Slow play

Also: slowplay, trapping, sandbagging

Playing a very strong hand passively — checking or calling instead of betting — to keep opponents in the pot or induce a bluff. Effective against aggressive players, costly against passive ones and on draw-heavy boards.

Example. She flopped quads and check-called all three streets to let him bluff.

Related terms

Full glossary

Capped range

A range that, based on previous actions, cannot contain the strongest possible hands. A player who just called…

Check-raise

Checking with the intention of raising after an opponent bets. It traps players who bet whenever they are chec…

Cooler

A hand where two players both hold very strong holdings and the money is going in no matter what — kings again…

Alpha (bluff break-even)

The percentage of the time a bluff needs to work to break even: bet ÷ (bet + pot). It is the mirror image of m…

Balance

Having a mix of strong hands and bluffs in the same line so that an opponent cannot tell which one you hold an…

Bankroll management

The discipline of only playing stakes your bankroll can survive. Rules of thumb: 20–50 buy-ins for cash games,…

Blind steal

A late-position raise with a weak hand whose main purpose is to win the blinds and antes uncontested. Steals f…

Block bet

A small bet made out of position, often on the river, with a medium-strength hand to set a cheap price and dis…