No Limit Texas Holdem Learn Opponents Betting Patterns

The single biggest tell in online poker is betting patterns. If you learn this and combine that knowledge with what type of player you are playing against, most of the mystery will be removed about what cards they hold.

Solving the Puzzle

You have to be able to put puzzle pieces together to solve a puzzle; it is the same when you want to know what is in the cards held by other players. You have to know what type of player a person is and what betting pattern they normally exhibit so that you can begin to apply betting patterns to give you an edge.

The best means of solving the puzzle is to sit back, relax, and watch carefully the first few hands - perhaps 10 hands or so - and take notice of the showdowns. If a player doesn't show down, watch the way he or she prefers to bet and try to predict the hand. You'll get pretty good at reading him or her about which hands they like to play and how they play each.

There are numerous betting patterns you may see, but the basics include:

1. Raise, Bet, Check: This player will raise before the flop. He or she bets on the flop and checks on the turn.

2. Call, Check-Call, Raise: This player calls pre-flop, then checks and calls the bet placed by an opponent. This player usually raises on the turn.

3. All Check-Raises

Raise, Bet, Check

Think of the Ace-King hand that misses the flop when you think about this betting pattern. Most players with two high cards, but no pair, like the Ace-King, will bet on the flop even if they have nothing at all. This is a big sign of weakness tha tyou can watch for. When this happens, immediately put the player on Ace-King and raise the turn in most cases. Once in a while, you may read this wrong, but it is a very typical Ace-King betting pattern that many players from weak to advance frequently use.

Call, Check-Call, Raise

Watch this pattern because it usually indicates strength. If someone check-calls, and follows with a show of strength at the river or turn, you should probably fold.

Imagine the player as having a drawing hand. The key to putting him on a draw is evaluating the flop, turn and river cards and bets. If the flop is two-suited and that player check-calls, it indicates a draw or low pair. If the turn comes with the same suit as the flop and the player raises, put him on a draw for sure. It is an easy to detect pattern.

All Check-Raises

About 90% of the time that another player check-raises you, they have you beat already. Most players don't have the skill level to successfully perform a check-raise bluff. Honestly, few players even think of trying that maneuver. Fold to check-raises unless you have the nuts!