Being a poker player, what would you ask for if a genie appeared and said you have one shot to choose a super power? I would guess you would wish to have x-ray eyes that can see right through the back of your opponents’ cards, right? Everyone who plays poker would agree that the biggest gift a player can have is the power to guess, correctly or closely, what the opponents have in their hands. This is possible for experienced poker players because they have practiced and perfected reading an opponent’s hand. You too can, here are some tips to get you started.
The key to reading your opponent in a game of poker is to watch them, not your cards. When a player is messy with chips all over the place, it means that person places messy bets as well and even when they are good, their mess often leaves opportunities to read them and their next moves. Therefore, start with the playing space, watch how they place bets and when the flop comes prevent yourself from stealing a glance and instead watch how your opponents react to it first.
It is important you keep your ears open too, the chatter of players, rattling of chips and casino music can be distracting but if you listen close enough, you will hear your opponents sigh or make their own unique tell signs such as swallowing hard. These signs mean different things, but mostly disappointment, which is a good thing for you. A nervous or sweating player could have a big hand, players reaching for chips before a bet could call your bet and a player glancing at his or her cards then stares at you could be acting but there is an unlikely chance of raising the bet depending on your move.