Poker

Hand Rankings

Texas Holdem

Card Games

Poker is a game of skill.  Like Blackjack, you play the odds, but more importantly, you play the player sitting across from you, or next to you. These words of wisdom are true whether you are playing in a home poker game, a casino poker game, or an online poker game.

Reading your opponent is not an easy task for the beginner and you would certainly be well advised to get comfortable with the ranking order of poker hands and texas holdem starting cards prior to a serious attempt at reading your opponents.
 

Start by practicing in a low limits home game where you don't stand to lose much money and the competition hasn't mastered their poker faces yet (As a side note, even seasoned players have tells, but they are much more difficult to spot - start your practice with rookies if you can).

Players try to be consistent in their tells. Once they recognize that they have a tell, they try to repeat it in situations that don't call for it, but there is almost always something different about the attempted coverup.

Make note of all the different categories of tells you can spot at the table. Can you recognize any of the following sitting at the table with you?

• The reverse talker - the player is constantly talking to other players as he bets / checks / calls - complaining about his hand or making a statement that suggests he might not have something too bad after all. You'd be surprised how consistent this type of player is in telling you the reverse of what he actually has.  I remember playing in one home game where this player was one of the most respected players at the table. His reverse talking was his Achilles heel - all I had to do was pay attention. 

• The sour mouth - some players have a tendency to raise one or both sides of their upper lip when then get dealt a card. Watch for this. Just a few hands should reveal what the lip raising means. Once a player realizes they do this, they will try to do it with every card they are dealt - but if you are observant, you will notice a difference - for example, they may raise the right side of their upper lip when they get a card that weakens their hand, but they'll raise the left side or both when they are trying to mislead you!

• The eyebrow raiser - same as the sour mouth, this player will try to cover up their tell, but watch for the small difference which indicates whether they have just improved their position or weakened it.

• The puckerer

• The passive aggressive chip/coin mover

• The chip stacker

• The misleading pauser

Big Movements - what are they trying to hide? Watch for gross or exaggerated movements. Usually a large movement (such as a big stretch or crossing ones legs) while checking / calling / betting is an attempt to hide a tell. If a player feels they have something to hide - watch out!

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