Wont be posting for about 5 weeks, and havent done one of these in a while. So i figured i would put one up for you guys.

Hand Reading, that mysterious beast where a player looks at his opponent in the eyes, and tries to pick up a tell. His left nostril twitched, obviously its a bluff. SNAPCALL. Oh **** he had the nuts, thank god i play online.

But in reality, hand reading is pretty simple. You guys just make it more complicated then it should be. Lets think about how to approach hand reading.

Step 1) Preflop.

In order to play a hand, both you and your opponent have to elect to play the hand preflop. Lets give some examples.

Hand 1

You are a 20/17 TAG, positionally aware, with XX on the button. BB is a 85/12/.2, and is a giant call station. It folds to you on the button, you make it 3 bb, and the big blind calls.

Your rage is probably something like {22-AA, A8+, A2s+, KT+, 89s+} and his range is probably something like {Just about Any two cards}.

But now, lets change things.

You are a 8/5 fullring nit, and the CO is a 15/11 solid TAG regular. You open UTG, and he flats. Everyone else folds.

Your range is probably about {TT+/AK}, and His range is probably about {22-JJ/AK/AQ}. Note how QQ-AA are not in his range for this example, because we would usually expect him to 3 bet these hands preflop.

It is always important to have a good grasp of both YOUR hand range AND your opponents hand range. It helps you understand the sitaution much clearer.

Step 2) The Flop Play.

Play on the Flop tends to be the most deceptive of any of the streets of play, because the stength of ones hand can still change quite radically. However, It is important to note your opponent once again.

For example, when a player with a very high fold to flop bet percentage, and a very low check raise percentage, check raises you, they have a hand the VAST majority of the time. They have a hand, means they probably have 1 pair beat.

IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO REALIZE, THAT PASSIVE CALL STATIONS ONLY HEAT UP WITH VERY STRONG HANDS.

I love AA, you love AA, we all love the pawkety rawkets. But they can get you in more trouble then they are worth if you dont listen to your opponent as your opponent tells you his hand.

Now as opponents get aggressive, it is more important to take draws into account.

For example, lets play a hand with our villain from the first hand.

You open TT from the CO in a six max game, and a 60/12/.3 calls from the BB. The flop comes J65dd, and you bet 3/4 pot. Your opponent time banks, and reraises you pot.

His hand range will generally be {QJ+/45/J4/J5/44/55}

Now lets play the same hand vs a 26/18 lagtard.

His hand range will be the same, but include{67s, 43s, 74s, All types of suited diamonds hands, probably all jacks, possibly some pair + fd hands} Basically, AA all of a sudden is much better. But that is becaue we know he is going to be aggressive and generally attacks pots.

Part 3) Turn and River play

There is a critical thing that way too many people forget about Turn and River play, and I would like to create the "Rider Thereom"

***Note:Primarily at uNL-SSNL***

"In pots with one or more bets, Players have what they are representing on the turn and river the VAST MAJORITY of the time; ESPECIALLY in position".

(Obviously at higher levels, this changes, because people know this. But we are assuming low level of play.)

This doesnt really need many examples. But its really simple. People want to be honest with you on later streets! Hands are normally WA/WB, and the outcome isnt going to change very much. Remember this, and play your hands accordingly.

Its also important to remember, that someones line must be congruent as a whole, and to take into account how prior hands were played. If someone always c/r's flush draws, and the turn completes the flush after they c/c the flop. Then its a scare card for them. Or if they try to represent it, its going to be a bluff. Just take good notes, think about your opponents entirely line, and do your best to piece the puzzle together.

Basically, no one is ever going to check AA on a A974 behind on the turn. And no one is ever just going to keep checking their nut flush through on teh turn and the river. That said, people will also c/f their bad hands way more. Generally speaking, people have what they are saying on later streets.

Some Example Hands

Hand 1: This was played a bit ago but I think its relevent

POKERSTARS GAME #15980476843: HOLD'EM NO LIMIT ($1/$2) - 2008/03/14 - 19:35:42 (ET)Table 'Mrkos IV'
*** HOLE CARDS ***Dealt to WCGRider [Ad Kd]
Rich Roach: calls $2
WCGRider: raises $8 to $10
TheBclaw: calls $10
Rich Roach: folds

*** FLOP *** [2h Qc Tc]
WCGRider: bets $18
TheBclaw: calls $18
*** TURN *** [2h Qc Tc] [6d]
WCGRider: checks
TheBclaw: checks
*** RIVER *** [2h Qc Tc 6d] [3d]
WCGRider: checks
TheBclaw: bets $48
WCGRider: calls $48

*** SHOW DOWN ***
TheBclaw: shows [Ac Jc] (high card Ace)
WCGRider: shows [Ad Kd] (high card Ace - King kicker)
WCGRider collected $154 from pot

TheBclaw said, " wow"

On the river as i was getting ready to press fold i was like wait, this make no sense yo. So i really thought about possible hands. Sets? No they would bet the turn, probably even raise the flop. Same goes for top pair. A ten would play like this but would not bet the river, well certainly not for that much anyway. pairs below ten would of checked the river, pairs above ten would of reraised preflop. No hands really have a random 2 in them.

