Has anyone tried this????

[BurnleyMik]

I have just read an article in a poker magazine that has got me thinking.

Basically the idea is to play online games such as S n G's and ring games (obviously lower limit) and use a peice of sticky tape, or something similar, to cover up your hole cards and play the game without knowing your cards. Apparently this forces you to look at peoples betting patterns, reaction times and generally concentrate more on other players rather than just your cards and position.

Unfortunately I am at work at the minute so I can't try it out, but I just wondered if anyone else had and what was their thoughts?

On the face of it, it seems like a good idea, but will it work?

[swingdoc]

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On the face of it, it seems like a good idea, but will it work?

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Um, not a good idea. How exactly are you going to play here? Fold every hand? Play every hand as though it is an average starting hand? Your play is going to affect the other players' style and artificial play on your part is going to make your hand reading practice less useful. Not to mention the obvious problem of throwing away money for this "lesson".

Much better would be to simply sit on the rail and watch better players play, constantly trying to put them on a hand range. Admittedly you won't always get to see their cards at the end of the hand, but that would be the case with your plan too. Otherwise this seems like the exact same "lesson" without the obvious drawback of you interfering with "normal" play.

Alternatively you could trade HH with someone for, say 1000 hands, and you can use a replayer to again attempt to put the players on a hand range for each hand.

[BurnleyMik]

I like the last idea of the trading hand histories and using a replayer. I think the point of this article being to learn peoples general betting patterns. The guy in the mag said he struggled at first, but quickly got used to the way people were betting and towards the end of his "lesson" he actually started to make a small amount of money.
Admittedly it's impossible to play like this all the time, but it does help improve your all round game (or so he says).

Thanks for the feedback anyway.

[SheridanCat]

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On the face of it, it seems like a good idea, but will it work?

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I think as an exercise it can be useful. I've done it a bit playing live. It's best if your opponents don't KNOW you're playing blind, of course.

Angel Largay, in his book No-Limit Texas Hold'em: A Complete Course, suggests this as an exercise. I wouldn't do it much and I would not make big decisions without knowing where I stand cardwise. Also, if you're in a game where there are a lot of players who are making plays that don't make a whole lot of sense, this won't be too instructive.

[Jetto]

You could try this whiel watching the PPT where all teh professionals are at the same table and gues theire hands.

[PantsOnFire]

It is a good idea, but I'm not sure what you mean by will it work? If you mean work by showing a profit, then I would say no. If you mean work by being a valuable exercise or lesson, then I would say probably.

I would go into this with an amount of money like $25 and play 5 $3 SnGs. You would have to have a game plan as well. For example, you would really want to play position. I would be suicidal to raise UTG blind. However, if you are on the button and there have been 2 limpers, this is a good time to raise. You can also call raises in LP. I would open for a raise occasionally in MP or LP.

Reraise preflop against players you feel can fold. Use all-in when you detect weakness. Don't call unless you have the intention of bullying a weak player out of a pot on the next street. Bet when you detect weakness. Try some squeezeplays. Observe betting patterns. If you do end up showing down, you might want to check the HH and your hand to see what kind of table image you are projecting. If you raised and bet with 72off, you might have to fold the next couple of hands because your bets will mean nothing.

Perhaps for one of them, you can concetrate on preflop and flop. For example, always raise or reraise preflop and then check/fold the flop if you bet into. Or, some other time just move in on the flop after a preflop raise.

In each case however, I would suggest sitting out the first level or two and simply watch your opponents.

Actually, now I'm excited and since I haven't done this in a year, I'm off right now to take my own advice.

[BurnleyMik]

Some great idea in there pants... thankyou. I didn't get chance to give it a go today. What I meant by will it work was... will it strengthen your all round game? I like the idea of checking the hand history when shown down because obviously if your image is V.V. Loose, your raises hold very little credit. Still hopefully going to give it a go tomorrow. (just as an exercise)

[BurnleyMik]

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You could try this whiel watching the PPT where all teh professionals are at the same table and gues theire hands.

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It's not really going to help me though really, as Big Game players often don't play out their hands anything like your average $5 S n G player.

[Mike Gallo]

Basically the idea is to play online games such as S n G's and ring games (obviously lower limit) and use a peice of sticky tape, or something similar, to cover up your hole cards and play the game without knowing your cards. Apparently this forces you to look at peoples betting patterns, reaction times and generally concentrate more on other players rather than just your cards and position.

A player can do this and still look at his or her cards as well.

[phydaux]

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It is a good idea, but I'm not sure what you mean by will it work? If you mean work by showing a profit, then I would say no. If you mean work by being a valuable exercise or lesson, then I would say probably.

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That's it in a nutshell. The idea is to play well below the stakes you currently play, so losing 2 or 3 buy-ins won't affect your BR at all.

You don't know your own hole cards. This pretty much guarantees you won't win any hand with a showdown. So you have to play the people & your position, use hand reading, and interprate betting patterns to see if you can win.

For example:

You're in LP and it's checked around to a player to your right who brings it in for 3xBB. Is he the sort of player who would fold to a big bet on the Flop if the Flop missed him, or is he a calling station? You recall seeing him fold to pressure before, so you put in a big re-raise to isolate him. You and he see the Flop heads-up. He checks and you bet 2/3 the pot. He doesn't fold. He calls.

Either you were wrong about what sort of player he was, or he has a made hand, or he has a draw. If you were wrong about your estimation of him as a player, then you must fold and stay out of his way for the rest of the exparament. However, if you belive you were right about what kind of player he is, then now it's a matter of looking at the Flop texture and putting him on a range of hands - Either strong made hands that he will see to a showdown no matter what, weak made hands that you can bet him off if there are scare cards, or draws you can bet him off so long as no cards come that complete his likely draws.

Phil Ivey recommends a similar exercise for NL players - Again, play at a stake well below your current roll, and play every hand. Play highly aggressivly both before and after the flop, doing all you can to interprate betting patterns and put the other players on a range of hands. Then on the Turn and River, based on your reads, you play your opponent, your position, oh, and this time you get to play your cards as well.