Hello, i am looking to improve my reading ability and so i ask, what are some common reads that people come across? Lets say, top 3. I am not looking for tells, as i believe they are different. Tells are subtle mannerisms whereas reads are clues that can be used alongside deductive reasoning to put players on a range. For example, a read might be a certain bet sizing or timing. Thanks in advance any help is appreciated!

Reads are not static, and depend on many factors. When a player acts, I consider the following
1. The action-was it a strange sizing (too small, too large)?
2. The actors experience level-Is his action straiughtforward (larger bet means strength) or experienced and tricky
3. The actors past tendencies-is he loose, tight, aggressive, passive?
4. The actors position
5. Any action prior to the actor's actions
6. Perceived table image of previous actors, as well as players behind the actor

The main thing you are trying to read is-is the player betting for value, bluffing, or semi-bluffing

A couple of moderately reliable reads
1. Overly large early position raise pre-flop: This is frequently a move to protect a mid strength pair like TT or JJ
2. Check\shove on the flop with two suited cards-this is often a flush draw trying to appear as a made hand

Of course, these are not absolutely reliable, and the entire context of the hand should be considered.

A large, quick river bet is often polarized to a bluff or the nuts. The reason is because a player knows he either has no chance of winning or a virtual lock on the hand. I see this as a bluff slightly more often, but it also depends on the player. Someone with a medium or medium/strong hand needs to consider a value bet size and thus will think for a while.

River check raise - it's pretty much always the nuts. Typically a bluff less than 5% of the time.

Check call flop followed by check raise turn is a strong hand from amateur players.


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hmm, all good points thank you.

Another thing, i primarily play llsnl and in a lot of spots i've noticed that when a player is hesitant or, makes an off sizing meaning like betting 52 or 54 as opposed to a straight 50 it is more often a bluff. not always true, and in some cases could be polarized to the nutish hands but ive used this fact to make some sick calls before. anyone else experienced anything like this?

Never heard this before, but it kinda makes sense. Come to think of it, I do the same thing when I'm bluffing.

1) Pushing out several stacks of chips and then capping it off with a chip on top is usually the nuts
2) Throwing out a bet so the chips make a "line" on the felt is usually a bluff/semi-bluff
3) Shuffling/playing with cards is weak. Conversely, putting them down and putting a protector means they just hit
4) A snap check/call is a marginal hand
5) They missed and/or they know they're probably not winning the hand, so they try to take a stab at the pot on the river with a bluff: they'll pull a single stack of of $20-$25+ chips and quietly push it in front of them. Sometimes they'll make sure the stack is nice and straight. This screams weakness to me because everything is so meticulous. Sometimes, it even starts with their cards. They'll look at it, put own nicely in front of them, carefully put a chip on their cards, and then quietly push their chips, stone-faced. Everything about it says "please don't call" because they're being so careful; they don't want anything to be out of place or look suspicious, when in actuality, the whole thing does.
6)-They hit the nuts or have a really strong hand: they'll count out the bet in stacks of 5 or so a couple of times, maybe adding chips, taking some out. Then they announce their bet before pushing it forward. This is just a very obvious tell that they have a big hand and they want to get paid off on, but how much should they bet? Not too big or they might fold, not too small because you wont be making a lot of money off your big hand. You can practically see their thought process as they count out and restack their chips numerous time
7) A very quick look and then away means they hit it strong
Long look means they hit it weak or nothing
Long look and check on their cards on draw heavy boards means they are checking if they have their draw. Quick look and check of their cards is a strong draw (example AKhh on 5h3h7x board)
8) Tell lockdown – Making a bet and then going into complete lockdown to give off no tells whatsoever. Usually this means they’re bluffing b/c they don’t want you to figure anything out and call them.

A Snap call is almost always a draw by some players

A min/small lead on the flop is a marginal hand or possible draw/gutshot by bad players

Linear bet size tells are the biggest reads by bad players both pre and post IMO

Betting speed is likely a tell on hand strength, the player has already made the decision and acts fast with say a river reraise its polarized

A min raise with a shoving stack a is very strong hand especially if you have seen this player using a shove/fold strategy

A limp in with a shoving stack is also similar to the above point esp in ep/mp