So wahts left? Straight draws, flush draws, and bruffs. Well the turn and river blanked, and he checked the turn, so its really unlikely he has improved. Also 48 looks like a "bigger" bet in that more chips are on the table, so i said to the computer "Well looks like im a fish because i think i am going to call you". Bingo!

Hand 2: Played this yesterday

POKERSTARS GAME #18610477673: HOLD'EM NO LIMIT ($1/$2) - 2008/07/05 - 20:53:36 (ET)
Table 'Ortrud' 2-max Seat #2 is the button
Seat 1: sparta7 ($119 in chips)
Seat 2: WCG|Rider ($257.30 in chips)
WCG|Rider: posts small blind $1
sparta7: posts big blind $2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to WCG|Rider [Ah Ts]
WCG|Rider: raises $4 to $6
sparta7: calls $4
*** FLOP *** [Qd 7s Qh]
sparta7: bets $8
WCG|Rider: calls $8
*** TURN *** [Qd 7s Qh] [3c]
sparta7: bets $22
WCG|Rider: calls $22
*** RIVER *** [Qd 7s Qh 3c] [4c]
sparta7: bets $83 and is all-in
WCG|Rider: calls $83
*** SHOW DOWN ***
sparta7: shows [Th 6h] (a pair of Queens)
WCG|Rider: shows [Ah Ts] (a pair of Queens - Ace kicker)
WCG|Rider collected $237.50 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $238 | Rake $0.50
Board [Qd 7s Qh 3c 4c]
Seat 1: sparta7 (big blind) showed [Th 6h] and lost with a pair of Queens
Seat 2: WCG|Rider (button) (small blind) showed [Ah Ts] and won ($237.50) with a pair of Queens

Basically, What shoves the river? This is the second hand of the match, and we have no history. But by tripple barreling, what is he representing? Basically Qx, or air. If he had some sort of hand that hit a low pair, he would want to get to showdown. When he goes into super spazzy attack mode, its either total air, or a queen. Early in a match im just not giving him credit for a hand.


Anyway, Enough bragging hands =p. Just wanted to post some good examples of Hand Reading. Hope you enjoyed this article.

~Doug

Unlucky in the challenge. Still think you got a good price, especially in the light of the insane number of hands you can play.
I think any microNL player here should start getting involved in the micro strat forum and this series will help massively in interpreting some of the terser responses often found there. (Do the microNL crowd know about them?)

I do. I assume others do, but if thae don't, well, ol' PT always said it was a sin to smarten up a chump.

Thanks mate, good read

lolski, If he's a solid regular, why in the world would he call an 8/5 with such a wide range.

Nice read.

And nice brags.

Range of 22-JJ is purely to set mine, and then AK/AQ isn't really a wide range at all...

AQ i guess could be a fold, but your kidding about 22-JJ/AK right.

WCGRider: this thread was just a level:
http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/sh...ad.php?t=10380

I think a 15/11 would have a range like 77-JJ for pocket pairs. Would a solid TAG think he could beat a nit with a low pair like 22? Also, I doubt he would bother set mining for such a small pot.

um set mine?

Anyone can beat anyone in the world of poker with ATC, you make it sound like this nit breaks the laws of probability when he raises. I don't see why he would ever think 'Wow, this guy doesn't play many hands, thus theres no way I can win, even if I hit.'

Also, do you understand set mining? You don't want to pump the pot as high as you can with 22. You want to see a cheap flop against a super nit because the super nit probably has a hand that he doesn't want to lay down, thus creating large implied odds for hitting your set.

I'm not suggesting that he can't win or the nit won't make a big raise/all-in on the flop to create the implied odds.

Do you really get paid off enough with sets to make playing low pocket pairs worth it against a single nit?

Just about, yes
some of them are weak players too and you can make them fold easily if you recognize weakness (missed AK, pocket 10's on a board with 2 overcards, etc. nits at 25nl almost always make a large bet if they think they're ahead, but check/bet half pot if they're scared)

hey WCG, are these "Why you suck uNL" committed towards 6-max or FR?

You mean 65/J6/66 ? Since the flop is J65dd

22's a pretty damn good hand in most situations vs. a nit cause a nit's range is gonna be pretty strong so they'll pay you off a lot when you hit 222.

I've been thinking about this hand. Here's my thoughts on what I'd be thinking he could have on the river facing his shove based on what has happened so far...

