I'm interested in this topic. Very few players ever show their cards. "They didn't pay to see them," is the common wisdom. But, is this wise?

I do show, when I think there's a very good reason. I show a bluff very rarely, if at all. I showed 7-2 the other day in the BB when all folded. I show that I wasn't bluffing, most often. I want to put in my opponents heads that when I bet, I've got a hand. I don't want to put in their heads that I may be bluffing, because I don't want to create calling stations. Frequent blufing leads to this, I believe.

Yes? No?


CJ

I show some bluffs, I show some monsters. It helps the table image.

I play Limit pretty tight and aggressive. After a while at a table, I tend to notice that players start folding to my bets more than I'd like them to.

At that point, I decide to pick a random trash hand and push it hard. If they fold to it, I show it.

Sometimes I have to do this 2 or 3 times to get them back in calling moods.

Sometimes it backfires. I did this last night and pretty quickly after showing offsuit rags, I find AA in my hand. So of course I play it hard and fast and some schlub sucks out on my flopped trip aces with a rivered gutshot. Oh well, I just trained him to call me. What can ya do?

Amen, briachek.

I also keep track in my head what hands I was forced to show at the table. Sometimes you are just forced to show that ya tried to take it down w/ a busted nut flush draw.