The need to see what hand your opponent has...

[mpelletier92]

Hi all,

Today I realized that one of my biggest leak came from my desire to see the hand of my opponent. I think it's from the fact that I want to improve my read skills but in the process it's really been expensive to me.

I have been raised large amounts in the past knowing that I had to fold but couldn't resist to see if the other person was bluffing or not. Huge beginner mistake, I know.

Since I've been aware of that I've almost seen an instant improvement in the quality of my game at the tables.

Thought I'd share the experience. Would be interested to know I've it's happened to one of you.

 

[berryryan2488]

This mistake haunted me for the longest time. I would call a hand I knew had me beat but I couldn't resist calling and it was a costly mistake. A lot of times I would even announce the hand that the opponent hand, state that my hand was beat and that this call was stupid and call anyway just to have my suspicion confirmed. My ego was so bad and my fear of being bluffed so strong that I would call without giving the opponent the credibility they established during the hand. Overtime I learned that my gut instinct was usually right and to trust my read. At the end of the day I would sleep better knowing I didn't blow my money by an impulsive decision to call it away.

However, all of that calling and losing taught me a lot about trusting my skills and giving credit when credit was due. Sometimes I get bluffed, that's the game good for them. I would rather deal with the sting of being bluffed once in a while rather than beating myself up about how I lost money, again, and should have folded.

 

[TheDude6622]

You just have to use the skills you accumulate over time. Read bet sizing, preflop bets, ranges, positions, and have that guide you. If you feel you're beat, you just have to go with what the info says and say nice hand, then fold. It takes time to get there, but you will.

 

[xy23]

This was my leak and probably still is a bit for me. I thought about it and I think it has to do with verifying that I was correct in what the opponent had just so that the loss doesn't feel as bad. Ego perhaps.

 

[Kenzie 96]

Natural part of the learning process.

 

[WiredKs]

Looking at time at the table as a constant learning experience, kind of like school, there's a part of me that could see that being considered paying tuition. Obviously the lesson can be expensive, but if the value of the experience gained (how good is my range read or something like that) is greater than the cost of the lesson, it could conceivably be +EV.

Just sayin'

 

[delirium1129]

Sure we can't to see opps hand that why poker is game without full information. You don't have to see exactly hand you have to understand how god is your hand vs opps range. If opp want to trick you he anyway will do it couple times )

 

[akmost]

As a recreational so micro stakes player the problem is that you put your opponent in a hand for example like:"he is repping here 72 but he can't open raise that UTG right?''

So I always call muck! :hahaha: me

 

[Eric Salvador]

It’s a huge leak for a lot of people I know and have watched. You pay for information in games but the price should be a small value bet on a player that you have no info on. You will occasionally have to hero when players get out of line as well. I still run into situations where I look someone up knowing I’m beat by how they’ve been playing. I’ve caught a few but I’ve caught less then I’ve paid off.

 

[2d_Sparrow]

I used to do this as well and still will sometimes if I'm not playing well.

My reasons to call more came in the form of not believing that my opponent had a certain hand and I would often say to myself out loud, "He doesn't have it".

It's great when you do get awareness of this though because it's quite a common leak amongst recreational players and so we can exploit it vs them.

 

[Philwalmsley]

Was playing a free roll the other day doing quite well had an all in call... im sat with KK, something came over me,I knew he had AA! but as it was a free roll I went and called. And my gut was write, and yes he won, but I can feel better in folding KK when it feels right to do so.

 

[mpelletier92]

Was playing a free roll the other day doing quite well had an all in call... im sat with KK, something came over me,I knew he had AA! but as it was a free roll I went and called. And my gut was write, and yes he won, but I can feel better in folding KK when it feels right to do so.

You're better than me ... when I get KK I always end up going all-in. Will need to work on that.

 

[eberetta1]

Was playing a free roll the other day doing quite well had an all in call... im sat with KK, something came over me,I knew he had AA! but as it was a free roll I went and called. And my gut was write, and yes he won, but I can feel better in folding KK when it feels right to do so.

I had KK and he had Ace-rag, pulling an Ace on the flop. Would have monied easily if I had just sat out.

 

[greatgame230]

It is very important that you already overcome that problem that you had, I have never really had it since the first thing I learned in Poker is that I better fold and have the doubt if I was winning the hand to call and lose my stack

 

[mpelletier92]

Worked hard on my game this week and it turned out pretty well for me.

Stopped trying to call huge raises just to see if it was a bluff or not.

Been playing SNGs with Play Money. The game quality feels good even if it ain't for real cash.

On PS the Play Money SNGs start with 9 players and the first 3 places are paid. So far I reach the 3rd position approximately 80% of the time ... now I'll have to work on my heads up skills.

I tend to loosen my game waaay too much when passed the bubble.

 

[wyoming4paul]

I'll pay small amounts in a heads up early to find out. Worth the investment!

 

[mpelletier92]

I'll pay small amounts in a heads up early to find out. Worth the investment!

Can you elaborate a bit on that?