a. Reading opponents

All players have repeating habits and nervous patterns that give away their hands. The task of the good player is to find and interpret those patterns. Most poker players offer readable patterns (tells) in their—

• initial reaction to looking at cards (freshly dealt hands, draw cards, hole cards, up cards, opponents’ up cards, flop cards)
• behaviors on making calls, bets, and raises
• reactions to calls, bets, and folds of opponents
• ways of handling and looking at cards
• ways of handling money before and during each bet
• extents and directions of interest during the action
• behaviors and remarks during each phase of action
• mumbling and spoken thoughts
• tones of voice
• reactions to comments
• responses to questions

Questions are potent tools for reading opponents’ hands. Often players reveal their hands by impulsive responses to seemingly innocuous questions as—

• How many cards did you draw?
• Who made the last bet?
• How much was the last bet?
• Is it your bet? (when it really is not)
• Did you call the last bet?
• Are you light?

Ways of looking at opponents are also important: The good player controls the position of his head and eyes to avoid a direct stare at those opponents who become cautious and less readable when feeling observed. He will, however, stare directly at those players who get nervous and more readable when feeling observed. In some games, especially public games, the good player may wear dark glasses to conceal his eye actions.

When involved in action, the good player reads his opponents and then makes his play accordingly. When not involved in the action, he analyzes all players for readable patterns. At the conclusion of each pot, he correlates all revealed hands to his observations. By that technique, he can discover and build an inventory of readable patterns for each opponent.

The most valuable pages in John’s black leather notebook describe the readable patterns of his opponents. For example, consider his notes about Scotty Nichols:

Before hand—When winning, breaking even, or losing slightly, he plays very tight and never bluffs. Stays to end only when holding a strong hand. When losing heavily, he panics—he plays wildly while trying to bluff far too often. Once hooked in a hand, he stays to the end.

Receiving cards—Grabs for each dealt card when a good hand is developing. Casually looks at new cards when holding a poor-potential hand.

Dealing—Usually flashes bottom card when picking up the deck. Often flashes cards he deals to himself.

Looking at cards—When planning to play, he looks to his right. When planning to raise, he looks to his left. When planning to drop, he looks blankly into space.

Handling cards—Leaves cards on table when he intends to fold. If holding a playable pair, two pair, trips, a bobtail straight, or a full house, he arranges his cards and then does not disturb them. If holding a lowball hand or a four flush, he continuously ruffles the cards through his fingers.

Before bet—Touches his money lightly when going to call. His thumb lifts edge of money when going to raise. Picks up money when going to bluff. Does not touch money when going to fold.

Betting—Puts money in pot with a deliberate motion when not confident, with a flicking motion when confident, and with a hesitation followed by a flicking motion when sandbagging.

Raising—Cheek muscles flex when holding a certain winner. A stiffness develops around his upper lip when worried. Breathes through mouth when bluffing.

Drawing—Inserts cards randomly into his hand and then ruffles cards when drawing to a four flush or a pair. Puts cards on one end with no ruffling when drawing to a four straight or trips. Puts card second from the end when drawing to trips with a kicker. Puts card in center of hand when drawing to two pair. With two pair, he looks at draw quickly. With all other hands, he slowly squeezes cards open. Squeezes very slowly when drawing to lowball, flush, or straight hands. Jerks hand when he misses.

Looking at draw—Exhales when he misses, and his eyes stare blankly at the table. Inhales when he catches, and his eyes glance at his opponents and then at the pot.

Stud up cards—After catching a good card, he touches it first and then reorganizes his cards. Confirms catch by looking several times at his hole cards.

Stud hole cards—When hole cards are good, he keeps them neatly organized and touches them periodically. Does not bother to organize or touch poor cards. If one fakes a move to grab his hole cards, he impulsively jumps and grabs the cards if they are good . . . does nothing if they are poor.

Last-round bet—A quick call means he will call a raise. Picking up all his money when calling means he will not call a raise. Watching the next caller without looking directly at him means he is hoping for a raise.

Questions—”Do you have three tens beat?” Scotty blinks his eyes if his hand does not beat three tens … no blinking if it does. “How many cards did you draw?” Scotty hesitates and turns eyes up in thought if he is bluffing. Gives a casual answer if holding a normal hand. Hesitates and stares at the pot if holding a powerful hand.

After hand—He will play carelessly when sulking over losses. He will play extra tight when winning and counting his money.

With so many readable patterns, Scotty has little chance against John Finn. By putting together several of those patterns, John reads him with consistent accuracy. And Scotty’s low awareness level keeps him from recognizing the habits that reveal his cards and intentions.

John also has similar dossiers on the other players and can usually read them accurately… even a sound player like Quintin Merck. Because of Quintin’s greater awareness, he occasionally recognizes and eliminates a habit that reveals his hand. But John uses several habits to cross-check readable patterns and can quickly detect when anyone changes or eliminates a habit. After each game, he records in his notebook any new or changed habits… John Finn knows that all players have telling habits and readable patterns that give away their hands and intentions. The task of the good player is to identify and interpret those habits and patterns so he can accurately read the hands and intentions of every opponent. Reading opponents’ hands is much more effective than using marked cards and it is honest.

The question-type giveaways or tells are quite reliable and are particularly useful for pinpointing the exact value of an opponent’s hand. For example, if John holds trips and reads his opponent for trips, he might use questions to find out who has the best hand. Excessive use of questions, however, can rouse suspicion and decrease the usefulness of question-and- answer tells.