Tells, bluffs, bad beats and stats
Hey antonio,
My name is Devin and I'm extremely into poker. You are one of my favorite poker players and I figured you were the one to ask. My question involves knowing when you're beat, and when you're not. I know that when someone is betting a lot, he generally has a good hand, but when do you know when he is bluffing? When I put him on a weak hand and call what I thought was a bluff, he actually has a good hand. When I put him on a good hand, and fold, he actually is bluffing... is there anything to look for that could help me tell if I'm beat or not? Any physical tells? Any tells in the way he bets?
And is there any way to figure out when a good time to bluff is?
I think I have been playing right, I usually play short handed games, 4-6 people, I seem to get ahead at one point, but then lose all of it. I usually get A LOT of bad beats, is there anyway to minimize those? Like for example, I caught flush on the river, but I got beat by a full house...
I know you probably don't care about my poker stats, but currently I am -50 dollars, but I'm planning on getting better and one day seeing you at the final table! :)
Thanks for your time,
Devin
That's a lot of ground to cover, so let's get to it. The most trustworthy tell is this: When they act strong they're usually weak and when they act weak they're usually strong. That's straight from CARO'S BOOK OF TELLS and if you haven't read it yet, definitely check it out. Also, when you're thinking about calling or folding, just ask yourself what you think the guy who's betting wants you to do, and then do the opposite. Try it, it works!
When it is a good time to bluff? Any time you think it'll work! Make sure you're bluffing against players smart enough to fold. Some guys, you can't get 'em out of the pot with a cannon so there's no point in trying. One of my favorite bluffs is on a flop like 8-8-3 rainbow. No straights, no flushes, no big cards... how can anybody have a piece of that orphan flop? Go ahead and adopt it. Everyone else may think you're bluffing but they still can't call.
Bad beats: Bad beats happen to good players because we don't get our money in with the worst of it like our clownhead opponents do. Screw the bad beats. Don't worry about them. Don't talk about them. Don't even think about them. Just keep getting your money in with the best of it and you'll break the clownheads eventually.
Stats: I do care about your stats because they're very important. Always keep track of how you're running -- that's how you know you're serious about your game. And I look forward to seeing you at the final table, too. Just don't try to bet at that orphan flop, 'cause I'll definitely take it away. :)
· Antonio
