Showing Your Cards Playing Online Poker

Should you show your cards when playing online poker? If you are on a big bluff and pull it off, should you show your cards to everyone else at the table or just muck them? What advantage do you get by showing your cards

Some people believe you should never show your cards when playing online poker. Just throw into the muck and move on. Other people believe showing your cards on occasion can be an advantage. Let’s look at the advantages and disadvantages of both choices.

What about showing your cards after winning a big bluff? Some people want the rest of the table to know they were bluffing with nothing and won the pot. This can serve a purpose if the next time you really do hold the cards but it is still dangerous. Keeping your opponents guessing is better than showing them your cards. What about the opposite occasion?

Let’s say you really did have the cards and wanted to show everyone what you had. Why do you want to tell people what you had? If you show your cards when playing poker then everyone will know you had the winning hand but if you muck them then they are kept in the dark. You may be better off keeping your opponents wondering.

What about another occasion where showing your cards could be helpful? If you are really trying to annoy people at the table, and it does happen, you might show someone something if you want to put them on tilt. Sometimes at the table you are going to run into those players that are annoying. They always want to criticize your play or talk about how great they are.

While it is still better to muck your hands after wins, you might want to stick the needle into those types of players on occasion. This definitely occurs if you got that annoying player to fold. You might then show your rags and really upset that player after he folded the better hand. Remember though, you are probably still better off mucking your cards.

The big reason for mucking your cards instead of showing them is that you don’t want to give you opponents any more information than you have to. If you can keep them guessing as to what you are holding then it is to your advantage. So, keep calm and throw your cards into the muck. Your chances of winning more money that way are definitely greater than if you show your cards.