Slow Playing

Slow playing has been called trapping or sandbagging.  It’s the act of not betting a big hand to scare off your opponents.  You want them to catch up and build a hand, which they’ll be willing to call a bet with, or will be willing to make a bet of their own that you can later raise.

Monster hands rarely get a lot of action, so this is done to mislead your opponents and make them think you have nothing.  Slow playing usually means checking the flop and the turn, and then making your move on the river after other possible hands could have been built.

It’s a common practice, but many players don’t know when the time is right to slow play a hand.  If you slow play the wrong hands, it can backfire on you and end up costing you dearly when a player draws out an unlikely hand because you didn’t bet.

Here is a look at three different situations and how best to play each.  The situations are specific, but it’s the process of recognizing your hand’s possible vulnerability that is important.

1. You have Ad, Jc and the flop is Ah, 9h, Js.

Many would think that having top two pair would be a good time to slow play your big hand.  However, the flop presents a couple of dangers.  First, there is a possible flush draw out there, and although somewhat unlikely, a possible straight draw as well.  You do have four outs to a full house, but this hand is vulnerable.  Against a hand like 10h, 8h, it is only a 52% chance to win, and 52% is not a time to be slow playing a hand.  Try to save your slow play situations for 80% or better.

It may also appear to be a slow-play situation.  This is also a bit vulnerable because we know that players play big cards.  The straight draw is a real possibility, especially if someone raised pre-flop.  You have to worry about less cards, and you have more outs to full house, but if you do slow play this hand, you had better be ready to muck it if a 10, J, 9 or A come off on the turn or river.  It’s best to get this hand over after the flop if possible and try to escape any beat that might be coming your way.

The best slow-play situations are where it’s unlikely to be out drawn.  You have the nut hand and there are no possible draws, so slow playing the flop would be the best move.  If the turn is a card that creates draws, which it usually is, a bet should be your next play.  If you make a full house on the turn, then you can continue your slow play to the river.  Keep yourself in a safe position ahead of possible draws and this play will be profitable most times you employ it.

Slow playing is one of the easier strategies to learn in poker.  It’s a profitable move because you usually have a monster when you employ it.  If done correctly, it can certainly help you collect a few extra chips that you would not have collected if you bet your big hand earlier on in the hand.

Keep your slow-play spots for situations where you have at least 80% to win or it can be the wrong move, especially in multi-player hands.