Read The Board

[Running Nose II]

The best advice I ever got from my old grandpa was "Always read the board" and he meant READ. From this and the bets other players are making, you should try and construct player's hands. You get to know the type of player each of them are, the bluffer, the slow player, aggressive etc. :smile:

 

[arbahool]

very interesting,should give a try to this.but its very difficult when you are playing online...you have to face a lot of different players and sometimes its very hard to predict what they have

 

[vwls]

AlbieTross and arbahool, is this actually something that you have never thought to try? Isn't this concept one of the foundations of playing poker? I mean no offense by my question. I honestly find it difficult to believe that "reading the board" could be a new concept, as it is necessary not only in trying to determine what an opponent might have, but also in determining what you personally have.

 

[Foldemz]

Isn't this concept one of the foundations of playing poker? I mean no offense by my question.

Yes, but this is the learning poker section. You have to start somewhere.
And if they aren't beginners at least they are here to learn and there's nothing wrong with that.

 

[vwls]

Foldemz, I did not say that there is anything wrong with that, and my apologies if you aren't insinuating that I feel this way. I am a beginner myself. I am surprised that even a beginner might not understand this concept. Beyond a mere component of poker, this concept would seem to constitute the entirety of what the game is. I am genuinely curious as to whether AlbieTross and arbahool have never considered this idea. Perhaps they simply haven't seen it described in detail, though they might already do it naturally.

What do you think about the idea that "reading the board" is generally what the game of poker boils down to? Excluding the ability of advanced players to know--based solely on physical tells--what an opponent might have, I think that this could be true. Even players such as Daniel Negreanu seem to base their excellent reads on a combination of basic hand/board reads, as well as other advanced forms of reading an opponent.

Edit: I guess you already answered my question, "Yes."