Shells
Moderator
Moderator
I'm sure many members will have an opinion and hopefully share their thoughts.
In the meantime, have you seen this? >>> https://www.cardschat.com/poker-strategy.php
In the meantime, have you seen this? >>> https://www.cardschat.com/poker-strategy.php
edc1
Visionary
Silver Level
online reads are tough to get and are sparce at best,what i do is take very detailed abbreviated notes on the players i face online,i note there opening raise ranges from various position,what type of player they are tag-lag-dag,do they c-bet a lot,and just about any info i can gain ,the biggest thing that helped me out was to pay attention to there play when your not in the hand being played
kbuinowski
Rock Star
Silver Level
how to read
your best bet is go to twitch tv and follow betondrew or lappypoker. you have to look them up on twitch and click on the follow them. if you do tell them i sent ya my name is kbuinowski. twitch tv. you can ask them but they also US poker tracker 4. which you can down load for free for 30 days then you have to pay
your best bet is go to twitch tv and follow betondrew or lappypoker. you have to look them up on twitch and click on the follow them. if you do tell them i sent ya my name is kbuinowski. twitch tv. you can ask them but they also US poker tracker 4. which you can down load for free for 30 days then you have to pay
PHX
Legend
Loyaler
It is tough online cause you can't physically read them via face experessions and movements. Got to rely on betting tells and tells related to stats so as the above person stated got to pay close attention even when not in hand. I put players in groupings in my head, one or two hands I see them play is sometimes enough to put them in correct classing.
NHequalsFU
Visionary
Silver Level
Best you can do is make notes of stuff you see the person do and have a HUD which gives you stats on opponents. Those aren't a lock but if you have several hundred hands against someone it will tell you about their playing style.
I used PokerTracker 4 free trial and then purchased it. Worth it if you plan to multi-table.
I used PokerTracker 4 free trial and then purchased it. Worth it if you plan to multi-table.
alienat3d
easy-going alien grinder
Silver Level
I heard a great advice once from streaming of one online pro "i'm gonna tag everyone as a fish until i get a proof they arn't". IMHO, fits best for micro/low limits. Search for damn reasons, that the people are not fish. Because in so many times they are, especially if you play at low limits, as i do. (And i know, most of you do so.)
Second advice comes from me, just look how people are playing and don't forget to make notes on any "out of line" moves they do. Because those are hints to understand their game better and to find the edge against them. Note as much as possible. But don't forget to add a date, cause people tend to learn from their failures after some time and your info can be misleading then.
Second advice comes from me, just look how people are playing and don't forget to make notes on any "out of line" moves they do. Because those are hints to understand their game better and to find the edge against them. Note as much as possible. But don't forget to add a date, cause people tend to learn from their failures after some time and your info can be misleading then.
This Fish Chums
Visionary
Silver Level
Tips for reading players online
Watch everyone at all times.
As Otto von Bismarck said, "Only a fool learns from his own mistakes. The wise man learns from the mistakes of others." The absolute best way to read people is by watching what they do with other people in the hand. You don't want to waste a bunch of chips trying to push someone out of the hand when they've got you beat the whole way thanks to a brilliant trap.
Disclaimer
I am not good enough to track all this at once. These are just tips I’ve found, each on an individual basis.
Reading All-in players
Don't fall into the trap of assuming someone goes all-in with any two cards just because they go all-in two hands in a row unless you end up seeing their hole cards. Some people like to go all-in, but anyone can catch a couple monster hands in a row. If you do see someone who goes all-in and has to show and they have bad cards, don't assume they always have bad cards when they go all-in. Could have been a failed bluff, they could have been on tilt, or next time they just may get lucky against you.
Calling Stations
Pay close attention when someone calls all the way down to the river. Do they win the hand because they were trapping? Do they lose to top pair and have to muck? If it's the second then you may have a calling station on your hands. When they're in a hand with you, don't try bluffing, they'll just call it all the way down. When you have a good hand against them, milk them for as many chips as you can get out of them. Usually by starting with half the pot and slowly raising, instead of constantly raising pot-sized bets.
