Not all hands want to build the pot. Medium hands —a decent pair, top pair with a weak kicker— usually win if they reach cheaply, but lose if they put in a lot of money. That's what pot control is for.
What is showdown value?
It's the value of a hand that probably wins if it gets shown down, but that can't take several rounds of big bets. It's not for betting for value (worse hands won't pay you) or for bluffing (better hands won't fold): it's for seeing the showdown.
How you control the pot
- Check behind (in position) instead of betting, so you don't build the pot with a medium hand.
- Call instead of raising when you only beat bluffs and worse hands that won't pay more.
- Choose small sizes when you do bet with these hands.
EjemploYou have A♠T♦ on A♥8♣4♠. Top pair, medium kicker. Instead of betting three streets and getting into trouble against better hands, you control: you bet/check to reach the river without inflating a pot your kicker can't handle.
💡 Clave: Strong hands: big pot. Medium hands with showdown value: small pot and show down. Nothing hands: bluff or fold. Knowing which one you're in is half the battle.