Royal Straight Flush - Impossible on this board
Straight Flush - Impossible on this board
Four of a kind - Impossible on this board
Full House - Impossible on this board
Flush - Impossible on this board
Straight - Only a 4/5 straight is possible. Those hole cards probably wouldn't have played the hands. If they played they wouldn't have called the flop bet.

Three of a kind(222) - This hand probably would have raised on the flop. This hand wouldn't have checked behind on the turn.
Three of a kind(QQQ) - This hand probably wouldn't have checked behind on the turn. This hand possibly would have raised preflop.
Three of a kind(101010) - This hand probably would have raised on the flop and wouldn't have checked behind on the turn.
Three of a kind(666) - This hand would not have checked behind on the turn.
Three of a kind(333) - I think this hand is unlikely to have called the flop bet.

Two pair(Q10) - Would have bet the turn.
Two pair(Q6) - Would have bet the turn. I don't think this hand would have played anyway.
Two pair(Q3) - Possible. But I think this hand would have bet the turn. I don't think this hand would have played anyway.
Two pair(Q2) - This hand would have bet the turn. I don't think this hand would have played anyway.
Two pair(106) - This hand would have bet the turn. I don't think this hand would have played anyway.
Two pair(103) - This hand would have bet the turn I think. I don't think this hand would have played anyway.
Two pair(102) - This hand would have bet the turn. I don't think this hand would have played anyway.
Two pair(63) - This hand would have bet the turn. I don't think this hand would have played anyway.
Two pair(62) - This hand would have bet the turn. I don't think this hand would have played anyway.
Two pair(32) - This hand would have bet the turn I think. I don't think this hand would have played anyway.

One pair(Qx) - Possible. This hand may have bet the turn. But maybe they didn't, to try to keep a small pot.
One pair(10x) - This hand would have bet the turn.
One pair(6x) - This hand would have bet the turn.
One pair(3x) - I don't know if this hand would have bet the river. Also, this hand wouldn't have played unless it has a Queen+ for the other card I think.

High card - This is likely. Maybe the person had two high cards, called a flop raise, called a flop bet even though they didn't hit a card, then checked behind on the turn, then on the river when they are in position, shoved, to try to get their money back. I think this is the most likely hand. Maybe AK, AJ, A10, KJ, K10, or J10. It turns out that the opponent has AJ!

It's often hard to think about all this as the hand is going on, especially if you are multi-tabling and don't have stats on the opponent and don't have the experience to understand these situations. As the hand progresses, the opponents range narrows down. It narrows down more if the opponent is more predictable. The check behind on the turn narrows down his range a lot. Also, many of the possible hands in the analysis wouldn't have even played the hand.

Here are the most probable hands...
Two pair(Q3) - Possible. But I think this hand would have bet the turn. I don't think this hand would have played anyway.
One pair(Qx) - Possible. This hand may have bet the turn. But maybe they didn't, to try to keep a small pot.
High card - This is likely. Maybe the person had two high cards, called a flop raise, called a flop bet even though they didn't hit a card, then checked behind on the turn, then on the river when they are in position, shoved, to try to get their money back. I think this is the most likely hand. Maybe AK, AJ, A10, KJ, K10, or J10. It turns out that the opponent has AJ!

WCGRider, what are the percentage chances that you think that the opponent has each of the three possibilities? 5%, 35%, and 60% seem like the chances for me. You believe that it's more likely that the 60% is much higher, please teach me some more about this hand. What do you think of my analysis of this? Thanks, Yojimgari

he never has Q3 and Qx bets the turn imo.

But otehrwise good analysis.

Thanks for the this post series, they are great, and we are all learning from it. Make another thread! Good luck, Yojimgari

I may suck now, but not for long! Nice thread WCG.

Two things on hand 1.

(i) Just to understand: knowing what villian's hand is, his river bet is a pure bluff, right? That is to say, that is not partially a value bet. If there's anything villian can beat it's KJs.

(ii) You don't give stack sizes for the hand. But assuming stacks were at least ~100BB deep, why don't you consider villian having 55/77/88? The limp-call pre makes sense. Depending on your image, he might float you on the flop with that hand. If he floats with that hand, he could (often will) bet the turn when checked to. But why is so unlikely that he waits until the river?

Nice thread, must search for all the other 'Why you suck....' you have posted.

when i first read this post i agreed with you.

but why bet the river when Hero has shown weakness and villain has showdown value? there is just no way i see a small pair betting this river, esp with his stats.

look at it from villain's point of view. what hands would hero raise pre, bet the flop then check turn and river?

marg hands that will c/c that river like AT, weak top pair
a middle pair possibly better than his
nut flush draw
AK
complete air that bluffed the flop then gave up on turn and river

i just dont see how villain can bet the river with a small pair. he would be beat when called, and bluffing with the best hand when hero folds.


great thread btw

Insomniac, thanks, you convinced me.