Don't slowplay Nits

Just because they fold a lot doesn't mean you can't go for value, says Dara O'Kearney.

Most people have no problem playing against Nits, they might be the easiest people to play against.

You bet, they fold.

Easy money.

The inclination to overfold does make players assume they have to slowplay their big hands against Nits. The last thing you want with a hand like a set, after all, is for your opponent to fold.

So a lot of players will check big hands and hope the Nit gets brave, or picks something up on the next street.

Why slowplaying against Nits backfires

The problem with the slowplay strategy is that you can't rely on a Nit to do your betting for you. They like nothing more than to check the hand down to showdown.

Even though they are a Nit, they will have a class of hands they will call a bet with.

Let's say you have 22 on a K72 flop with two hearts.

The Nit is always folding their Ace high and their backdoor draws, the real Nits might even fold some low pairs and 7-x. But they will still call their Kx, pocket pairs and flush draws.

The hands they are going to fold, they are always going to fold, so don't worry about that portion of their range.

There is still a sizeable portion of their range that will call, and that is what you are targeting with your big hands.

You can get Dara's free book on effective poker study by joining his mailing list.