Let's talk BASIC "people reading" skills at the poker table.

Reading people at the table (The basics)

One of the key Tricks/skills most good poker players have is the ability to read their opponents. The goal of this blog today is to get any players (Either players new to poker) Or ones with a long history at the felt - to UNDERSTAND how important it is to KNOW and Understand this....

I'll focus in on LIVE games today... It's more my BAG.. and because, let's face it a live game gives us MUCH more to look out for...




Some of you are out there are good at playing cards - I just have to ask?? Is there something you might NOT BE DOING (a skill you can learn) that will have you playing MORE SOUND poker and give you an additional edge.(In other words - Are you actually "PLAYING POKER" or are you just "playing cards") How many of you are just playing top knotch starting cards (and let the chips fall where they may no matter what goes on in the ACTION/hand?) or maybe you're just playing your "late seat position" in any givin hand of poker?

If you don't know the answer - that's OK - I'll tell you how many - like 70 PLUS %.

I suggest to any readers of this blog that you try and put a little more effort into learning the art of READING POKER TELLS... or the advanced reading of people at the poker table. It's best to use such skills both when your in action (in a hand) and when you have just folded a hand... (To gain info for a future hand) Start out by WATCHING on just one player and branch out from there as you become more skilled at doing it.

Spotting collaborative tells is something that will give you a major edge in any game. God knows why - but for some reason THIS SUBJECT was something that I was always good at from my early years in poker (reading people that is - reading tells)- It was something that I was lucky enough to have had friends teach me in the early years.. It was something that I kept adding to as the years went by..

I'd like to REFRESH my early years of study and eventually maybe end up learning those last few ADVANCED tricks I'm (to this date) unable to "see..."

If you like - you can ask questions or make statements in the comments section here and I will try to answer (or find the answer) to your question. We can learn and even re-learn some things together... It's always good to GO back and REFRESH your old study material..

Listen to this example I re-read tonight in the book "read 'em and reap" of a basic situation you might see while playing with a weaker player. Then sleep on this QUESTION - (should YOU be putting more into learning to read poker tells)


If you see an opponent put a large bet in the pot and then note that his legs are wrapped around his chair, he's holding his breath, he remains very still, and HIS HANDS ARE IN A PIOUS (praying) position.. One can suspect he's bluffing.. He's scared stiff that he is going to be called

So????

Are you "seeing" things like this at the tables? Did you even THINK/KNOW to look?? If not - I'd suggest you start doing so today! (Trying to anyways) I'll even suggest to you that you buy the book mentioned above AND others as well on the subject.

You ability to win more POTS/TOURNEYS with this sort of skill/Information will MORE than pay the cost of any $29.99 books out there..

In future blogs - I'll go deeper and deeper into this sorta thing..what "tells" to look for and ALSO how to watch out for some TRICKS from other POKER PROS out there trying to send you a MIXED tell.. (In other words - trying to GET you to think they are holding a weak hand when they in fact DO NOT.)

It takes a while to learn "people reading skills..." and how to read poker players while in a game.. it takes patience and practice, but YOU too, can do it! Let's learn together and pull in HUGE pots!

Hey! YOU!

If you have questions on this SPECIAL TOPIC (Special to me) OR any other questions actually - Please, just say so (You can do so in the comments link on this blog - below) - I'll try to get an answer and my take on anything you might bring up.

If no questions - I'll just muddle foward in the coming months..

My favorite players in NL poker are the three on this post. Ted Forest, Eric Seidel and Phil Ivey... (In that order)

Hope your catching nothing but A's tonight!