People who love draws
Look for people who call or raise to the river and then fold on the river. There's a good chance they had a raw and missed it. In that case, label them as someone who loves to draw out. If they stick around in a hand, you know there's a good chance they have a draw. Wait to see if the draw misses and then push them out of the hand on the river. But be careful, because even if they are chasing a draw they could still have a decent hand (top pair or so).
Bluffers
You can only really identify a bluffer by witnessing a showdown with them. This is why it is very important to watch how they play against other players. If someone shows you a bluff intentionally, they are trying to trick you into thinking they bluff a lot. Don't fall for it. If someone shows a bluff at showdown, or if someone bets decent and then folds to a re-raise, then you can mark them as a bluffer. But again, even a bluffer can catch a legit hand against you.
Rocks (Solid players)
When someone plays few hands, folds often when they miss the flop, and win most showdowns they get to, then treat this person like a "Rock" (a real solid player). The way to take advantage of one of these players is to c-bet and hope they missed the flop. If they are willing to call on the flop, don't bother betting into them unless you've got a great hand because they are only calling with good to great holdings themselves.
Shortstacks
Ignore how people play when they are a shortstack (10BB or less). People alter their play drastically and will tend to shove more often when they are a shortstack, so if you make notes, be sure to annotate it with ss to remind yourself that was how they played shortstacked and it does not necessarily apply to their normal or large stack play.
Betting Delays
When someone takes a long time to think about a bet or re-raise, it may be one of two things. They either betting a great hand and are trying to sucker someone into calling, or they have a crap hand and are trying to bluff. Yes, it can be either. So watch the hands they delay on and when the hand is over, then decide which they were trying to do and make notes on that for later. Also, make notes on what they were doing when they weren't bluffing.
Trappers vs. Bluffers
When someone calls to the river then bets big, there’s a good chance they are a trapper. Pay close attention to whether or not they actually have a good hand when they do this. If so, bet against them with care. If not, you may be able to call safely when they behave like this. Maybe.
Conclusion
As with everything online, it is impossible to predict how things will happen the way pros can do it face-to-face. But perhaps some of this might give you a slight advantage in a key spot.
Watch everyone at all times.
As Otto von Bismarck said, "Only a fool learns from his own mistakes. The wise man learns from the mistakes of others." The absolute best way to read people is by watching what they do with other people in the hand. You don't want to waste a bunch of chips trying to push someone out of the hand when they've got you beat the whole way thanks to a brilliant trap.
Disclaimer
I am not good enough to track all this at once. These are just tips I’ve found, each on an individual basis.
Reading All-in players
Don't fall into the trap of assuming someone goes all-in with any two cards just because they go all-in two hands in a row unless you end up seeing their hole cards. Some people like to go all-in, but anyone can catch a couple monster hands in a row. If you do see someone who goes all-in and has to show and they have bad cards, don't assume they always have bad cards when they go all-in. Could have been a failed bluff, they could have been on tilt, or next time they just may get lucky against you.
Calling Stations
Pay close attention when someone calls all the way down to the river. Do they win the hand because they were trapping? Do they lose to top pair and have to muck? If it's the second then you may have a calling station on your hands. When they're in a hand with you, don't try bluffing, they'll just call it all the way down. When you have a good hand against them, milk them for as many chips as you can get out of them. Usually by starting with half the pot and slowly raising, instead of constantly raising pot-sized bets.
People who love draws
Look for people who call or raise to the river and then fold on the river. There's a good chance they had a raw and missed it. In that case, label them as someone who loves to draw out. If they stick around in a hand, you know there's a good chance they have a draw. Wait to see if the draw misses and then push them out of the hand on the river. But be careful, because even if they are chasing a draw they could still have a decent hand (top pair or so).
Bluffers
You can only really identify a bluffer by witnessing a showdown with them. This is why it is very important to watch how they play against other players. If someone shows you a bluff intentionally, they are trying to trick you into thinking they bluff a lot. Don't fall for it. If someone shows a bluff at showdown, or if someone bets decent and then folds to a re-raise, then you can mark them as a bluffer. But again, even a bluffer can catch a legit hand against you.
