Reading the Table

Starting Out

When you first come to a table your first thought should be picking up reads on your opponents. As you go to more advanced tables, it will be harder and harder to pick them up. There are several reads that you should be able to pick up off of your opponents while playing at the beginner level. Some reads may take five minutes to pick up, while others may take a good hour to pick up. Either way, you will be gaining a huge advantage over your opponents and ultimately increasing your bankroll. First Step

When you first join a table, you want to look for the type of game play that's going on. For example, is the table very loose, very tight, or average? Do you notice any all-in maniacs at the table? After you answer these questions, you should start learning the game play of each opponent. Picking up Reads

The first step is to watch the table for a few hands before you start playing a game. This will really help you pick up any obvious reads off of opponents. There are countless reads to pick up off of each opponent, but there are some basic ones that you should know about.

First off, you want to find out which players only raise pre-flop with premium hands, which players only play premium hands, which players play almost any hand, and so on. You really want a keep a lookout for the players who you can buy a pot from. You'll find that some players only bet when they hit the flop. I love playing against these opponents because every time they don't hit something you can just buy the pot from them.

Secondly, at the lower limit tables, you often find all-in maniacs. Personally, I love playing against these kind of opponents. It is basically free money. All you have to do against these guys is wait for a premium hand and go all in against them. Most of the time you'll win, but unfortunately, odds will play their role. By picking up these reads as soon as you get to the table, you will gain a pretty big edge over your opponents. Ultimately, reading the table results in a bigger bankroll. Good luck!