How to Read Betting Patterns
June 16, 2009
You’ve seen the pros do it on television. They are able to read the hands of their opponent almost as though the hands were being played face up. This doesn’t mean that the professional players can read other people’s minds. In fact, by studying betting patterns, you may very well be able to do the same.
Betting Patterns can be a very big tell that you can use against your opponents. By studying how your opponents bet, you will be able to know what type of hands your opponent is currently betting on and how to play them correctly.
To be able to do this, you must first determine what kind of player your opponent is and what betting pattern he uses. Study the first ten hands and urge them to show their cards. Use this information to find out what hands he likes playing and what betting patterns he utilizes for each.
Here is a very good example of how A-K is usually played. A player who has A-K will almost always raise pre-flop and bet the flop even if they hit nothing. On the turn, however, a lot of players will check if they still don’t hit a pair. If you see a player Raise, Bet and Check, there is a good chance he is holding A-K or A-Q. Bet the turn and see what happens.
What happens when a player calls pre-flop and then check-calls an opponents bet; AND then raises the turn? This is almost always a display of strength. Did your opponent have a drawing hand? Did he hit a flush or a straight on the turn? A person who check-calls will probably have a draw or a low pair. If he raises on the turn, keep your guard up. He may have hit the turn big.
So what about the old reliable check-raise tactic? I would say that around 80% of the time, a person who check-raises will have a hand. It isn’t often that you will meet opponents who are able to pull the check-raise bluff effectively. If, however, you’re playing against a seasoned poker veteran, things might be different.
true! very true!