Sounds like I'm with the minority here, but I always wait until it's my turn to look at my cards. Folding takes less than a second, but if I'm going to play, I try to take the same amount of time when calling as when raising.
As far as wasting time, there are so many other ways that time is wasted, this issue seems laughable. I consider counting out your chips a waste of time. Call out your bet or raise so the next guy can make his decision while you put your chips in front of you. Don't cover your cards or stack with your hands so I don't have to ask the dealer how much you're playing (or even if you have cards). When it's heads-up and the other guy announces all-in, just make your decision and say call or fold; don't masturbate your chips for minutes on end, counting out the exact amount of the bet. That probably wastes more time than anything. (I'm not talking about taking time to make a legitimate decision).

So many other ways to not waste time.

i raise without looking at my cards then don't look at the unless they reraise me. that way they can't pick up any tells and it speeds the game up.

This. I felt like I was giving away much more when I waited to look. Too hard to balance the few times that I genuinely had to take 5 seconds to think and everyone's eyes are on you. The only potential pitfall is mentally autofolding early and missing a good preflop squeeze opportunity due to not paying attention.

One good thing to do before you look at your own hole cards, is to look to your left. Or ask Tommy Angelo how do I know.

This, and there's really no credible argument otherwise.

If you want to get "tells" from other players, then look at your cards like 2-3 people before your turn or something.

Looking at your cards during your turn is a ******ed move that slows the game down and has 0 benefit.

/discussion

Usually I look at my cards shortly before it's my action.

Very rarely. Skilled players can do it more. "Rarely" is still better than "never". And the only way to get better is with practice.

That doesn't really matter, since your action (fold/call/raise) speaks a lot stronger than almost anyone's reaction to seeing their cards.

If you don't even try to get a read on the players behind you, how much anticipation do you think you can do? Preflop is when you have the least information.

Most hands are an insta-fold so they don't really slow the game.

If you have a legitimate decision, it's fine to take your time.

It's your decision. I probably can't read other players for s*** but i still try for fun. In that sense, it's worth it.

+1

Waste of time. Bad for the game, good thing most people don't do this, def a pet peeve. Imagine 9 people taking extra few seconds preflop every hand.

Have you ever noticed a nit behind you cap his cards - something he only does when he raises pre-flop?
Have you ever watched a rec player behind you suddenly sit up and start paying attention to the action pre-flop after looking at his cards?
Have you ever seen the player on your right grab a stack of chips - then change his mind and just limp utg?
Have you ever witnessed a rec player behind you pre-load his bet and wait for his turn to bet?

I have.


If you think a player is wasting everybody's time by not looking at his cards as soon as he gets them, then I encourage you to play online... because you obviously think playing poker means getting good cards.

BTW... this is probably more true in 2/5 & 5/10 than the bigger games.

with that logic you probably shouldn't look at your cards at all or you might miss a preload

Takes 2 seconds to look at your cards as soon as you get them, you won't miss anything.

That's not logic.

Pretty much this. And for god's sake, if you insist on waiting to look at your cards, develop a little bit of nonchalance. Nothing kills the vibe for rec players more than a few jackasses with headphones who insist on staring obviously at the rec players as they look at their hole cards.

I'm no expert at creating a friendly, "lets gamble it up"-type vibe (DGAF sounds like a natural at this), but I at least know enough to avoid killing that sort of vibe.