When a read is not a read.

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For a while now, I've been seeing posts for a while that say things like this:

Button is 22.5/8.7/.4.
CO is X/Y/Z.
SB is 1/2/3.

...and then the hand comes, and people ask how we should play if Button raises, and if CO coldcalls, and if SB checkraises. And everyone is happy. And the townspeople rejoice.

But I'm realizing something. I especially realized it today during a 4-tabling experiment. While clearing PokerNow's bonus today, I decided to honor the terms of their new T&C and not use any Playerview/GT+/PT software while playing. I 4-tabled $2/4, mostly 4 and 5-handed, and made a conscious effort to pay attention to everything that was going on around me. So I watched hands that I was involved in, and hands that I wasn't involved in, and I took a lot of notes. And I got a lot of stuff like this:

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limped AJo, called down when bet into repeatedly w/no pair

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limped A6s, called flop w/no pair no draw, checkraised when hit runner-runner trips. seems generally passive. calls with any pair to the river, has called river bets w/K-high (KTo) after flop action

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limps with KK, QQ, etc. has limped then folded to a raise several times preflop

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Later, when I was reviewing my session, I realized how many more value bets I was making. Then I looked at the amount of flop/turn bluffs I was making. And the amount of folds that went from being confusing to easy.

And people were happy. And the townspeople rejoiced.

I'm just mentioning this because I'm starting to wonder how many of you are playing more tables that you can handle, or are developing some bad habits -- and it'd be best if you broke those habits now, while it's easy.

So I've got a challenge for you. However many tables you're playing -- cut out GT+/PV/PT for 5k hands. Go ahead and import the hands into PT, but don't export people's stats: export their plays. Do they bet gutshots? Do they check with TPNK, or do they play it aggressively? What kind of hands do they peel with on the flop? What sort of hands do they limp with? Do they give up easily when they limp preflop?

Stop treating your fellow poker players like numbers. Realizing that the 20/8/.5 guy limped with AJo in EP, then called down when the BB (me) bet out on a 62K flop, called when a 7 falled on the turn, and called when a 6 falled on the river (I had 76o).

The difference you'll see in your game will be significant. Give it a try. I know some of you take great notes already, but the rest of you would benefit greatly from paying attention to your surroundings.

Then, when you return to your PT/GT/HUD/XYZ world of realtime stats later on, you'll know that not only is your opponent an 18/7/2 guy, but that he folds ridiculously easy to flop checkraise/turn bet combos.

And people will be happy. And the townspeople will rejoice.

Rob