10 Signs You’re Playing Against A Shark

Get a Free Training Package at PokerHeadRush.com Recognizing a poker shark across the table is crucial for adjusting your strategy and protecting your stack. This guide highlights 10 unmistakable signs that you’re up against an experienced and skilled opponent, arming you with the knowledge to navigate these challenging waters.

1. They’re Willing To Three-Bet

Poker sharks are aggressive. The most basic aggressive plays in no-limit hold’em are raises and reraises. A preflop raise doesn’t tell you much, because many players feel their best chance to see the flop is with a preflop raise.

The play that many players don’t do enough is the three-bet. It’s the cheapest aggressive play one can use, but many people don’t want to use it with speculative hands like J-8 suited or Q-9.

Sharks don’t have this fear. If they see someone opening too much and they are in position, they are willing to take the fight to the weak opener. They love playing their big pots in position when they have all the information.

2. They Don’t Complain

Many sharks have been playing so long that they’ve seen it all. They’re less likely to complain about getting two-outed because it’s happened to them hundreds of times. If the dealer misdeals a solid hand to them, they let it go because that’s also happened to them several times.

Newer players are surprised by two outers, misdeals, and every other mishap because it hasn’t happened to them much. They are far more likely to get worked up at the table and let everyone know they’re tilting.

3. They Don’t Need Much Time To Think

Sharks have played so many hands, and they’ve worked on their game a lot away from the table. When 98% of situations present themselves, it’s routine to them. They studied before the exam, so they don’t have to rack their brain thinking.

Sharks might not play super quickly. They might take a few seconds to double check matters on each decision, but they usually don’t need to sit around and think for 30 seconds on every decision. They know their game. They know what they’re going to do.

4. They Handle Their Chips Well

Poker pros will often not use chip tricks they’ve learned. Why? They don’t want to alert players at the table to their experience. They want to look like a novice.

If you handle your chips extremely well, it shows you’ve logged some hours at the table. You could just love to gamble, but in all the time on the felt you’ve likely learned some tricks.

Many sharks don’t mind showing others how experienced they are. They know it also works as an intimidating presence.

5. They’re Willing To Triple Barrel Often

The average poker player does not triple barrel enough. They are afraid of value betting thinly because they fear being raised. They do not triple barrel bluff because they don’t know what boards to do it on. They also do not want to be embarrassed when they are caught in a bluff.

Sharks have no problem triple barreling. If they see you call preflop with too many hands and then call on a board with flush draws and straight draws, they will make some assumptions. You would have reraised preflop with your overpairs. You would have raised on the flop with sets and two pairs to get value from your hand and protect it from straight and flush draws. You likely have mediocre pairs that are worried about calling down.

The shark, seeing this capped range, will bet larger for value and also as a bluff. They will put pressure on you consistently. They do not fear anyone’s judgment of their game.

6. Everyone Is Having Difficulty Versus Them

If a player sees the flop frequently but never seems to hassle anyone post-flop, then they’re unlikely to be a shark.

If a player only enters the pot on their terms, then they are more likely to be a shark. If they’re in position in every pot and betting multiple times, then they’re taking advantage of the information they’re getting through the play of the hand. They’re making hands difficult for everyone because they’re aggressive and they’re playing in better situations with better hands.

7. They’re Willing To Raise Post-Flop

Most people do not raise post-flop enough because they’re worried about the pot size getting out of control. They will raise post-flop with two pair or better to build a pot, but they struggle to raise with any other hand.

Sharks do not have this issue. They will raise on the flop as a bluff. They will turn hands into bluffs on turns and rivers. They will raise top pairs for thin value versus small bets.

8. They Value Bet Thinly

Many recreational poker players do not value bet enough because they’re worried about being bluffed. They will have top pair with a decent kicker on the river versus a loose player, but they won’t go for a third street of value. They will check back their hand and be content to take down the pot.

Sharks are never satisfied. They want every chip on the table. If they think they have the best hand on the river, nothing is going to stop them from getting more chips.

You will see sharks occasionally value bet the second-best hand on accident. That is how determined they are to get value.

9. They Don’t Continuation Bet Every Board

Newer players feel they have to continuation bet every board after they raise. They feel like they are weak if they don’t follow up every preflop raise with a continuation bet.

Sharks don’t like handing their money to strangers. If the board is bad for their hand but excellent for their opponent’s range, they will have no problem checking and folding.

10. They Get Caught Bluffing

Most players are terrified of getting caught bluffing. They don’t want to push all their chips over to someone who bested them. They don’t want to listen to the table snicker about their poor play.

Sharks couldn’t care less. If they see weakness or a capped range, they pounce. They are willing to bust themselves to go for the win. They fear nothing. ♠

Learn how to play A-K when it misses the flop!

Alexander Fitzgerald is a professional poker player and bestselling author who currently lives in Denver, Colorado. He is a WPT and EPT final tablist, and has WCOOP and SCOOP wins online. His most recent win was the $250,000 Guaranteed on ACR Poker. He currently enjoys blasting bums away in Ignition tournaments while he listens to death metal. Free training packages of his are provided to new newsletter subscribers who sign up at PokerHeadRush.com