Reading opponents at the poker table: what do you look for?

[Brigistul]

If he plays any hand , if he raises with a weak hand, if he bluffs and if he calls with a top hand!

 

[R.Holynskyi]

Hi
I look at how my opponents behave, what hands they play with, how active they are, how aggressive or passive they are, how they use position, and I make sure to make notes if my opponent is bluffing or playing all hands in a row.

 

[finaltable1]

Those who fold a lot without risking the stack and study the players at the table this type of players is strong opponent.

In general I prefer to act like a psychotherapist and use conversation or listen to conversations to understand better who is sitting around me.
At first there are several simple tests to see if person uses his head mostly for thinking or mostly for chewing... So those who like to think are more dangerous. In second - how good person at math? Those who calculate well are more dangerous. In third - Poker experience. In forth - acting skills.

So in general if you see a human calculator who bluffs like a Hollywood star, cause you belive him - this person is more dangerous than others.

I don't think that there is some sort of universal reciepe, all tables are different, conversations are different too, sometimes there is no conversation, you have to judge by tells and actions so pay close attention to the way each hand was played. However quite often really good players at new tables are paying some money to represent a loose and dumb image for a start...

 

[19aleks57]

I only play online poker, mainly on CC freerolls, I have studied my platinum-level opponents enough in tournaments over several years, who play constantly and I know approximately what moves can be expected from them, in live poker it is difficult to predict by the actions of a person right away, because Appearances can be deceiving and require study.

 

[Lucho.riv9]

Well, when I play live games, I always play with friends, so I don't usually see many new faces at each game, however, sometimes a new guy arrives at the table. Generally, I can tell what kind of player he is through his personality, as our live poker is more for fun and ends up being quite chatty.
I spend much more time playing online, where it's harder to analyze each player's style unless I've been playing with that person for more than an hour and then when I see 1 or 2 mistakes just put a note.

 

[BillyR23]

Nowadays, (IMO) there's a pretty 'easy' tell if a player is strong or weak(both live and online) and that's the number of hands his getting involved in- nit days are over, playing tight aggressive can still work pretty well but overall you need to be more involved in pots; also the level of aggression is very important- like the size of the open/raise, if they limp a lot, C-bet percentage/ size...

Live you can pay attention to the way your opponents behave at the table as if a player is weak/ new to live poker they might have some obvious tells: like when a player makes a significant bet, hesitations and pauses will make strong hands more likely as players betting weak hands and bluffs will usually do so without pauses... double-checking hole cards in some situations... the way they show emotions at the table, especially after losing 'tough' hands etc.

 

[VictorOd]

Weak player in live games has nervous body language, inconsistent chip handling, hesitation in making decisions. Also overly passive, limp often, make small raises, call too frequently.
Strong player is confident and composed demeanor, consistent chip handling, quick decisions. Aggressive, uses varied bet sizes, and makes strategic raises and folds.
Online weak players limp frequently, make small bets or min-raises, call down too lightly. Takes long to act or makes very quick, predictable decisions.
Strong player makes varied and sizable bets, knows when to apply pressure. Balanced timing, avoids obvious patterns, deliberate decisions.

 

[Colbefc]

Their cards.

 

[Tammy]

Their cards.

Ok, but something other than their cards.

 

[gabryyyel31]

I think by observing your opponent's body position, you can gain valuable insights into their mindset and the strength of their hand. Paying attention to their eye contact, arm positioning, and leg movements can provide you with crucial information that can help you make better decisions at the poker table. Facial expressions are a direct reflection of our internal emotions and can reveal a person's true feelings, even when their words may suggest otherwise. For example, raised eyebrows can indicate surprise or disbelief, while a furrowed brow may suggest confusion or concentration.

 

[x patrice x]

Well, ...my experience in live games is limited, but the first thing I pay attention to is how much my opponent is concentrating on the entire game.

Is it difficult for him to follow what is happening, is he confident in handling chips and stakes, or is he chatting to another player...

Most inexperienced players are nervous, more focused on what is happening in the game than what is happening around them, and very quiet.

 

[10gerka]

When you sit at a table both online and offline you have to first be very observant and look at the hands that your rivals are playing and score, and never be unfocused.

 

[Balou1982]

In my opinion live poker is very different from online poker because facial expressions and gestures give you always information about your villains.
If you study your opponents @table you can get informations from the most of your villains and online it is quite hard if you play against villains you never played before. You have to get more information out of his bet size and actions preflop, after flop, turn and so on.
It is sometimes easier to analyse a regular player live than in online poker games.

