ABC of Poker and Glossary of Terms: Slowplay Dos & Don'ts

Slowplay is often defined as the opposite of bluffing (though both are about deception at the poker tables). It means you are holding a very strong hand but under-representing and playing it passively - checking and calling rather than betting and raising. Beginners seem more inclined to slowplay monsters but will often fall into the trap they think they are setting for their opponents. In the hands of the best card readers, slowplay can be a powerful - if still double-edged - weapon.

Voted Hand of the Year in the British Poker Awards: @Tobias Reinkemeier initially slowplays aces and is bluffed into folding by @Scott Seiver. 

Most basic poker tutorials will caution you against slowplaying for the simple reason that you are likely to stray from what should be your main goal in poker: to win the most money possible. Strong hands are rare enough and you must therefore make the most of them to build the pot.

On the other hand, slowplay, or sandbagging as it is also called, can be a great trapping tool and is part of the 'arsenal' of all experienced players.

@Antonio Esfandiari slowplayed his AAs all the way to the river in this hand against @Daniel Colman. Check out the video from The Big One for One Drop in the playlist to see how it ended.

As @Phil Hellmuth explains in the video below, because it is very difficult to find the fine balance between 'giving rope and giving too much rope', he relies on his reading of people when he starts slowplaying hands, always ready to fold if he feels he's outdrawn.

Essentially, you should resort to slowplay in order to mix up your game and 'change gears' from time to time, especially when you have already established an image for yourself as an aggressive player. 

Best-case slowplay scenario:

You check-call with your monster hand against an aggressive bluffer or an opponent with second-best hand; the pot builds up and your opponents get so far committed, they cannot fold when you finally make your move and raise them all-in. 

Worst-case slowplay scenario:

You don't bet and with checks all round, no additional money is put into the pot. 

Slow-playing also means you forego protection and you run the risk of  getting outdrawn by the river.

Your basic rule of thumb:

Don't slowplay against multiple opponents on a wet board or be prepared to fold if you do.

Slowplay only when you are confident in your read of your opponents. Either when you feel they have some catching up to do or when you believe they will try to bluff you.

Here are the five 'requirements for slowplaying' as postulated by the guru of poker theory, @David Sklansky:

David Sklansky, The Theory of Poker

And before you head off to your favorite poker room to put it all to the test, check out what @Daniel Negreanu and @Phil Hellmuth have to say about slowplaying:

Find more videos and strategy tips in the playlist:

Finally, slowplay should not be confused with slowroll, which will be the topic of another post on rankinghero.com :)

Quick glossary of terms used:

Outdraw - to defeat an opponent by improving an initially weaker hand

Pot committed - when you've invested such a large portion of your chips that folding is no longer an option

Protection bet - raising to make some of the opponents fold, typically with a high pocket pair facing a draw

Slowplaying, sandbagging - to play a very strong hand passively in order to mislead and trap your opponent into calling an eventual big raise

Slowrolling - to lead an opponent to think he/she is winning when  you're holding the best hand and to deliberately delay turning over your winning hand at showdown

Wet board - when the community cards leave lots of possibilities for flush and straight draws 

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