Rocks (Solid players)
When someone plays few hands, folds often when they miss the flop, and win most showdowns they get to, then treat this person like a "Rock" (a real solid player). The way to take advantage of one of these players is to c-bet and hope they missed the flop. If they are willing to call on the flop, don't bother betting into them unless you've got a great hand because they are only calling with good to great holdings themselves.
Shortstacks
Ignore how people play when they are a shortstack (10BB or less). People alter their play drastically and will tend to shove more often when they are a shortstack, so if you make notes, be sure to annotate it with ss to remind yourself that was how they played shortstacked and it does not necessarily apply to their normal or large stack play.
Betting Delays
When someone takes a long time to think about a bet or re-raise, it may be one of two things. They either betting a great hand and are trying to sucker someone into calling, or they have a crap hand and are trying to bluff. Yes, it can be either. So watch the hands they delay on and when the hand is over, then decide which they were trying to do and make notes on that for later. Also, make notes on what they were doing when they weren't bluffing.
Trappers vs. Bluffers
When someone calls to the river then bets big, there’s a good chance they are a trapper. Pay close attention to whether or not they actually have a good hand when they do this. If so, bet against them with care. If not, you may be able to call safely when they behave like this. Maybe.
Conclusion
As with everything online, it is impossible to predict how things will happen the way pros can do it face-to-face. But perhaps some of this might give you a slight advantage in a key spot.
Robochick
Legend
Silver Level
I like this part of your post the most.
theothermj
Rock Star
Silver Level
Some really good advice. I may caution reading too much into betting delays. A million things can contribute to that on line. Phone/Dog/Kid/Mate/spill for me I can see a squirrel (ADD joke) I actually mix up my timing on line because it can be a way to counter bluff or trap someone
finaltable1
Legend
Loyaler
few good advices here, but i think that most of them don't work well.
trappers/rocks/bluffers - it all sounds like some ancient book of knowledge or maybe it's good for 50 cent buy in tourneys...
the best advice:
Use sharkscope or playerscope to check opponents stats.
if opponent has:
a) blocked stats
b) over 2000 games per year
c) has high ROI (return of investment)
then most likely he won't be playing like a robot, i mean that he won't play the same hand the same way. He might limp AA in early position cause he knows that table is very aggressive and there will be a raise after him...
if opponent has 50-500 games per year or negative ROI, then the reads from the "ancient book of knowledge" from above post, most probably will work.
Why?
Players who play 3+ tourneys per day or have high ROI are most probably those who learn on their mistakes and improve their poker experience by reading books and articles. They think, make notes, use hud and i know that they don't want to be a open book. Another type of players is those who simply don't care... Check the stats, it's the best thing you can read online about your opponent.
trappers/rocks/bluffers - it all sounds like some ancient book of knowledge or maybe it's good for 50 cent buy in tourneys...
the best advice:
Use sharkscope or playerscope to check opponents stats.
if opponent has:
a) blocked stats
b) over 2000 games per year
c) has high ROI (return of investment)
then most likely he won't be playing like a robot, i mean that he won't play the same hand the same way. He might limp AA in early position cause he knows that table is very aggressive and there will be a raise after him...
if opponent has 50-500 games per year or negative ROI, then the reads from the "ancient book of knowledge" from above post, most probably will work.
Why?
Players who play 3+ tourneys per day or have high ROI are most probably those who learn on their mistakes and improve their poker experience by reading books and articles. They think, make notes, use hud and i know that they don't want to be a open book. Another type of players is those who simply don't care... Check the stats, it's the best thing you can read online about your opponent.
