Reading the Other Players

Trudi S. from Seattle, WA. writes, 'Dear Geno. I enjoy your advice on poker techniques. My boy friend and I enjoy playing poker in Washington and Montana where it is legal. What advice can you give us on how to read the other players when we enter a new card room and don't know anybody?'

Trudi, I love the Pacific Northwest. The scenery is magnificent and the poker action is incredible.

As to your question, here is the best advice I can give you on reading the other players. For beginners, when you sit down at a new poker table, don't even think of playing a serious hand for the first 30 minutes. That would be a no-no.

Instead spend that time relaxing. Watch the other players and pick up on their mannerisms. Do they have a lot of chips? If they do, be cautious because a player with a lot of chips is either good or a bluffer. It is up to you to determine which by the way the person plays.

I pay attention to how many chips a new player buys in for and even the way the player stacks those chips. If the stack is precise, the person usually plays a good solid game. If the chips are scattered in front of the player, watch out. This person is dangerous and will raise on almost any two cards just to create action.

Is the player drinking? If so, that person is capable of bizarre plays. The more a person drinks, the more action you will probably see from that individual. We have a saying in poker circles, 'The luck of the drunk.' People who are intoxicated are capable of generating luck that borders on the extreme. While the luck will not last forever, it can be serious enough to make a significant dent in your bankroll.

Choose your seat carefully in a new poker setting. You want to sit to the immediate right of someone who rarely raises and who plays a passive game. You want to sit to the left of a person who is a frequent raiser and who has a lot of chips. That will increase the power of your hand when you are dealt cards that can have an impact on the outcome of a hand.

You can also get a good read on other players by the comments you make. For example, if someone is a frequent raiser, I will sometimes make a single word comment: 'Bully.' Say that a time or two, and you will get that person thinking. A thinking poker player will play different from one who merely reacts to the table. It tends to give you a little more control over the game and can result in adding chips to your stack.

Doyle Brunson once told me in an interview, 'No limit Texas Hold'em is hours of boredom interspersed by moments of sheer terror.' This is true. When a person with a lot of chips goes all-in, that person may have a nut hand or may simply be testing your mettle. You need to react on your gut feeling of whether the player really has a hand or whether the individual is trying you on for size.

I wish you and your boy friend luck. Poker is a great game that is full of excitement, success and disappointment. You won't always win but if you use common sense and have a bit of luck, you should do well. May the force be with you. Let the games begin.

Author: Geno Lawrenzi Jr.

(Geno Lawrenzi Jr. is an international journalist, magazine author and ghostwriter and poker player who lives in Phoenx, AZ. He has published 2,000 articles in 50 magazines and 125 newspapers. If you want to share a gambling story or book idea with him, send an email to glawrenzi@gmail.com ).