Vertically? Horizontally? All at once? How to make sure you look at them properly without anyone any being able to see them especially at cramped 9handed tables?

Back against a wall seating if possible. Using your chipstack to block at least some of the angles of view or your right hand. My game has big numbers/letters on cards so its even more annoying and Im sure if someone was behind me they could see some of what I had.

I use one hand to fan them out using all five fingers (literally like a fan) and the other to hide them. I don't lift them above the table, keep them near the felt as possible.

I think the end seats are the best with one important mistake not to make. I'm left handed and try to get the last seat with the dealer to my left for a little extra room. It surprises me how often people in the first seat who have the dealer on their right think they only have to protect their cards from the second seat on their left and flash their entire hand to me. Don't be that person.

Sideways. Left hand. All cards neatly on top of one another. Fingers and hand covering the cards themselves and keeping them pinned to the felt. Right hand pointing forward and thumb up, acting as a wall. Left thumb peels up all 4 or 5 cards enough to be able to see the right-facing corner of each card all at the same time. That's the pro way.

A little like this, except with far more security.



A few years ago some EPT and I believe Partouche guys ran a brazen af scam where they had 'poker journalists' stand behind players who were too complacent, they literally just texted the guy on the table in real time what he had. He won a bunch of big tournaments that way.

I look at them one at a time as they are dealt to me (flip up corner with left hand, shield with right hand -- I touch the chips/cards only with my left hand), and I rarely look back at them.

i do it the same way wazz does, keeping my chips slightly on my right as an extra barrier. it's funny, i'm right handed but actually can't really peel my cards with my right hand to save my life.