Showing Down a Bluff, Movin' on Up

Normally I do not like showing down a bluff, even apart from the fact that if I'm showing it down it means I lost the pot, because it may impair my ability to buy pots in the future. Since a lot of my edge comes from buying pots with c-bets against players that are limp-calling to set mine, losing credibility takes away from my edge. However against drooling LAGtards, showing down a bluff can also get you some ridiculous action in later hands. Here's an example vs. a plus-50 VPIP player:

Hand #1:

Full Tilt Poker, $0.50/$1 NL Hold'em Cash Game, 8 Players
LeggoPoker.com - Hand History Converter

UTG+1: $127.30
MP1: $116
Hero (MP2): $107
CO: $95.60
BTN: $14.65
SB: $136.90
BB: $87.95
UTG: $90.65

Pre-Flop: dealt to Hero (MP2)
UTG folds, UTG+1 calls $1, MP1 folds, Hero raises to $5, 4 folds, UTG+1 calls $4 (raise the donk limper)

Flop: ($11.50) (2 Players)
UTG+1 checks, Hero bets $8.50, UTG+1 calls $8.50 (c-bet the scary board)

Turn: ($28.50) (2 Players)
UTG+1 checks, Hero checks (not gonna get him to fold anything)

River: ($28.50) (2 Players) (possible he'd fold to a bet, but the bet-check-bet line often gets a call from some pretty crappy hands, and there's no particular reason the eight of hearts would help me)

UTG+1 checks, Hero checks

Results: $28.50 Pot ($1.40 Rake)
UTG+1 showed (a pair of Fours) and WON $27.10 (+$13.60 NET)
Hero showed (Queen Ten high) and LOST (-$13.50 NET)

Q4s is gold!! On the one hand I was kind of pissed I didn't bet the river, but on the other hand...he's probably not folding ror....I've just got to wait until later when he'll pay me off. Sure enough, a couple rounds later, same virrain...

Full Tilt Poker, $0.50/$1 NL Hold'em Cash Game, 9 Players
LeggoPoker.com - Hand History Converter

SB: $75.35
BB: $102.50
Hero (UTG): $100
UTG+1: $198.20
UTG+2: $97.50
MP1: $150.35
MP2: $98.50
CO: $90
BTN: $42.50

Pre-Flop: dealt to Hero (UTG)
Hero raises to $4, 5 folds, BTN calls $4, SB calls $3.50, BB folds (I was closing down the sesh, ready to sit out after this hand, not that I need that excuse to raise a pair UTG!)

Flop: ($13) (3 Players)
SB checks, Hero bets $10, BTN folds, SB calls $10 (The donk-a-donk check-calls just as in the earlier hand. He probably has some weak ace, maybe JT or some broadway cards for a gutter ball).

Turn: ($33) (2 Players)
SB checks, Hero bets $28, SB raises to $61.35 and is All-In, Hero calls $33.35 (Golden turn. Gotta make that trip to value-town - he shockingly check-raises all-in. I have no idea what he has but I'm obviously not folding.)

River: ($155.70) (2 Players - 1 is All-In)


Results: $155.70 Pot ($3 Rake)
SB showed (a pair of Eights) and LOST (-$75.35 NET) (nice hand sir!!)
Hero showed (three of a kind, Eights) and WON $152.70 (+$77.35 NET)

Uhh...yea dude...bottom pair no kicker NO GOOD!! ROR!!! So basically I showed down a bluff in a pretty small pot earlier, which might have been part of what made him go nuts in a bigger pot later on when I had the goods. Very profitable situation for me.

Also, this hand will hopefully be the last hand I play at NL100. Nice to go out with a bang. I've started playing NL200 this month, so barring a big downswing, it's where I'll be for a while. So look forward to some NL200 hand histories coming soon!

BRUECHIPS

Congrats on moving up to NL200...didn't take you long at all (5 months?). Just goes to show you how quickly a smart thinking player can move up stakes. I think this jump in stakes is arguable the hardest in the middle/low stakes arena...but I'm quite certain you will continue to succeed. I'm setting the line on your move up to NL400 by the end of October (provided you are not too much of a bankroll nit!)