POKER STRATEGY READING A POKER PLAYER'S FINANCIAL WORTH
If you find yourself sitting with a bunch of strangers, there are several things you can look for to help you determine a person’s financial situation and possible styles of playing poker.
POKER STRATEGY - poker player's worth can many times be directly related to their style of play. For example, if a wealthy person makes $500,000 a year or more, it is very unlikely that you could scare them out with a $20, $40, or even $100 bet in a lower stakes game. They may consider that just pocket change. However, once in a while you'll find the wealthy person who will play honest (betting when they have a hand and folding or checking when they don't) in a smaller stakes game. In these instances, you may be able to get this person to fold when they should. It may only take you once around the table to figure out if they are going to play aggressively (mostly raising or calling) or tight (folding unless they have a very good hand). Watch this person closely, as they may be the one who dictates most of the action in game with their aggressive or passive playing.
On the contrary, the poker player who has less financial ammo in general will often play a little tighter as their existence at the game may be determined by the size of their wallet. However, be aware of the difference between a person who is tight on funds and a person who is short stacked (down to their last few chips at the table). The person who it tight on funds may continue to play tight and a player who is down to their last few chips (short stacked) is most often very aggressive as their belief is, “Well, it is all or nothing time. Get me in or get me out”. At these times, it can be good for you to stay in with weaker hands because your maximum loss is limited to that person's stack of chips. In addition, they are probably playing a weaker hand as well.
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POKER STRATEGY - Look at the poker player's Jewelry and ask these questions: How much jewelry are they wearing? Is it real or fake? Did they buy it? Was it a gift or heirloom? Spending a few moments looking at each player's jewelry could save you or make you a bunch of money. Here is a true story example: A young guy is playing No Limit Texas Holdem at the table against a group of decent players. He was playing moderately aggressive and taking down quite a few pots. In a short time he worked himself from about $500 to about $3000. Soon after his achievement, I watched him put another player at the table all-iin. (Betting about $2,500 of his own chips). The player immediately called the $2,500 bet and they turned over their cards. The young guy had 2-7 off suit (the worst starting hand you can have) with no opportunities to win the pot as all the cards have been dealt and he had absolutely nothing. He was obviously trying to bluff the other player out with a very large bet because the pot size was nice. If he only took a moment to look at the other player’s jewelry, he would have noticed that the man was wearing a solid rose-gold Rolex watch worth over $20,000, a gold cross worth over $1,000 and a diamond wedding ring worth about $8,000. These jewelry items indicate that the person is probably a very wealthy person and therefore, it would have taken a much larger bet than $2,500 to bluff him out. Hence, if he would have evaluated the man’s financial status by looking at his jewelry, he may have saved himself $2,500 and an embarrassing moment. If you play a lot, take a moment to review jewelry items. In case you're not an expert on watches, you can go to Rolex.com or Movado.com and take a look at some of these expensive watches so you'll know when you see one.
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POKER STRATEGY - Look at the poker player's clothing. Are their shirts, pants, jackets, or shoes expensive? Are they wearing clothes for a particular function such as a wedding or party, or are they dressing for work? If so, when do they have to leave? Are they just arriving? Many assumptions can be made just from a person’s clothes that is why the saying goes, “You can always tell a man by his shoes” because many times you really can. Take a closer look to determine how old those clothes are. If they are warn a little, then is the person wearing them for comfort or are they too broke to get new ones? Looking a person’s clothes can help you decide what kind of player they might be from a financial status and or cultural status. Example: The person wearing custom fit shirts with cufflinks may actually be a tight conservative player. This is because they really care about their appearance and what other’s think of them. They pay a lot of attention to detail and they don’t ever want to be considered a loser. This person may likely play tight and try their best to lose as little as possible even if it means just winning a little. Although judging a man by his clothing can be helpful, sometimes it doesn't work well with older individuals as clothes have changed so much over the years to them. You could run into the wealthy retired guy who is wearing his favorite lucky shirt of 20 years. I would recommend not weighing this evaluation too heavily on the senior crowd.
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POKER STRATEGY - Look at their hygiene. Are their fingernails cut and trimmed? If so, does it look like a they have a manicure? Are their hands rough or cut from a hard day's labor? Is their hair well trimmed? There are many reasons to consider these things. A person may be more likely well-to-do if their hands are soft and manicured. Thus, they could fit in the category of the well to do financially. Likewise, the guy with the calluses and/or cuts may not be as easy to call a 3-bet raise given that he works a little harder for his money. This is definitely something to consider but shouldn't hold as much weight as some of the other appearance tests.
