Hand reading is arguably the most misunderstood concept in poker, with some players even thinking that’s objective is to put their opponents on one specific hand. However, this approach is neither effective nor practical.
In a nutshell, hand reading is the art of deducing other players’ hands based on multiple information, from body language and mannerism to betting action, which contains the most valuable info.
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For both newbies and experienced players, gut feeling is not enough to win in No-Limit Hold’em Sacramento. Remember that using your instinct alone means you’ll rely on haphazard factors (your seat, the weather, your opponent’s shirt color, etc.) rather than on strategies and skills needed to outwit other players.
Hand reading method with ranges
If you’re a newbie, you may find hand reading an overwhelming and complicated method due to the tons of information needed to be processed in a limited amount of time.
These are the pieces of information you need to know if you want to hand read like a pro:
Your opponent’s betting action, tendencies and patterns
You and your opponent’s position in the poker
Your opponent’s bet size
These three info points are the most important ones (simplified list), although in reality, there are far more of them that even the best players in the world cannot consider each one in just a short period of time.
One of the basic principles of hand reading is that every time your opponent makes a move, it’s your opportunity to eliminate the hands from their range that don’t fit their strategy or decision. Also remember that ranges get smaller as the hand progresses from pre-flop to river.
Hand reading also involves identifying your opponents. Pros have categorized poker players into three basic types: the conservative who is likely to fold when someone makes a big bet; the fish who is only driven to make hands and win pots, which means they won’t give you much information; and the regular who is more strategic in their approach and is rarely governed by fear.
How to Hand Read in No-Limit Hold’em
First and foremost, this is a guide to hand read using ranges wherein the first step is to begin assigning your opponent a range of hands in each circumstance you’re facing. To give you an example, imagine that they raise a pre-flop so you’re now facing Jc Td 5s 4s 2d as his third barrel on the final board.
In the scenario mentioned above, newbies would attempt to put their opponent on Ace-Jack even though there are other possible hands they can make.
Depending on what type of a player your opponent is, they might resort to some bluffing. Hands like Ace-Queen, Ace-King, King-Queen and backdoor spades can also appear. This modern way of hand reading paints a more complete picture at any given time compared to the antiquated approach in which the players put their opponents on a specific [incomplete] hand.
Identify the hand range of your opponent
Putting your opponent on a hand is the most effective skill in No-Limit Hold’em Sacramento because it allows you to make the most sound decisions. To do this, you need to narrow down their range using the so-called “Hand Range Funnel” wherein the top is filled with all the possible hands they could be dealt (representing 100% of hands).
Identify your opponent’s hands
Once you identify their hand range, the next step is to categorize it into two–the one you can beat and the one that you can’t.
The next step is to count your opponent’s combos of holdings to get the percentage or probability of the time you’ll have the best hand.
Identify your break-even point and pot odds
This step is like doing some basic math since you need to determine how big the bet and pot are, and ultimately, the pot odds’ percentage.
Come up with a profitable decision
Once you identify your break-even point (for instance, 20%), simply decide if your chance of winning is greater than this. The same thing applies if your best hand is relatively higher than your break-even point (for example, your winning probability or “equity” is 32%), which makes call a sound move. Simply put, continue playing the hand if your winning probability is higher than your pot odds.
Hand Reading Made Simple
Now that you know the basics of hand reading, why not try out your newly found knowledge by visiting Capitol Casino, a poker venue in Sacramento known for its exciting table games, daily and weekly poker tournaments, and customer-centric service. The casino also comes with its own cafe and restaurant that offers a delectable menu.
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Visit Capitol Casino at 411 N 16th St., Sacramento, California, 95811 or contact them at 916.446.0700 or [email protected].
