Slow Playing Monster Flops

The slow play is a vital skill to use in your poker arsenal when you hit a monster flop. By checking the flop and faking weakness you can extract more value from hands which wouldn't normally call 2 streets, and induce bluffs from aggressive players who sense weakness.

It is best to use the slow play when you hit a monster flop, whenever the flop is not dangerous for your hand. Generally you want to do it with the nuts or a very strong hand which is not vulnerable to a better drawing hand.

For example, I was deal 89s on the button which I raise with, and get a call from a passive fish in the big blind. I know he is calling with a fairly wide range. The flop comes Q88 which is a great flop for my hand. This is a good flop to slow play because there are no flush draws and only one gutshot draw which is not likely to hit and only makes up a small part of their range. So I decide to check the flop to slow play and lead out on the turn and river to extract more value.

In the next hand, I was dealt KK in the CO which I raise with. The short stack player on the BTN calls. The flop comes KK7 giving me the nuts with quads. This is another good flop to slow play because there is not many hands which can call the flop. By checking it will allow villain to bluff at the pot to try and win it and if they make a pair on later streets, they may think they have the best hand.

In summary, if you can be confident your opponents will bet if you check, or if you feel that you can maximize value by slowy playing monster hands, the you know it is the optimal play.