Making a great read

[tnierescher]

Ok I have been reading the post in here and I see people can get a good read on players.Is there any thing I can do to pick this talent up.The only thing I have been able to do is watch fur betting.I'm trying to step my game up I am just starting to make the money and I think that reading online players may move me to the next level.I have read like eight diff books on poker in general,So if any one could help me please do.

Thank you!! [img]/images/graemlins/smirk.gif[/img]

[Jiggymike]

Online most reads are based on betting patterns, you can sometimes make inferences from quicker or slower actions but these can be very misleading. I mean, its just an avatar and some chip graphics. If you are live there are a lot more tells to pick up on.

[udbrky]

Play a lot. A lot of times, people play similarly. A lot of times you'll think the person has something based on how others play in that spot, and you'll usually be right.

[illini43]

Good luck getting reads online...

Assigning hand ranges for opponents is much more important IMO in poker, especially online.

A lot of times, making a great "read" is achieved by being able to logically and objectively think a hand through.

[Fiksdal]

Don't put too much energy into timing tells (those are the only tells you'll get online anyway). For all you know timing can vary because villain is browsing some website.

Focus on betting patterns, and narrowing the range of your opponent as you get more information every time he acts.

Standard example of a basic betting pattern read: An agressive opponent has raised several times preflop. Every time that he has been called, he has also bet the flop.

In one hand, villain raises UTG, and you (on the button) are the only one to call him. The flop comes A83r, and your opponent now checks. Chances are villain has now flopped at least two pair.

[Bakes]

what i've found is that the more hands i play and more i observe the table, the more i get little premonitions, not reads per se but just general feelings.

as i've learned to trust those feelings more, i've found my reads improve dramatically.

dono if that makes sense haha but w/e.

[tnierescher]

Thanks alot every body

[2faded]

[ QUOTE ]
what i've found is that the more hands i play and more i observe the table, the more i get little premonitions, not reads per se but just general feelings.

as i've learned to trust those feelings more, i've found my reads improve dramatically.

dono if that makes sense haha but w/e.

[/ QUOTE ]
that makes perfect sense i get the same thing. Also, some good advice here on focusing on betting patterns and how active a player is. Although, i wouldn't discount the timing tells as i find them very useful. Its not too hard to figure out who is spacing out while playing and who is actually thinking about a decision (whether they are faking it or not)
EDIT: just dont rely on them until you have seen almost all timing tactics people use to fool you. Focus on patterns first.

[Wubbie075]

Don't forget to use the Notes feature often... I take tons of notes constantly and refer to them repeatedly when I am at a table with people I have played with before... it helps you get a handle on their individual tendencies.. and update those notes... I also never delete anything from the notes.. even if it was wrong I make an addendum to say "I saw player do X but it does not look like consistent behavior" that way if they start doin it again you will know it's something they did in the past