Mind Over Poker

A guy walks into a bar with a friend, and by the end of the night he has a fistful of phone numbers from eligible, attractive ladies.

The friend has none, and is compelled to ask the guy, “How do you do it?”

The guy replies, “If you have to ask, you’re never going to be able to do it.”

Yes, this is a column about poker. I’m reminded of this joke every time someone asks me, “How do you read an opponent?”

I’m tempted to answer, “If you have to ask …,” but I don’t. The hard answer to the question is that there is no easy answer to that question. Reading someone isn’t about finding obvious tells. It’s not like it is in the movies. Your opponent is not going to lick an Oreo cookie every time he’s bluffing. He won’t always act strong when he’s weak, and weak when he’s strong, although many will. He won’t always follow the same betting patterns. There is no secret formula.

So, how do you get a read on somebody? The simple answer is, observe. Not every player will be easy to figure out. Some will be very difficult or near impossible to figure out. That’s OK. You don’t have to know every player inside out in order to be successful. In order to give yourself an edge, you need to understand as many players as possible as best you can, and use that to your advantage. You do that by paying attention to everything that’s going on at the table. When you are not in a hand, don’t give up on it. Watch and try to guess what hands your opponents are playing. Pick up on betting patterns. For instance, if an opponent always makes a continuation-bet after the flop, give him the opportunity to do it when you hit the flop.

That’s just a simple example, but it is indicative of the larger point of this column. Unlike our friend in the bar, when it comes to reading people, by all means, ask. Ask your poker buddies how they read people — but be specific. Ask them to give you specific examples of what they look for, things they’ve picked up and how they’ve used them to their advantage. We all process information differently. So, others may be more in tune to certain things going on at the poker table than we are, and vice versa. By sharing with as many people as you can, you will be developing a skill and enhancing your frame of reference to help you observe.

That’s how it starts, and it’s a never-ending process. Never take anything for granted, and never make any assumptions based on superficial factors. You will have to make some educated guesses and calculated bets based on your experience and intuition. Over time, you will get more comfortable, confident, and successful in doing that. Oh, there is one other thing. Your opponents will be trying to get a read on you. By conversing with others and getting a different perspective of what players look for, it will help you adjust your game accordingly, to keep players from getting a read on you.

David Apostolico is the author of several poker-strategy books, including Tournament Poker and The Art of War. He hosts a radio show every Tuesday at 8 p.m. EDT on www.holdemradio.com. He also is available for lessons, and you can contact him at [email protected].