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POKER STRATEGY - Consider a poker player's occupation. Do they work hard labor or do they have a desk job? Are they retired? Remember, if you get a chance you can simply ask the person what they do for a living as most people will tell you. While you are at it, you should ask if they play Holdem there often. Most players like to discuss their playing habits as well as their work. This information can be very useful in determining how a player might play, what their goals are at the table, and how experienced they are. Beware, the retired, although on a set budget, may be very experienced and hard to beat on a regular basis. They usually play better cards resulting in less risk.
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HOW LONG HAS YOUR OPPONENT BEEN PLAYING TODAY
Finding out how long a person has been playing that day can tell you many things about their luck, their experience, their ability to continue playing, and their table knowledge. Consider the following:
POKER STRATEGY - Are they tired or alert? There is nothing easier than playing against a tired poker player. The number one reason to go play late at night or very early in the morning is because you’ll get the person whom has been playing all night long. As you may know, when a person is tired they are off their game. It is difficult for them to even read the cards let alone read the player and the player’s cards. I have often seen players think they have a straight, a flush, or two pair when in fact they did not. Often a person will brag about how long they have been playing so do not hesitate to ask them.
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POKER STRATEGY - What are your poker opponents drinking? Water, coffee, or alcohol? It has to be one of the three or a combination thereof. Anyway, as you may have figured, the person drinking the alcohol is most likely to over bet their cards in an attempt to bluff. They will also usually play more hands in an attempt to catch cards as their primary goal is often shifted from winning to entertainment. It may all come down to luck for them at this point. The alcohol drinkers tend to watch the players and their reactions a little less as the waitresses start looking better and better and the drinks become more and more important them. However, some drink casually to just to ease the tensions. Watch what people are consuming and how much. Sometimes a drunken player is very easy to read as they become less and less aware of themselves and their reactions. Example, I once saw the flop come up King of clubs, 8 of clubs, and 7 of clubs. The player in the #8 spot rose to his feet looked at the cards and yell out loud, “Finally”. It wasn't too difficult for me to determine that he flopped the nut flush.
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HOW LONG WILL YOUR POKER OPPONENTS BE PLAYING?
It is very important to consider how long a person will continue playing cards. You should spend 80% of your time analyzing the poker players who will be playing for awhile and only 20% on the players who are short term. You should focus 80% of your attention on a player just sitting down while 20% on those you have already been playing with. This is because most often it will be the unknowns that hurt you the most. Please ask yourself the following questions:
POKER STRATEGY - Did the card player come alone or with someone else? If a player at your table came with someone else, their playing time and goals may be determined by the other person's necessities and/or the other person’s luck. When a player comes with someone else, it is more likely that they will play as long as the other person's will allow them to play. But, they may need to quit if the other person it out of money or needs to go eat. If you see them with someone else, it may be beneficial to glance at the other person in an attempt to determine what kind of gambler they are and how long they can tolerate playing. If they have been there for awhile, listen to their conversation to hear key clues on when your opponent might leave. Knowing how long a person is going to play can help you decide how they may play their cards. For example, if a person is down a few hundred dollars and I has 30 minutes left to play, they may get very aggressive in an attempt to get even before they leave. As a general rule of thumb, it is best for yourself to always go alone and don’t set yourself on any short time constraints.
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POKER STRATEGY - How big is your opponents chip stack? Obviously, this can be an extremely important factor directly related to the time a person will play. You can consider a persons stack in relation to table stakes and/or a rack of chips. For example, a medium stack could be considered a rack of table stake or small blind chips 500 count,a large stack is 1000 chips or more, a small stack is 250, and a short stack is 100 or less count. Let us look at each type:
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POKER STRATEGY - The poker player with mounds and mounds of chips is most likely is having some good luck. They won’t leave until there is a sign that that luck is changing. They are probably at or above their financial goal for the evening. However, no one wants to leave when they are on a good run. Therefore, this person will usually wait to leave until they lose a close hand or lose the small stack that was off to the side of the large mound of chips.
POKER STRATEGY - The poker player with the medium stack of chips may have just bought in or have been playing tight and not catching cards. They will probably play until some determining factor of winning or losing comes their way. If they double up, they will probably leave, if they lose half their stack, they may walk as well. It is rare to see this person re buy chips unless they are very aggressive players and you should be able to tell that quickly.
