quick call vs. slow call

I enter a good drawing flop (flush/OESD with overs for example) and have position. If checked to I usually bet out for fold equity but if I am forced to call a bet and I don't want to raise it, I have a choice of either fast calling it or slow calling it.

Which works best for you and against what types of opponents?

Against decent opponents and 1/2 pot sized bet, I raise it and disguise the draw especially if it is an obvious draw like 2 sequential cards or rags with two low flush cards. You have the bonus of possibly taking the pot there, possibly getting a free river card and building the pot so when you do hit you can get him to commit his stack. If you have both an oesd and a flush draw you better raise that because you are the favorite at the time.

I hardly ever call a draw, if the bet is so weak that the pot odds are way in my advantage to call, I usually raise to try and take the pot.

Edit: yeah that doesn't answer your question but i don't think that the slow v. fast call makes a bit of difference.

- sed

I get a lot of mileage out of the slow "check" on a coordinated board. If it coordinates on the turn, and I want showdown, I slow check to feign a slowplay.

In contrast, if my draw completes, and I do want to slowplay it against an aggressive opponent, I don't check fast or slow. I check steady. Anything that alerts my opponent is bad in that case obviously.

As for quick calling, I don't respect it at all. I bet into you until I find resistance.

OK. I completely follow your points on raising and understand them.

But lets say your opponent lays down a 3x continuation bet and is a rather LAGy player. It's likely he has nothing at this point (a post-oak bluff) or maybe a pair, but you don't want to give him the opportunity to reraise because he's a maniac and is likely to come over the top. You want to get your draw at this point because you figure on great implied odds against him, but you don't want to pay through the nose for the draw.

Would you consider making a quick call to give the impression of strength, or would you drag it out? Or do you think its not important?

This is only my opinion, but I don't like a quick call on a loose aggressive opponent. I might quick call a tight aggressive opponent who I suspect is continuing. Of course this is a player who will lay down when they feel they're beat. Quick calling a loose aggressive player doesn't seem advantageous since in my mind it might excite their gambling tendencies.

Against this kind of opponent, I've found that dragging it out is a good tactic. However, it's that fine line between "He's considering raising but instead checked to slowplay", and "He's weak, but wants to see the turn and is pissed he had to pay that much."

That's what I do, and it's fairly effective. It calms them down, slows the pace, asks them to think. If they completely missed, they have to consider that you caught some piece of something when you delay.

Agreed...

Most people assume fast = strenght, slow = weakness
Better players will assume that you assume this as well... (blah blah blah)

Generally I use the quick call if you're going to attempt a bluff later in the hand
With anything made, or strong draw, I take my time to fake weakness. Only works against big fish though.

In my opinion at least the players on the lower levels tend to call their draws quickly for they dont really count the odds. And the players with the stronger hands tend to think what to do with their quality hands.

My advice is to (almost) always use some time to make your decisions.. especially against the better players.

I don't know about quick calls, but a quick raise from a tight player means fold to me unless I've got something.

As a new player (started last week), I've found the best thing that works for me is to vary my delivery. Use the buttons to call/call any, etc and if you can start getting the table on tilt then mix it up because it confuses the crap out of them.

If you started last week you don't have 1/10th of the nous to play around with the psychology of the table and still win at poker. Mucking them about like this may put one or two of the fish on tilt, but the decent players will mark you down as a rank amateur and destroy you when they get a monster hand.

i use slow calls when im strong. i let the timer tick out a bit.. it puts on the perception, you really have to think about it.

but if you take your time on the check, its almost a redflag for a check raise attempt.

and you can use these tendencies to your advantage.