Should you assume players are good until proven otherwise?

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GreatLeslie

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If you sit down at a new table, whether it be cash or a tournament, how do you assume the players around you to start off with? Do you assume they are good players who are logical and know how to play the game well until proven otherwise?
 
fubarcdn

fubarcdn

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First you need to define good.
A lot of players that you define as not good are the ones that are making the profit.
This game has definitely evolved over the last decade.
 
dnegsisabadreg

dnegsisabadreg

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When playing online I assume that everyone everyone is a reg until proven otherwise.

When playing live I assume that everyone is a fish until proven otherwise.
 
Al Spath

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You should respect cards, position, chip stack sizes and other poker factors before trying to give players a rating.

They will quickly expose themselves by bet sizing, position bets, and how often they splash around.

Eventually you will see some showdown cards that will likely validate your findings/feelings.

Occasionally you will discover that someone you thought was weaker than you imagined, was just a "trapper" and has some skills, and likewise, you will find a player you gave "monsters under the bed" status, isn't that good.

The thing you must remember is that smart players vary their play and morph into different characters as the tournament winds on, and they amass chips, so your initial characterization might have been spot on, but if you keep relying on it later in the event, it might not be as accurate (when limits are high, more risk in play, players adjust radically). gl
 
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rhombus

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If you sit down at a new table, whether it be cash or a tournament, how do you assume the players around you to start off with? Do you assume they are good players who are logical and know how to play the game well until proven otherwise?

Probably the opposite assume all are bad until proven otherwise. Only a small percentage of payers make a profit about 5% so the other 95% are losers:eek:
 
ribaric

ribaric

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If you sit down at a new table, whether it be cash or a tournament, how do you assume the players around you to start off with? Do you assume they are good players who are logical and know how to play the game well until proven otherwise?
if you play freeroll you have to see. You can assume the people are not very good at poker. there are also stars(bronze chrome silver..) if you see a player with silver star you can assume he is good. And you can fold a few hands to see how do the players play who bluffs who has luck who plays tight...:)
 
starting_at_the_bottom

starting_at_the_bottom

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No, If I am forced to make a decision without reads, I would ask myself what the common player at that level would do. No point acting as if unknown villain is good when playing at 4nl, as they are mostly terribad.
 
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