Slow playing versus fast playing

When to slow play a hand and when to fast play a hand depend on the opponents at your table.

When to slow play

Ideally, when slow playing a hand you want to get value from the flop, turn and the river. Mainly, the river is when you let your opponent know what your hand really is by making a raise over the top of them.

If you are playing against an aggressive player you will get a ton of value from checking hands to them. The slow play against aggressive players will work to perfection almost every time.

You let them hang themselves in hands. By slow playing hands and checking and just calling your hand will look like a draw or middle or top pair with no kicker.

In this spot it will benefit you more if there are draws out there that miss because on the river you can make a bet that will look like a bluff and if they have nothing they may chose to raise over the top of you.

When to fast play

Also, a fast play can work in online poker. For a fast play to work you have to rely on your reading ability of the table.

You have to know how players are playing hands and who will pay you off at the table. If you have someone who is for whatever reason unable to fold top pair, or hands that connect marginally with flops, a fast play will work.

You can lead out with the nuts or big hands in spots against them because you know that they will pay you off every time. Fast playing the nuts is not suggested almost ever unless you have calling stations at your table.

How to play regular floaters

By betting the flop, if you are out of position in a hand using the fast play, one great spot is where you notice someone floating a lot of flops. If a player is floating a lot of flops you can get value from betting these flops.

If they are floating the flop their goal is to win the pot on the turn by you checking and them betting. So, you can lead the flop and then check the turn.

By checking the turn they are thinking that their float has worked and they can win the pot by betting. On the turn if they do bet you should just call and then lead with a smallish type bet on the river in hopes of confusing them into moving all-in.

If they do not bet the turn they are most likely holding some piece of the board, maybe middle pair or top pair with a weak kicker. By betting and then checking you have made them think that their pair is good and you should always bet the river for value.

If the board shows a missed straight draw or flush draw you will most certainly get called. Also, by betting and then checking you have shown weakness in your hand and a lack of confidence towards it, so, when you bet the river almost every time you will get called.

One good online poker room offering many games where you can practice your slow or fast play is PokerStars. They have more tables and tournaments than at any other online poker room.

When you sign up, you can use the marketing code PSP8181 and they will give you a 100% up to $600 sign-up bonus. And you will automatically enroll in their Club VIP offering more perks, cash back bonuses and gifts.