Need help reading hands...

lektrikguy

lektrikguy

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Okay-I couldn't resist. I took the donktest that was posted and I scored kinda poor. I guess I really can't read hands as well as I thought I did. So now I turn to you guys. What book/website/psychic should I turn to to better myself?
 
begley01

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Try to estimate what hands would a person call a bet to on the flop with. Are there flush draws / straight draws, Could they have an overpair / overcards / or slowing playing a monster. This is where watching your opponent becomes important. Most reasonable players will play pretty typical hands, like pocket pairs, high cards or suited connectors. For practice I try to put people on hands when I allready folded. It's a good way to learn.
 
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aceup21

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well

Read a book or play alot of online poker and it will eventually come to
you without seeing their face
at the casino is a different story but i find that paying attention to their
betting patters really helps were ever you are at
 
RichKo

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I was listening to strategy show recently (not sure which one) but the key is you put an opponent on a range, yeah people sometimes guess the exact cards, but it usually starts with figuring a range that your opponent would play with, and then limiting the choices due to betting patterns etc. asking yourself, would someone play that hand like that. If you're playing low or especially micro, it might be kinda hard when half the people you play with have a any 2 card range.lol.
 
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deumsac

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How important is gut instinct? Sometimes I think that an opponent has the "nuts", yet I'm pot-committed somewhat, and I have strong trips or something. Let's say that move would cost me all of my chips (all-in).

Sometimes, I want to call because I think my hand is strong, but my opponent seems to be saying "my hand's the best."
 
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Skidmark

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no book helps imo. u need experience. the more you play, the more experience you are going get. Maybe a training site can help if you have fundamental errors.
 
NoWuckingFurries

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no book helps imo. u need experience. the more you play, the more experience you are going get. Maybe a training site can help if you have fundamental errors.
Books have helped me a lot. Different people prefer different ways of learning. Experience alone isn't going to teach you some of the things that books can teach, particularly some of the mathematical concepts.
 
RichKo

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Books have helped me a lot. Different people prefer different ways of learning. Experience alone isn't going to teach you some of the things that books can teach, particularly some of the mathematical concepts.


Books can teach alot, but since this thread is about hand reading, experience, is the only thing that can help you with this, which is why I assume skid says books wont help. I have read alot of books and havent found that special handreading section yet. If someone has please let me know.
 
NoWuckingFurries

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Books have helped me to put people on a range of hands, too. I will allow one of our resident experts on poker books (such as AlienGenius) to tell you which sections of which particular books cover it, but they do.
 
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RA2000

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Keep on playing and watch the people and their bets.
Also watch them if you are not involved in the hand!
Then guess what they are playing.
You will never know exactly....
 
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Skidmark

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Books have helped me a lot. Different people prefer different ways of learning. Experience alone isn't going to teach you some of the things that books can teach, particularly some of the mathematical concepts.

to learn the fundamentals i think training sites are the better choice and more effective rather than books. And the rest is experience as most of the people here agree.
 
evildoesit2003

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A friend of mine read a book and he told me that it says to fold ak if you dont hit on the flop well no one on line ever read that book because they wouldnt fold it even if their life depended on it. AK is great to raise with but when your called you ususally lose.
 
NoWuckingFurries

NoWuckingFurries

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to learn the fundamentals i think training sites are the better choice and more effective rather than books.
I can tell you what suits me, I can't tell you what suits "most people". I am not arrogant enough to assume that because something suits me, it should suit everybody else too. Personally I would say that trying to put people on a range of hands IS one of the fundamental skills of poker.
And the rest is experience as most of the people here agree.
People generally come here to try to improve their poker skills, and there are various ways of doing that, I would rather point out to them the different ways that are available and let them decide which suits them best.
 
Emrald Onyxx

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WOW........ Are you serious?

I really can't believe the consensus of people advocating 'not' reading books in this thread!

My experience gives me a better idea of what to look for in the books I read. And the books I read give me a better idea of how I want to change my experiences or practice.

Sorry folks but there really must be a balance.

So not to piss further on the thread with some silly argument, here is something constructive to the main question.

Books.....

I personally find Phil Gordon's entire "littlebook' series helpful.
I also like Winning in tough Hold'em Games by Nick Grudzien and Geoff Herzog (mostly because of the "hand reading" sections)
Not to forget the classics like Mike Carro's book of tells, and David Sklansky's The Theory of Poker. But a few more promo books are gaining popularity like The Full Tilt Poker Strategy Guide: Tournament Edition (maybe because it has like a dozen pro authors contributing)


Websites.........

CardsChat of course. But if you have a few dollars to spend I strongly suggest Stoxpoker and Cardrunners. But I understand that Fulltilt has spent a few bucks on developing their own poker academy. Each can help you and each has complete study and practice courses to help you along the way.

Psychics.........

Stick with psychology and not psychics. Where's Deion Warwick when you need her anyways?
 
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NineLions

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Yup, don't read books, they won't help you with understanding different strategies which might help you to read hands and to see the level of playing ability of your competition.


Then bring your bankroll to my table.


Seriously, if you read Harrington's examples it's all about putting you opponent's on a range of hands given your general reads, the situation, and the action so far. Gordon does the same in his Blue Book, which is all examples.
 
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DuaneK

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Reading books has never hurt anyone. Along with experience and watching the table. Maybe i'll win yet.
 
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manalva

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Hi.

First you have to read about poker, about hands, about people playing poker. The books may seems to you like boring or something like that, but they teach a lot, maybe not inmediatly, but with time and games you'll see that the teachs from book are really helpful.

And, of course, you must see how other people play, just go to a table where's money involve and watch.

Bye.
manalva
 
KardKlub

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The easiest way to start to learn to read hands is to pretend everybody plays like you, this enables you to put them on a hand range consistent to the betting of what you would have played.

If you encounter different information from that player when the showdown comes adjust your range for them depending on what you saw. Using the note box also helps at this point.

Read the Harrington on holdem books for stratergy and techhiques, there a bible of information.
 
Lucothefish

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The betting pattern of your opponent will tell a story. Your job is to understand what that story is, and whether the story book goes in fiction or non-fiction.

I would suggest you read up on why people bet in the first place. If you understand why someone has made a pot-sized bet on the flop instead of half the pot, you'll pick it up in no time.

Protip: Never, ever bet just for information. Period. Always bet for a reason, just not that one.
 
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n2kfactor

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Cardrunners for cash and PXF for mtts gl
 
lektrikguy

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Donk test

Here you go Enlace(and everyone else). Probably shoulda posted this in the first place. Originally posted by CursedSoul-thanks.

http://www.donkeytest.com
 
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