Poker Junkie : Poker Player

Poker Junkie

As most poker strategy articles will tell you, being a successful poker player requires a wide variety of skills, which is part of what makes the game so rewarding. It can take a player a lifetime to feel comfortable with every aspect of the game. Many professional players insist they are still learning after years at the felt. One important skill that every player will want to learn, especially when tackling games such as no limit Texas hold’em, is how to read one's opponents. It’s of course difficult to read opponents in cheap no download poker online games, but in live games it's a crucial skill.

Reading Opponents in Poker-Body Language

One of the most well-known ways to read opponents is through tells, subconscious signals a player physically gives off that indicate the strength of his hand. While obvious tells (whistling when bluffing) are hard to come by, there are some overall tendencies that may give you a clue as to your opponent's holding.

Is the player tensed up and motionless? This may indicate a bluff. Do they seem relaxed and comfortable? Are they more interested in the hand then usual? These factors may indicate a strong hand.

The key word is may. They may also mean the exact opposite. Your goal is to try to pair patterns of physical behavior with hand strength, and then use that information later when it counts.

Reading Opponents in Poker-Betting Patterns

Some players may bet the same way depending on their hand without even realizing it. A player who bet pre-flop may always bet when he misses the flop and always check when he hits it.

A player may always bet more pre-flop with a pocket pair than with two high cards. He may never bet pre-flop with a pair. An observant opponent can pick up a lot about a player by the way he bets.

Observations About Reading Opponents

As long as you make an effort to be observant, you will probably instinctively gather where some players are in a hand. The more you practice attempting to assign patterns and behavior to an opponent's hand strength, the better you should become at it.