My latest poker strategy article, Slowplaying, is a meditation on a variety of topics related to slowplaying: what it costs you, when to do it, which types of boards and opponents are best, etc. Here’s an excerpt from the introduction:
“[Y]ou must weigh the advantages of slowplaying against what you would have won from second-best hands that would have paid you off on three streets but end up losing a smaller pot because of your slowplay. In a fixed limit game, this usually costs you just one small bet if you slowplay the flop. In a big bet game, it costs you a lot more, because pot and bet sizes grows geometrically. In other words, a bigger pot on the flop means a bigger pot on the turn means a much bigger pot, and therefore a much bigger bet, on the river. Thus, slowplaying in big bet games carries a much larger cost than it does in fixed limit games.”
As always, I’m eager to hear what you think!
In your T 7 5 2clubs examples. Where you underbet pot (as preflop raiser I think)
What do you do if the 8clubs hit the turn and a straight forward opponent overbets the pot.
Let’s say pot 200 and he bets his last 250–short staked.
And say pot 200 and he bets 250 (with 500 behind)–deep stacked.
I liked your article because it discuses the difference between checking to call and checking to slow play. I think if someone came up with “rules” on whether to check (hoping to call or raise)or Bet out would be very helpful to a lot of players.
I’d fold to an overbet from a straightforward opponent in either case.
I’m not much on rules, but this article is meant to offer pretty substantial guidance in addressing that question.