Titel Poker Strategy XXIV – The Other Danger in Slow Playing Autor/Erfasser externe Quelle Firmenportrait SwissPoker Archiv bis 2008

You've probably heard the standard reason to avoid slow playing: It's dangerous, because 
when you slow play, you give an opponent a chance to make a bigger hand at a minimal 
cost. This is absolutely true. But there's another reason to play your big hands fast, 
and this one isn't talked about as frequently. A slow play can give an opponent a chance 
to get away from a hand more cheaply than he would have had you played it fast from the 
start. Consider the following example. 

You're in late position in a No-Limit Hold 'em ring game. A player raises in early 
position. You look at your cards, see pocket 8s, and decide to call. The flop is 
absolutely perfect: Qh 8h 2d. You've hit your set and, with the Queen out there, chances 
are your opponent has something – maybe A-Q, maybe pocket Kings or Aces. He bets the 
flop.

Many players will just call in this spot, hoping to get their opponent to bet on the 
turn. But a raise is usually the better play. If you just call, you risk seeing a heart 
on the turn. I don't think you need to be especially worried about the flush beating 
your set. You might get your set beat by a flush draw even if you raise. However, you do 
need to be concerned about the effect the third heart will have on your opponent. He 
very well might suspect that you were on the flush draw and he'd no longer be willing to 
commit a lot of money to the hand, even if he has Aces. 

In fact, any King, Jack, 10, 9 or a card that pairs the board is likely to give your 
opponent pause. If he bets on the turn and you raise, you're signaling that the turn 
card helped you. In effect, you're saying that you liked the flop enough to call and the 
turn improved your hand in some way. You're announcing that you can beat one pair.
So the flop very well may be the only time when your opponent is willing to make a stand 
with a single pair. If he bets the flop of Qh 8h 2d and you raise, he's likely to think 
that you're semi-bluffing -- raising on a flush draw. At that point, he might feel 
compelled to protect his hand with large re-raise or perhaps an all in. When this 
happens, you'll take down a monster pot.

It's OK when a flop raise doesn't get you the result you want. You might scare off 
someone holding pocket Jacks or Ace-King, but you wouldn't make a lot of money off these 
hands anyway. And, if you're up against Ah-Jh, you may lose a big pot to a flush. But 
that's OK, because you'll have gotten your money in with the best hand. 

Of course, there are some occasions where slow playing is the best choice. If you flop 
quads or something like Queens full, you'll want to give an opponent a chance to make 
some kind of hand on the turn or river. But frequently, the best option is to play fast 
on the flop. It may be your only chance to win a big pot with a big hand.
By Howard Lederer Full Tilt Poker Tips