Martin Carreira
Visionary
Silver Level
The best thing to do is to write things down on any sheet and analyze each player according to each movement he makes (if he raises bets, if he cleans, if he is aggressive, if he does a lot of bluff) to keep it in mind for the next hands. Each time you face more and different players you will learn a little of all of them and serve as an experience for the next tables. regards
8bod8
Legend
Silver Level
HUD is not a requirements. In my view, HUD is just the half of a bot that is allowed by most sites.
tauri103
Legend
Silver Level
we are more likely to read a player if we first had the time to play several hands against him. to better define it.
The plupard of the temp is in its way to bet or to check that everybody betrays itself. Some people are more likely to bluff when they have good posistion.
Watching videos from professionals can help greatly to sharpen one's knowledge on this subject.
The plupard of the temp is in its way to bet or to check that everybody betrays itself. Some people are more likely to bluff when they have good posistion.
Watching videos from professionals can help greatly to sharpen one's knowledge on this subject.
S
Salavat Kozhakhmetov
Legend
Silver Level
if you play multi-table tournaments, then without software such as HM,Pokertracker,you can not do,or play one tournament and watch the players,it does not work on micro-limits immediately tell you!
A
Avvavva
Enthusiast
Silver Level
Pay attention to their timing and bet sizes. Do they snap bet/call or take time to think? Do they jam the pot or min bet? I am pretty sure you can interpret these patterns yourself.
I
iceiceice
Enthusiast
Silver Level
Seeing what people have a showdown will determine whether they are tight or loose. How they bet and what sizes they use will determine whether they are aggressive or passive. Then just play population tendency from that.
Minus272c
Rock Star
Silver Level
Beginners fast way to get reads and start exploiting it
The moment i arrive at a new table i start dividing the players into categories.
LAG
Who are agressive, and who play a lot of hands agressive.
Exploit then by calling them with a wider range of hands in position
and 3 bet them larger with good hands.
CALLINGSTATION
Who are passive, and who play a lot of hands passive.
Exploit them by 3 betting them more and betting bigger when you hit.
When theese types play a hand hyper agressive you know they most
likely got a monster hand or a very good hit.
NITS
Who almost never play a hand
Stay away from them unless you can get a cheap flop or wake up with a monster.
Dont forget to take notes and colormark as many players as possible
In longer terms you get better at reading online and divide them into more categories,
getting more notes the same player.
I see some excellent post above to do this
Educate yourself
The moment i arrive at a new table i start dividing the players into categories.
LAG
Who are agressive, and who play a lot of hands agressive.
Exploit then by calling them with a wider range of hands in position
and 3 bet them larger with good hands.
CALLINGSTATION
Who are passive, and who play a lot of hands passive.
Exploit them by 3 betting them more and betting bigger when you hit.
When theese types play a hand hyper agressive you know they most
likely got a monster hand or a very good hit.
NITS
Who almost never play a hand
Stay away from them unless you can get a cheap flop or wake up with a monster.
Dont forget to take notes and colormark as many players as possible In longer terms you get better at reading online and divide them into more categories,
getting more notes the same player.
I see some excellent post above to do this
Educate yourself
8bod8
Legend
Silver Level
Thanks, I'll try to make use of that in our next FRC gameMy left ear blushes when I bluff.
devisam
Enthusiast
Silver Level
U know daniel negreanu watch some video of here that help u to know online poker.
J
Jack Reacher
Visionary
Silver Level
In short: everything.
Everything a player does at the table is a clue to how they play and what kind of decisions they're going to make.
Watch how they write(are they even writing), how much time they take to play their hand. Watch every hand that plays out even if you're not in it.
Take note anytime someone does something out of the ordinary. Note how much money they bet,did they always raise the same.
The more you take in, and the more you consciously catalog, evaluate and remember it all the better chance you'll have at making the right decisions when the time comes.
Everything a player does at the table is a clue to how they play and what kind of decisions they're going to make.
Watch how they write(are they even writing), how much time they take to play their hand. Watch every hand that plays out even if you're not in it.
Take note anytime someone does something out of the ordinary. Note how much money they bet,did they always raise the same.
The more you take in, and the more you consciously catalog, evaluate and remember it all the better chance you'll have at making the right decisions when the time comes.