Watch any poker show on TV and you’ll see players talking the whole time they’re playing.  A big part of the reason for this is because the show’s producers only want the entertaining moments shown on TV; so you’re not going to catch the times when everyone is sitting around the table doing nothing which is what happens in real life.  Getting right to the point, don’t try to emulate the pros by talking it up at the table just because it looks cool to do so on TV.

When you are constantly talking, other players are able to extract information that they can use against you.  Some of the common questions players will ask when they’re trying to get you to talk in a big hand are:

Will you show your hand if I fold?
Should I call your bet?
What do you have over there?
That bet didn’t scare you, did it?

Many times novice players will blindly answer these questions just to say something which is a big mistake.  Depending on how you answer these questions, a veteran player can learn everything they need to know about you.  And it’s not just the words you say either since your eye contact, breathing, and other things can give away your hand too.

Just remember that you don’t have to answer any of these questions just to appear social.  Other players don’t ask you these things because they’re trying to befriend you.  Instead, they’re trying to get you to give them the info they need to make major decisions as well as read your tells.

Seeing as how this is the case, many skilled players will simply keep their mouth shut when asked these kinds of questions.  There’s no rule that says you have to respond to any of the aforementioned questions, and it is best that you don’t in order to avoid falling into any traps.

Slow playing means to play weakly or passively with a good hand, hoping to make your opponent think your hand is weak.

While standard poker strategy suggests that, especially in Texas Hold’em, players should bet aggressively with strong or made hands, using this technique is a great way to vary your playing style.

Take it Easy
Slow playing, or trapping, is an advanced piece of poker strategy that should be used occasionally.  If you’ve won a few hands in a game with aggressive play, a well-timed slow play will put you in great position to win in a different manner.

Check-raising and calling are integral parts of slow playing – with your big raises coming in the last two rounds of betting.

When to Do It
In small pot situations, when you have a made hand, a slow play is a good way to get more action in the pot – all the while your opponents will think your hand is not strong, especially if you’ve been sticking to an aggressive strategy earlier.

Slowplaying is different from value-betting. With value betting, you’re making small enough bets to keep players in the hand, whereas slow playing relies on small bets from other players that you’ll call.

When a board is showing rags and you’ve (somehow) got a strong hand, this is a good time for some slow-cooked-calling.

Dangers of Slow Playing
While slow playing, you let weaker hands stick around longer than they should. This gives low pairs, connectors and other cards the chance to hit and potentially beat you.

Unless you’ve got a very strong hand, slow playing is a great way to let others in to beat you, and piss away your own chips. Be wary of this. As pots get bigger, that might be your cue to abandon this strategy and go for the win the traditional way.

Learn these slow playing basics, but remember to react to the game, not stick to a strategy. It’s important to vary your play – and this is one of the best methods of breaking the tight-aggressive pattern that many players find to be profitable.