bwrobbel
Enthusiast
Silver Level
It is true that it's hard to tell online because you can't actually see the person, but let's say I have a middle pocket pair. And I raise pre-flop. The flop comes. If I am bluffing, I am going to bet big, because I don't want the the next guy to be on a draw and suck me out later on. If I have something good. Let's say I hit trips, I'll probably bet twice or three times the BB assuming that I will have the best hand (not always) and hoping that the other guy will call. If some bets the min bet, I will usually re-raise them, if they call they have something. Many people bluff with the exponential bet. Let's say they raise pre-flop, bet the flop, then double that bet on the turn, and double their turn bet on the river. If you don't have anything you are probably folding by the flop or the turn, and they have a good bluff, if you have something I'd suggest a large re-raise and see where they stand. Also just to mix things up in a game, I'd suggest once in a while raising preflop with hands you wouldn't normally raise with. It will keep the people at your table guessing
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perry
Rock Star
Silver Level
I have the same experience as you Dave18 online. If my hand is good and I feel that every thing tells me to bet, i'm going with my hand. I play alot of online tournements and run into big stacks that will go all-in when every other player at the table doesn't have a chip stack even close to the all-in bet. If I like my hand, in I go, bluffer or not. Sometimes it is a bluff and sometimes I get taken down.
There is always another tournement to play. My bigger problem is how to get to the final table. I'm pretty good at getting almost there, but not there - Must be a personal problem. Maybe I need to try bluffing myself since that could be a problem because I don't do much bluffing unless the situation actually is crying out for a bluff - - Beats me.
There is always another tournement to play. My bigger problem is how to get to the final table. I'm pretty good at getting almost there, but not there - Must be a personal problem. Maybe I need to try bluffing myself since that could be a problem because I don't do much bluffing unless the situation actually is crying out for a bluff - - Beats me.
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markpro
Enthusiast
Silver Level
The main think you look for are the patterns. You concentrate on looking at how he plays his hands, and hopefully you get to see a lot of them. That way youll have a basic idea of what he choses to play, and how he plays them. Now... you could always try to be the "pro" and start looking at a shaking hand, but that won't really work unless you are a very expirienced player and know what too look for in that sense. The patterns are very important, and once you master this theres no telling where you will go 
. Good luck at the tables!
. Good luck at the tables!
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BM0529
Enthusiast
Silver Level
I won't even get into online issues since I never play there. As far as live play, the previous poster said it, betting patterns are the best way. I know one player i regularly run into at the local casino in 1-2NL games always bets 15$ when he is either bluffing or extremely weak (ex. bottom pair on the flop) regardless, any over the top bet back at him and he folds. Last week I noticed one player was always betting 50$ on the river with strong hands and that twice he bet 35$ and was bluffing with Ace high....I never got the chance but if he came at me for 35$ on the river, it didnt matter if I had 8-4 offsuit....if it was just me and him I was coming over the top back at him and knew he was folding. There are some of those generic tells such as he's staring you down he's weak but be cautious here as I find more often than not a stare down on the river means strength, stare downs on the flop and turn more often mean weakness. If possible look at the chest and see if there is any breathing, if you see absolutely no breathing going on or even can visibly tell their holding their breath, there is a good chance its a complete bluff or a hand they can be pushed off. If their eating/chewing gum and have stopped chewing thats another dead give away of weakness.
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pleazzzzzzzzz
Rising Star
Bronze Level
all about watching each oppenant and looking how aggresive they are and then lookin at the board and the bet see if they overbet to try to steal it but b cutious the good players overbet on purpose to try to fool the good players
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perry
Rock Star
Silver Level
BM0529: I have some idea about patterns but sometimes online you get switched from table to table so fast you don't have any time to know who is doing what -- it is by guess and by god. pokerstars will switch quite often in tournements that have alot of all-in bettors. Admittedly they are the cheap games - but that is what I play. If I can't beat em in a low cost game I'm not going to start putting big bucks up for grabs.