If you prefer to establish a tight table image, it is better that you show your cards when you get a very strong hand, particularly if you have only played a hand or two, previously. You let your opponents know that, yes, you do play quality hands and yes, you can bet them (or perhaps not). You may also show your present cards after a bluff to develop a loose image, of course. If other players think you are a loose player, they will call you frequently in the future, although they don’t have powerful hands. If you do show them your hand, you better expect to see a lot more callers on any pot that you are part of in the next sessions (especially if you have the lead in betting). It is not necessarily a bad thing to do, since if you tighten your playing style after you show a bluff, you may see the average pot size begin to increase when you are in a pot, giving you enough cash for a profitable winning.

After you show them a very strong hand, don’t repeat it. You need to give people a small bit of doubt over precisely what you are playing.

Examples:

You are dealt A-A in the earliest betting position at a no-limit Hold ’Em tournament. You raise of exactly three times the size of big blind, and all players fold. You show your hand to suggest you had the pocket rockets.

On the looser end of the poker playing style, you can bet a similar amount from the initial position with a hand, like the 2-6 off-suit. After everyone fold, flip over your stinky garbage for the whole table to see and smell. Now you can decide to play great hands while everyone still has your garbage hangover and take down bigger pots (assuming you want to avoid the bad beats).