POKER STRATEGY - The poker player with the small stack is the most unknown. They could have caught a bad run or bought in for a small stack to start with. They could be a very good player and confidant that all they will ever need is a small stack to bring in big results. Usually when I see a person buy in for just over 200 chips, I try to look hard at other factors to determine what type of player they are and how long they will stay at the game. Most often, the player buying in for a medium stack of chips will only re-buy about 50% of the time. Anyway, if you didn’t see them buy in, it never hurts to ask them how their luck has been or how long they have been playing. This will help you determine what kind of player they are and how much longer they will play.
POKER STRATEGY - The dreaded short stack poker player. You can’t win too much from this guy, unless of course you already won it and put them in that situation, because they will most likely leave if they lose. Sometimes the newcomer to the game will buy in for a short stack, try their luck, and re-buy another short stack one or two more times more before they leave. If they are with friends who are standing by them, they will leave for sure. An experience player who buys in for a short stack will probably re-buy for a larger amount one time. They figure maybe they don’t need many chips today or they like their chances playing the short stack. But, if they lose, they will figure they didn’t give themselves enough chips to start and therefore buy in again. Anyone else playing the short stack, if you didn't see them buy in, is probably having a bad run and is getting ready to go all in. Since you didn't see them buy in, it is difficult to tell if they will stay and buy in for more. Again, a simple comment like, "Looks like your do for some luck" can get you a response like, "I only bought in for 100" or "Man, I hear you it has been terrible". The player who bought in for 100 will continue to play tight and re-buy whereas the player who admits terrible luck will probably pack up and leave.
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POKER STRATEGY - Does your opponent have somewhere to be? Well this is an easy one. They player who constantly looks at their watch is probably leaving soon. The more often they look, the sooner they will leave. They may even have to ask you or another player, “What time is it”. This is a perfect opportunity to ask them if they have somewhere to go or when they have to leave. Remember this; whenever possible ask questions, the more you know the better off you are. The same holds true for the person who is getting up quite often. If it is not for a smoke break or to go to the restroom, they may be there with someone else and need to check up on him or her. Again, don’t hesitate to ask them if they are there with someone or when they have to leave.
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HOW EXPERIENCED ARE YOUR OPPONENTS?
One of the most important aspects of sizing up the other players is determining their skill level. The following information will help you fit your opponents into the proper category.
The Novice: Sometimes it is really fun playing with a novice poker player not only because of your potential to win is greater but they are often the most fun to play with. They will buy in for a small or medium stack and if they are having fun, re-buy. They don’t mind losing because they understand that they are new to the game and for them it is mostly luck. They are very easy to spot because they will ask a lot of questions and make a lot of mistakes or just make a lot of mistakes. It can be fun having a novice at the table as they bring in a little more light-hearted atmosphere. It can bring you back to the days when you first sat down to play.
However, sometimes it can be a little irritating because it slows down the game and as you may know, there is nothing worse than a very slow game when you not getting any good cards. In addition, it is hard for you to predict what they have, as they may not even know what they have. At these times, it is best to try to play your cards against them straight up. If they stay in, they probably have a medium to good pair or a straight draw. If they are quietly raising they may have a monster hand. They will probably only fold with the ugliest of cards before the flop. The mistakes they usually make are raising with a straight when there are 3 or 4 cards to a flush on board because often they get caught up in their own hand while forgetting what is probably out there.
Anyway, if you see beginner’s luck setting in, play tight because a weak small pair can turn the beginning player into a call station who gets lucky on the river. The good news is they sure won’t win too much. If they win 200-300 chips, they won’t be around much longer. Don’t spend too much time analyzing the novice, they are not the biggest threat. Oh, if you see a check raise by a novice, fold. Either they just figured out that they have a monster hand or they thought they accidentally checked previously.
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The Average Player: The average poker player has a little experience but doesn’t understand much about reading the other players or the primary theories behind betting. They will generally play true to their cards and are easy to spot. You won’t see many check raises and you won’t see any well-timed bluffs. 9 out of 10 of the average players will just play their hands as they are. They will probably stay in a little longer than they should trying to catch a card on the turn or the river. You may see some slow plays and very little pre flop raising. It never hurts to say, “I think I’ve seen you here before” to see what there reaction is. An average player will not often consider pot-odds, discussed in (Betting Strategies) and may often fold on the last bet. They will probably buy in for a small to medium stack of chips and re buy one more time. The average player is not aware of what they are conveying to the other players with their demeanor and will be true to the odds of the poker tells, discussed in (Tells). If you can tell that they should have raised, stayed in, or folded, you have spotted an average player.
