Observing Other Poker Players - Part 1
Many players spend hours perfecting there game by,reading up on strtegy articles , striving to become more accomplished players.Allowing them to gain them selves an edge against there competitors, but many players over look the importance of sitting back and studying the other opponents around your table. This is to try and give yourself a better insight into the hands they may be holding, and what they intend on doing with these hands both Pre Flop and Post Flop.
Don’t get me wrong this articles is not going to tell you what your opponent is going to do by either touching there nose of folding there arms, I am instead going to try and give some hard fast tells, that gives every player a little insight into the plays that may come from a certain hand, and situation that occurs on the table during a game of poker.
When They Drop Their Guard
Some reactions are impossible to hide this includes situations where an opponent has already made there mind up 100% and therefore are no longer bothered with the other peoples plays around the table this can be shown for someone who is about to fold by showing a blatant lack of interest in the action that is unfolding in front of them and sometimes have their cards in their hand ready to throw them away.
Many players think that you are not watching them, or alternatively just don’t care if you are. As a winning player it is crucial to pay attention to these periods of time as this is the perfect opportunity for you to gain a little insight into your opponents. Any time you see one of you opponents do anything that is out of the ordinary this is done for a reason, it is up to you to try and understand the reason behind this action
This is an example to try and illustrate my point, say I am at a table holding A,Q I make a raise in a Late Position Pre-Flop there is one caller the flop comes over 5,9,3 off suit my opponent then looks at there cards before deciding to check this movement along gives me the confidence that I need to know I am in front of the hand.
This is for a number of reasons if the player has to look at there card once the flop comes down this tends to mean that they do not have a hand of any importance such as a big pocket pair or an ace with any kicker up to a 10, it also means that they have not noticed a card on the flop that they seen in there own hand another possibility is that the player has hit one of the cards that has appeared on the flop thus giving them the winning hand. You do have to be careful of this put this type of play will on be employed by a more experienced and better player so therefore should be easy to identify between the two types of player.
Trying to gain a read like this can be the deciding factor on whether to carry on or fold a marginal hand or a hand you are doubt full over.
Actions When Other Players Are Observing
Players who know that they are under constant supervision start to panic somewhat, and make some uncharacteristic and unusual moves. Things like laughs and twitches among other can tell you a story you just have to try and understand what that story is. A player that has the nuts or a new inexperienced player who also thinks they have the nuts, (but in reality only have top pair) will react in exactly the same way. It if from here that you have to again look into the way the player has been playing previous, ask yourself if the player is more experienced and fully understands the concepts of the game, or are they jsut a new player who is getting excitied at the prospect of winning there first pot of real money. It is from here that you will be better able to gauge a read on your opponent, you will have to try and figure out what there reactions are telling you to do and do the reverse. This is a hard concept and skill to acquire but once you get to grips with it, it can become a deadly weapon in your arsenal.
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