Reading the table

Reading the table

Only playing good starting hands will not make you a winner in Holdém. To win at Holdém you also need to master the later playing rounds and to do this this you must be able to read the table. Just like playing the right starting hands this is also a very important concept. Over time your skills in regards to reading the table (as well as your opponents) will improve.

The text below will show you what to think about when reading the table thus giving you information whether you should continue with your hand or not …or as we say in poker if you should “Holdém” or “Foldém”.

The table texture

When evaluating the cards on the table one usually talks about the table texture. Texture meaning what characteristics the cards on the table have and how well these characteristics fit together. For instance the cards can be connected, of the same suit or of high card value.

Depending on what texture the cards on the table show your play should be adjusted accordingly. If for instance the cards are suited (of the same suit) and have a high card value then it’s quite possible that somebody was helped by these cards. In other words somebody (your opponent) might just have made a good hand by combining his hole cards with those on the table. If you yourself have not made any hand in this situation then it’s probably best to fold.

If some of the following textures appear caution is usually advised:

If the table is showing a pair there is a chance that someone made trips, a full house or even quads (very unlikely). A pair on the table opens up for really strong hands.
When cards are connected (i.e. 7,8,9) somebody could have made a straight.
If there are three cards of the same suit then there is a risk of someone making a flush.
Two or more cards ten or higher are showing.

As you can see it’s not enough only to know your own hand you should also know the possible hands of your opponents.

We are now going to show you an approach which you use first to evaluate the table and then choose relevant action. Using this approach you can evaluate how good your hand is compared to the other possible hands that your opponents might be holding.

The best hand ”the nuts”

First identify the best hand the so called “nuts”. If the flop comes A,7,2 of different suites the best hand or “nuts” is three aces. If the turn brings another 2 then the best hand changes to four two’s and the three aces has turned into a full house and is now the second best hand.

Compare your hand with the best hand

The next step is to compare your hand with the best hand. Do you have the best hand? Do you have a good hand but don’t know if your opponent/s have you beat? Depending on how you evaluate your hand you must now act accordingly.

You think or know you have the best hand.

You have after analyzing the cards on the table assumed or confirmed that you have the best hand. You now have a couple of possible actions.

• Slow play (i.e check). You can decide to check and give your opponent a free card or a chance to bet. In other words you choose to play a strong hand weakly a so called slow play. Slow playing can be dangerous because if your opponent/s don´t bet then you are giving them a free card. This free card can then in turn give them a hand that beats yours. In other words you need a strong hand to slow play. A hand that normally isn’t outdrawn by others. If there are two cards of the same suit on the table it can be dangerous to slow play. Somebody might take a free card (i.e. check) and the next card can be of the same suite completing a possible flush.
• Bet. Decide how much to bet. Your aim is to make your opponent make a mistake of calling you. If you have hand you should probably bet. What decides the size of your bet (in limit the bet size is fixed making life a bit easier) is the possibility of someone having a hand (worse than yours) already or drawing to a hand. If you suspect someone has something than adjust the bet size to what he or she might call. Make sure you don’t give your opponent the right odds to call (see the next chapter for more about odds).

You think your hand is not the best

In many cases after the flop your will think that your hand is probably not the best. Then it is often time to let the hand go and concentrate on the next.

Sometimes you might have a drawing hand that has the potential of becoming a good hand but needs to see another card to improve. The most common is usually the flush draw. If you have a drawing hand and an opponent bets you must decide whether or not you should call. You do this by calculating your pot odds. If you have the right pot odds you can call the bet.

See the next chapters odds and implied odds for a thorough explanation of how you calculate odds.

To summarize. Read the table and find the nuts. Compare your hand with other possible hands and decide how to play. If your drawing then make sure you have significant odds.

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