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The Good Poker Player: This is where you will be after reading and analyzing all of the material on this web site. You may be even a little better than good because most good players don’t even consider the stuff that has been discussed up to this point. Anyway, to spot a good player is easy to do, you’ll find yourself at the table saying, “He probably doesn’t have anything” yet nobody will call him because they are too afraid. You may see him check and raise once in awhile when it seemed to make sense to do so. You won’t see him lose too often and when you do it will probably be because of the river card. A good player will call someone with a weaker hand if they think that person is raising because of the position they are in, discussed in (Betting Strategies), or because of the card that came up on board makes them look better. A good player will wait to catch the better starting hands depending on position, discussed in (Hand Rankings) before putting any money in the pot. A good player will probably have a fair amount of neatly stacked chips in front of them. They will be able to answer any question you ask and will often give advice to others concerning play. They may complement you when you beat them and apologize when they beat you or someone else. A good player may know many of the house dealers and some of the dealers may know them. You may hear some comments like, “I can’t beat this guy” or “I should have known better” or “I can’t believe I won” Pay close attention to what is said and done and you’ll spot the good player.
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The Excellent Poker Player: If you read all of the suggested books, discussed in (Suggested Readings) and spend enough time playing online, at the home games with friends, and at the casinos with the good players, it won’t take long to become an excellent player. You’ll know when you're there because you will win money or lose very little even when you get really bad cards. When you get good cards, you will absolutely clean up. You will generally win all of the time and be able to reflect on all of your mistakes when you lose. It will only take you a few moments to size up the competition and make the best of judgments on how to play against them. The excellent player is feared by even the good players and you may hear comments like, “I can’t ever beat that guy” or “Excellent play” or “Oh no, he is here, I guess it is time to leave”. This excellent player may likely know many or all of the other dealers and players at the casino. You’ll see every trick in the book by these players from check raising out of position, discussed in (Betting Strategies), to re-raising the guy who just raised because he knows that person will fold. Generally they will play tight, but when they play, watch out because here comes the betting. They know when the bluff is right and they know when they have you beat. In fact, they are so good at reading the players and the cards, the cards might as well all be face up because they will often be able to call out your exact hand long before the river card comes up. Play only good hands against these players (super tight). Generally that is what they will be doing to you. However, once in awhile it is a very good idea to change up your game. The excellent player may buy in for any amount and they will very rarely run out of chips. If they do, they probably won’t re buy because they figure the cards must be running cold. It is not their play that lost them money it was bad luck. Of course you will know all of this once you’re an excellent player.
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PERSONALITY TYPES
When considering a person’s personality type, try to fit them into a category like: Smart and quiet, loud and arrogant, mild and friendly, anal and conservative, or aggressive and impatient to name a few. Considering a person’s personality type may help you define how they will likely play much quicker than experience with them. If you combine a person’s personality type with their nationality, their financial status, their type of play, discussed best in Phil Helmuth’s book in the (Suggested Readings), and their experience level, you will quickly have them pegged on how they will play and what their goals might be. Therefore, you will better be able to determine when to raise, call, or fold.
Example: Let’s say you see an Indian guy sitting across the table. He is not saying too much and it appears he is by himself. He is well dressed and it wearing a nice watch and drinking water. You have been sitting there for 15 hands of play and he has only stayed in one hand, which he won with AK or QQ or KK. It is easy for you to make the assumption that he is most likely a good player, smart and quiet, who is playing conservative. You look over at his above medium sized chip stack and they are neatly stacked with a small odd stack off to the side. Now you can determine that he is winning and may only stay to lose the small stack. Can you beat this guy? Difficult but yes, since you know he is probably only playing the top 15 starting hands and playing conservatively overall, you can watch the expression on his face when an over card, three to a straight, or three to a flush hits the board or you may see him tap his cards twice out of turn meaning-Oh no! or Check! discussed in (Tells), You raise him and he may fold, unless you gave off some obvious sign that you are bluffing. There will be much more discussed in Betting Strategies later. Please note that in this brief discussion of personality types and nationalities, we are discussing the likelihood that someone fits a type, it is not an absolute by any means.
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CONCLUSION
You will increase you odds of winning dramatically by sizing up the other poker players every time constantly before and during your game. As you now know, there are many ways to determine a person’s financial status, or how long they have been and will be at the table, how experienced they are, and what their personality type may be. In our discussion, we have only briefly touched on some of the ways to determine these necessary things concerning your opponents. You will be able to learn much more if you read all of the necessary books in the(Suggested Readings) section.
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