When you try and buy a car, you rarely take the first offer given by a salesperson, right? It’s his starting offer and in most cases you can negotiate a better deal. In order to do so, you have to incorporate a great deal of “reading” the salesperson even though you don’t realize it. Common thoughts racing through your head may include, “If I offer a cash payment, will he give me the car for less?” and “If I take possession of the car today, will he be more willing to make a sale?” Throughout this sometimes lengthy and arduous process, you’re constantly “reading” your opponent. Success at the online poker table means accurately gauging your opponents’ strategies and tendencies. How often do they fold? When do they raise? Do they bluff a lot? Do they try and steal pots? All of these questions can be answered by reading your opponents when you sit down at a poker table. Here are five common strategies I use for reading the other players at my table:
1. Look for the Big Stacks – Big stacks at an online poker table don’t appear randomly. Someone at a $25 maximum buy in table sitting behind $70 most likely didn’t stockpile money accidentally. I’ve seen people playing with five to six times the maximum buy-in and continuing to rake in cash. Yes, it’s conceivable they have may gotten lucky a few times during the process; however, their success was most likely also due in part to a skill far greater than that of their opponents. If you sit down at a $100 maximum buy in table and see someone with a grand in front of them, be cautious.
2. Find the Rocks – There’s always someone at the table who is playing extremely solid poker. This person raises when they have good hands and folds when they have poor hands. This person rarely bluffs and, if they do, uses their position to their advantage. While they may have a decent-sized stack in front of them, it’s not always the case. Rocks patiently wait until their moment to strike, then take down big pots with solid hands. If they raise or bet, get out of the way if you have a weak hand. You wouldn’t want to get rolled over.
3. See Who is Active – You’ll always see at least one person at your table who gets involved in every single hand. If there’s a raise, he’s calling. If there’s a bet, he’s in the pot. There’s no way that this person doesn’t see every hand he plays down to the river and is often involved in 40-50% of hands. Take advantage of this guy, but only when you hand that you know is best. The trick to handling “Likes to Play Guy” is only playing back at him when your hand is unequivocally the best. After all, he may be holding 4-8 on a board of 4-8-A. Your A-10 may get badly beaten.
4. Know Your Table Image – There’s nothing more important when you’re playing than knowing how others see you. Are you loose? Are you tight? Are you a calling station? Do you like to see every single flop? Once you know your table image, don’t be afraid to exploit it. For example, if you’re considered a rock at the table, raise with a hand like 10-7 and you should likely get the same respect as if you raised with 10-10. Don’t overdo it, but recognize that everyone at your table is trying to read you the same way you’re trying to read them.
5. Keep Paying Attention – Just because you fold a hand doesn’t mean you should stop observing the action. Watch the other players at your table like a hawk no matter if you’re involved in a pot or not. When someone new sits down, pay extra close attention to them. Remember to take notes on everyone at your table with the built-in notes programs available on online poker sites. If you play with them again, it’ll make your job a little easier.