Guide to Slow Playing

 

Do you know how to take part in slow playing of poker game? If not, then study further to know more on this amazing strategy that fetches you handsome dollars. What exactly slow playing is? It is nothing, but a wise strategy used to take advantage of your opponents into belief that you have a weaker (left) hand than you truly have.

Initially, by playing a weak (left) hand, you give confidence to your challengers that they have stronger (right) hands. Hence, you are motivating your challengers to bet on a strong winning hand. Certainly, the result is a great pot for you to succeed

For many players, this strategy is a skill that takes a while to build up, but when used properly, slow playing can become a lifelong moneymaking strategy in poker games. The main intention of slow playing strategy is to help players in piling up big amount, since they can rip off their challengers and grab huge amount of dollars.

Psychology:

Playing poker is actually a psychology game and it is more like a 'dog eat dog' situation, since here you need to fight with your challengers to win the game. This game is very different from other casino games, where best hands do not always come first.

How you use this strategy and the manner you deceive other players is hence important for you to pile up success. Hence, slow playing in poker is an effective strategy to have sizable amount in your pocket, provided you use it accurately.

How to Play Slow Playing Effectively?

  • Understand your odds. If you are playing only heads up or with few opponents, then this strategy works better. However, if you are playing for a large tournament, then this may not work. The more number of players engaged in a solo hand, more are the chances for someone to pull side by side.
  •  Mind your board. If you flop set and there are only two cards to a straight or flush, then avoid betting on the flop set. Always, you need to beware for the likely hands of your challengers.
  • Try to understand and know the tactics that your opponents use. If your table features a call station, then it is an ideal time for fast bet, not to slow play.
  • Slow play involves huge hands. If you do successive flops, then there is nothing to worry about slow playing, since there is a chance for your opponents to make straight or flush. Or else, they think that you are weak and hence move their chips. If you have the right nuts, then you are the ultimate winner.
  • Blend your game. If you maintain the same tactics in poker games, good players certainly grasp your tactics. For instance, most beginners play the things opposite to what they have. They play weak hands very strongly and strong hands weakly. Instead, they need to try on gambling a strong hand, since this may discard your challenger, who thinks that you are attempting to catch the pot over a bluff and vice versa.
  •  Try to pull up the trigger. If you have flopped in a big hand and ascertained it, then you may have to bet in over the turn. The time for slow playing is over. Either you need to make a player give up at this instant or make him/her collapse.
  •  If you decide to play fold 'em, then be ready to endure the pain of no end to flop a set, since at this situation, you can expect only four hearts to crop up over the board and the opponents start betting aggressively. If you are unable to play your cards simply, then you may need some sort of ideas on where your challengers stand all the time.

Slow Playing -- more tips.

Rewarding:

It is also a rewarding strategy, since you have a great chance to be unreliable and grasp huge pot from your challenger's pocket. When playing this game, there will be no greater satisfaction than thrashing other players by deception and surprise. In fact, this is what the entire game is all about.

Perfect slow playing takes a little amount of time to become a pro in it. It is purely an art not a science, hence you need to use the strategy in right situations and this comes only with right practice. It is a game involving all those checking, raising, stalling and playing cards strategies to take forethoughts of your challengers.

Control:

Many players use slow playing strategy for only one purpose, that is, to win more chips in positions and being very much aggressive from the beginning. This strategy helps you to find other players dropping their hands slowly by your state of mind. It is wise to use the slow playing strategy occasionally for more effectiveness.

Tips and Cautions:

  •  Lots of Practice: Poker is unlike a usual casino game, where you cannot play without much practice. Here. The number of times you play, the better you learn. More significantly, always try to learn from your earlier mistakes you made and make how to win over your opponents by knowing their tactics.
  • Never show your play cards to other players, unless you need to do so. If you slow played four of a kind and found a challenger to bet on the river, then you have a chance to win unless you do not let him/her to make out your cards.

Overview:

A slow player in poker implies you have a weak hand, when you have a strong hand. This also includes smooth calling a challenger's bet or just checking out your hand. The aim is to maintain as much as players in hand to get a challenger fold all his/her chips in.  

However, in recent days, slow playing technique is widely used by numerous poker players. Often, playing a weak hand gives your challenger an opportunity to witness free or cheap cards and make a strong hand. Hence, you need to beware of all the possible actions.

 

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