Psychology is always going to be one of the most fun aspects of a live poker game for many people. It’s always fun to see how others react to us and this is one of the parts of poker that makes it a great deal more entertaining than other similar games. Since there is more at stake, in terms of money, people work a lot harder to win. They also experience more stress and that shows in their body language. If you can get good at learning these things, you are definitely going to be a better poker player. There are a lot of habits and reactions which can provide you with rich clues as to your opponent’s hand value so always look for these things when you play in order to give yourself that added edge that poker pros often have.
From the start, you should be watching people’s eyes. What you want to do is notice where they are looking. If they are going to be using cards in the hole to build a winning hand they will often be looking at those cards that are most likely to help them do so. The other thing you may notice is that they spend more time looking back and forth if they are debating on a decision and that usually indicates that they are not quite sure they can win. When this is done calmly, it can demonstrate uncertainty, but if it looks a bit intense then beware that they could well be trying to throw you off with an overly demonstrative bluff to make you think they are not sure of their hand. The same thing holds true for players with weak hands, they are going to try and act as if they are just barely containing their desire to laugh at the rest of the table. This is something you learn with each person, but in general players will most often act the opposite of what they hold. Did you catch that word ‘act’? This is the core thing you need to be able to separate out – when a player is genuinely reacting to the cards they hold and when they are merely acting in the hopes of throwing off their opponents. If you want to check our Full Tilt poker click here -> Full tilt poker no deposit
Remember, players who hold a big hand often try to look disinterested and if they aren’t paying attention. This is an obvious ploy for those who have been playing a long time, but it often fools new players. Another dead give away for a hand that is good is a bit of trembling and overall anxiety. This is the human body preparing for confrontation: fight or flight. If you can start to notice when and why players get anxious, it can help you in the long run, especially if you frequently play against the same players.
After the flop, watch for players who are looking towards their chips. They are making that connection that their hand is going to be built well with the flop, in most cases. They are going to plan out next what they will do to as the next plays happen. This is a good time to study their reactions.
Body language and reading it is a vast field, but these tips can get you started.
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