Three Ways to Decide Whether or Not to Show Your Winning Hand

Today I would like to discuss a particular situation that presents some specific players with a not always straightforward decision – whether or not to show the winning hand when you don’t need to.

The only way this situation arises is when you make a bet or raise that no one calls, so you win the pot by having the last live hand (not having been folded like the others). The dealer pushes the chips to you from the middle of the table. But before you have to give your cards back, you have a choice to make – you can show them or keep them secret. Which is better?

The fact is, deciding whether or not to show the winning hand is a truly strategic decision. It is also a difficult question with no single correct answer.

Some professional players simply have a policy of never showing their cards unless the rules require it. This is certainly the simplest practice. It has the great advantage that you make the decision once and don't have to think about it any more. It's one less thing to have on your mind when you're in the heat of poker battle.

Voluntarily revealing your cards can cost you money by giving your opponents free information. The best long-term strategy is probably to show in carefully selected circumstances, making the practice of never showing only a small deviation from the best strategy. It is at worst a small mistake, but at the same time, showing incorrectly can be a very large and costly mistake.

Let's assume that you want to move beyond this simpler approach, however, and try selectively showing your cards after winning a hand. When and on what basis should you do this? Because I'm convinced that there is no right answer to this question, I'll give you three answers from respected authorities, and let you decide which one to try.

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Daniel Negreanu

In his book Hold'em Wisdom for All Players, Daniel Negreanu advises showing your cards when you have made a move that you do not normally make and that you do not plan to make again during that poker session. Doing so gives false information about the way you play. Weak opponents tend to assume that you were actually showing your normal play, and thus will draw the wrong conclusions in similar situations in the future.

Negreanu warns, however, that novice players should not attempt this, and should instead always opt not to show. Selective showing, he says, is a tactic for stronger players to use against weaker ones, not vice versa.

Mike Caro

One of my favorite books: Caro's Most Profitable Hold'em Advice. In it, Mike Caro spends several pages discussing how to selectively show cards in order to reinforce the erroneous tendencies of specific players.

For example, Caro suggests showing your strongest hands to players who are already inclined to fold often when you bet. Doing so will have the effect of making them think, “Yep, that guy is always good, just as I suspected.” As a result, they will tighten their grip on you even more, which allows you to continue to get away with your bluffs.

On the other hand, Caro recommends showing your bluffs to players who are inclined to call often, in order to make them call even more when you are doing well.

Antonio Esfandiari

In 2011, Antonio Esfandiari was doing live commentary at the World Series of Poker, and he was asked about showing/not showing cards.

He said he never shows his cards because they reinforce good decisions by his opponents. If he folds, he won’t show the winner – but he might call a bluff. He wants to spread misinformation and put his opponents on tilt for making a mistake, not give them a psychological reward for making the right decision.

I think it's a powerful strategic approach to the issue.

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Conclusion

More important than the details of how you decide when to selectively show your cards, the simple wisdom of what you are currently thinking about showing or not showing when the situation arises can be advantageous. The most important thing to keep in mind is that it is a strategic decision, not one to be made on a whim or emotional gratification.

Whatever you choose to do, make sure you have a reason for showing or not showing your winning hand – every time.

Translated and adapted from: Three ways to decide whether or not to show your winning hand