 

[thetick33]

you know ive been on the main post bunches and didnt realize needed to check each post and goto the future so to speak i was like this aint a weekly thing DOH so never answered OUCH lucky i got a whole lotta chippies doing other things lol....anywho what do i look for is too vague is a million things to look for....is all kinds of tells...ive been told my hands shake and that is a tell well if its a medical thing its not a tell people....big thing there is not to tell them is a medical thing haha....i dont look at people so to speak for tells i FEEL the room the table...When i walk into a room and am feeling right I feel free and strong ready to take on the universe so I listen to the tapestry of the table...I notice each move and deduct mostly from feeling something that probably most dont trust or even feel....poker is basically math to get a tell on someone I need time...To get an instant feelling? im lucky that just happens....I judge look at hands jewelry how they sit talk etc...and im talking all the time...See how they give off aura etc...know this is not what people are looking for as an answer so to speak but its mine..>I really go by gut over numbers and dont necessarily seek a tell on someone over how they act as play and what I feel to my core about them...So def hard to explain but ive played some of the best....Johnny chan scared me playing him...I was intimidated other pros?? I wasnt but ya johnny was not my cup of tea he seemed to know everything or was just on that day...he read everyone and knew what they were playing he was elite....Is other pros ive played elite but not like that he it seemed could feel your soul many years ago when was at the top of his game

 

[dompoker]

Live is better, online poker is more lucky, live you can see if a player gets nervous, and take advantage of that.

 

[pirateglenn]

Stats are my friend both online and live - but observationally, i have come across some very skilled players who can act so well in a live situation and will use any angle to disguise their play, conversation is an obvious one with information sharing but also erratic bet sizing, lack of observation of players turn, over betting, calling - i always focus on showdown cards at the end but its the journey that player makes to get there that fascinates me.
Recently, online and CC games, i have taken an interest to a few players play and in particular the need to want to show a hand when they bluff, this makes me smile and its also recognised by me as a very good weapon and tool if played well and disguised well.

I prefer to limit all information and in live play i hardly say a word but will join in with a joke at the table and i still occasionally have table service with a glass of wine or a hot drink depending on how i feel. Consistency is the key for me.
I have a certain approach when observing and make notes about players and i revisit this regularly, ive noticed recently that the same players rail and observe our league games and stay for the latter stages of a FR, i think this is a good strategy as we are all in one way or another looking for bits of information and sometimes we come across an opponent that gives very little away - study, revisit and be prepared to learn always i say.

Body language live is huge, pace of play another - but dont be fooled by online players who always run the clock down or take their time - let them, just like - let the bluffers bluff- its their perogative, just sit, silently and wait to strike....

 

[CNXRegie]

When you sit down at the table in a tournament with unfamiliar people, what are some telltale signs that tell you whether a player is strong or weak? Can you give examples of how these tells may be different in live play vs. online?

Special thanks to @hobojim1247 for this topic idea!

Here’s a revised version for improved clarity, coherence, and flow:

I don’t have much experience in live games or tournaments, and I often feel like I’m the one under the microscope—the 'fish' at the table. Usually, I don’t even have time to assess whether other players are strong or weak. On the rare occasions when I do get a chance to analyze a player, my misreads and poor calls usually put me out of the game. However, when I trust my intuition, I tend to make better moves. And this is true online.

 

[dori111]

The opponent's weakness is noticeable when, after strong raises, he starts to think for a long time and no longer puts much into the pot.

 

[Duxflux]

Sometimes, I can sense the "presence" or energy of my opponent. Since I lack experience in live poker, I remember how, during my last tournament, I had this exact gut feeling but still decided to call. Looking back, it was the wrong decision, and my intuition was right. I believe that when you have the thought, "I think I have the weaker hand, but I’ll call anyway," only a true pro can have the discipline to fold in that moment. I hope this observation is helpful.

 

[seiya1989]

For me there is not much difference between playing online or playing live. Since the times I have played live most of the players wear glasses and try to cover any additional information. I just try to focus on how active they are at the table. and the size of your chips

 

[Leandro6803]

I prefer to play against maniacs who bluff everything and I prefer to play a tighter range against these weak players, limpers are also very easy to play against, the passivity of these players is very good for accumulating more chips.

 

[Sparta77]

First of all, the hand wound.. that tells a lot.Keeping a firm body but also looking at the semi is knowing the suspicion of bluff