To show or not to show that is the question

[Peteyweestro]

I also don't like to show but when i'm playing in a friendly forum game with people i have gotten to know i will occasionally show them but usually i just click the auto muck button and that way i am not tempted to show,lol

[zzzzisme]

never show em, some peeps seem to show them as bait,or to get under your skin, some seem to show them as courtesy. i just dont think its the wise thing to do.

[Poker Orifice]

I generally never show a hand unless I have to. But I do see some players showing one or both cards on a regular basis. I know some do it to entice a call later on but I would have thought people are well aware of that trick by now.

I don't show because I don't want other players knowing my calling or raising range. I think when ever you show your are only giving information to your opponent. Sometimes it's a curse as players tend to think your are a lot tighter than perhaps you are and you don't get paid well on the big hands.

It can be frustrating when you fold to a bet on the river and they muck so you don't know if they had you beat. I will look some players up if it's cheap enough. But as I don't show I can't blame them if they don't.

What to others think.

Sometimes I want my opponents to have some information... some 'false information', lol. There are some times when I"ll consider showing my hand online (typically when playing vs. players who might not be the greatest or too experienced in late stage MTT or SNG play, as more skilled players will typically be able to consider what my range would be but with the 'less skilled', I might consider showing if I feel it will be to my advantage to do so.
THere are other times I will consider showing as well.

I think alot of players show far too often. Sometimes ego-related.

[davejr420]

I used to show but I have learned over the years and in playing a lot more mtt's. That not showing gets more chips in the long run. Because there is a certain mystery about you then and they have no idea what to put you on. Also if you like bluffin at pots or playing aggresive
showing is not a good idea. Your not at the table to make friends or make other players calls so easy to make if they have an idea of your raise range. So NO NEVER SHOW!!!!!!!!

[PLAYFUL1]

YAH PLAYFUL SHOWS SUMTYMES ...MAINLY 2 SET SUM1 UP BY SHOWING A GOOD HAND THEY WILL LESS LIKELY CALL WHEN PLAYFUL IS TRYING 2 BUY THE POT

[Poker Orifice]

I used to show but I have learned over the years and in playing a lot more mtt's. That not showing gets more chips in the long run. Because there is a certain mystery about you then and they have no idea what to put you on. Also if you like bluffin at pots or playing aggresive
showing is not a good idea. Your not at the table to make friends or make other players calls so easy to make if they have an idea of your raise range. So NO NEVER SHOW!!!!!!!!

If I'm playing on the bubble of a SNG (or near bubble) and know the player(s) to my left is a random (< player who is unfamiliar with game theory, has little experience, tends to call down way too light in bad spots, doesn't make necessary stack size adjustments in their play, etc. etc.).. I will occassionally show my hand after shoving & picking up blinds (especially if my stack is fairly small... ~10bb's in late levels), knowing I will likely be shoving more times & NEEDING to do so. I'm doing this in hopes of having a psychological impact on the random.

[eberetta1]

Tonight I made a final table appearance. I think I owe it to not showing. I simply went all in against the big blind about 6 times when I felt I needed to have more chips as the top 18 would get paid and I wanted to make sure I did not bubble. Fortunately, this player did not call me any of the hands. The 6th time I went in with an 89 just hoping not to get called because he coulda put me out of the tourney as he had more chips than me.

In the past, I usually have the big blind call me after I do this 3 times.

I go by 'the less information my opponent has, the less he might want to call me' rule. If he has seen me raise with some awful hands, he might be tempted to call me when I try to steal a blind. So I do not give away information.

[tking888]

by all means -- show me the money

[Peteyweestro]

you see eberetta, i would probably be to nervouse to try a move like that because i'll be damned if the bb would call me the first time and have AA to top it off,lol.I have burned myself many many times just because i felt the other person was bluffing and didn't want to lose my chips to a bluff so i call and sure enough usually they aren't bluffing

[azerny]

I can't think of a good reason to show. If you want to induce a call later on, not showing will have that same effect.