Poker is a massive game in every way. Regarding player count, it is one of the world’s most popular card and betting games. There are over 100 million online poker players worldwide, and every casino has a poker table. Its competitive scene is equally esteemed, with huge poker tournaments being held annually. The most famous example is the World Series of Poker, which is worth millions of dollars in prize money and broadcast to millions of fans worldwide.
The primary reason for poker’s popularity is its accessibility. Since the rules are simple, it is easy to learn. It is also easy to play because the setup requirements are minimal, especially with online poker. While beginners can get into poker quickly, mastering poker is another story. There are many things to consider for poker strategy, like your opponents, your position at the table, the community cards, and more. There are also numerous techniques and concepts in poker, like continuation bets and semi-bluffs, which you need to know to improve your game. Knowing this may be daunting for beginners, who may feel like there is too much to learn. An excellent foundation for learning poker is understanding common beginner mistakes and learning how to stop making them. This poker guide will help you with that, focusing on an infamous beginner habit: Slow playing.
What is slow playing?
Slow playing is a deceptive technique wherein a player with a firm hand bets weakly and passively instead of the usual aggressive raises and bets. That is usually done to encourage their opponents to keep playing and build a large pot for the slow player to win at the showdown. If executed properly, it can work well and win you a bigger pot than usual. However, it is often overused by beginners and is usually not the best decision for several reasons.
Why you should not slow play
Slow play sounds good as a concept and is relatively simple to understand. That means beginners often use it instinctively, but there are usually better options in practice. Here are a few reasons why experienced players do not often slow play:
When to slow play
While slow play is not often utilized, all poker techniques have at least some uses. Here are a few scenarios it is a good idea to slow play:
Beating slow play
You can easily counter slow play because of its many flaws. One of the main ways to beat slow play is by going along with it. You can take the free card and try to outdraw them, especially since you are not risking much money. Another way to counter slow play is using its predictability. Once you have identified an opponent’s slow playing, you can associate it with them having a good hand and fold if they ever threaten with a bet.
Playing poker online
We hope this article taught how to play poker and why you should not slow play. If you want to improve at poker, you should play on sites like GGPoker, the world’s largest poker room. Online poker is great for learning since it allows you to play more hands in less time. It is also more convenient and even comes with poker tracking software, which analyzes your game to see what you can improve on.