Three Situations in Poker When You Should Show Your Cards (Maybe)

Mental Factors and Tilt
June 13 2008

There’s an unwritten rule in poker that says you should never show your cards if you don’t have to. Well, believe it or not, that rule isn’t carved in stone and may not always be the best play. Sometimes showing your cards is good and can help you at the table in the long run. Here are three situations where you might want to show your cards.

1. Show a bluff – If you just pulled off a huge bluff with 7-2, it might be worth it to show your opponent. This is especially true if you think your bluff will put them on tilt. Another reason to show a bluff is to get the word out to the rest of the table that you’re a bluffer. The next time you make a big bet with an actual hand, someone might put you on another bluff and pay you off. However, don’t show all your successful bluffs, just a few early on to help you out later in the game.

2. Show a big hand – If you’ve just bet big on the river with the absolute nuts and everyone folded around you, instead of tossing that monster hand into the muck, flip it over and show it off. This lets the rest of the table know that you play good cards. It can also help you pull off a bluff later on because people will remember the big bet you made earlier with those good cards.

3. Show a loser – If you’re sitting down at a new table with a bunch of players you’ve never played against before, don’t be afraid to play a hand like a dummy and show it. What we mean here is to chase a horrible draw to the river, and then after you’re beat, instead of mucking, turn it over and let everyone at the table think you’re a fish or a calling station. If you get labeled as a bad player, when you call down to the showdown with the nuts, you might be able to get more action out of your opponents.

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