Hand reading is one of the most misunderstood concepts among recreational players. Many try to guess their opponent's exact cards, which might be entertaining for TV audiences but is neither practical nor effective.
How to Accurately Read Hands?
Hand reading involves analyzing a range of possible hands rather than pinpointing a specific one. This process requires evaluating numerous pieces of information, or “data points,” within a very short time. Here are some common data points to consider:
- Your position and your opponent's position
- Your opponent's bet sizing
- Your opponent's playing tendencies
Given the countless data points in poker, it's impractical to consider every factor during a hand. Instead, follow a simplified and efficient process. Here are the basic principles of hand reading:
- Narrowing the Range: As the hand progresses from pre-flop to river, your opponent's range becomes narrower.
- Eliminating Hands: Each decision your opponent makes allows you to eliminate hands from their range that don't fit that decision.
Hand Reading Example: Big Blind Holding K♥ 8♥
Imagine you're playing a $0.50/$1 online cash game. This is your first hand at the table, with $100 in chips, and no reliable reads on your opponents yet.
Pre-flop, players fold to the cutoff (CO), who raises to $2.50. The button and small blind fold, and you hold K♥ 8♥ in the big blind.
Pre-flop Analysis
Without specific reads, assume the CO has a strong or playable hand. Given their position, they likely have a relatively wide range:
22+, A2s+, K7s+, Q8s+, J8s+, 97s+, 86s+, 75s+, 65s, 54s, ATo+, KTo+, QTo+, JTo
Based on this raise, we've excluded many weaker hands. Given the pot odds (calling $1.50 to win $4), K♥ 8♥ is a reasonable call.
Flop Analysis
The flop comes K♠ 5♦ 4♠. You check, and the CO bets $2 into a $5.50 pot.
This board is fairly dry, except for potential draws. The CO is likely to continuation bet (c-bet) with a wide range, including:
- Strong hands (top pair or better)
- Vulnerable hands (like 65 or 77)
- All flush and backdoor flush draws
- All straight and backdoor straight draws
- Checking back hands like QQ-TT and A-high with no flush potential
You can expect the CO to c-bet a large portion of their range:
Given the wide range of potential bluffs and weaker pairs, your top pair (K8) is a straightforward call.
Turn Analysis
The turn brings the 7♥. You check, and the CO bets $7 into a $9.50 pot.
Now, we narrow the CO's range further. They're likely to bet:
- Strong hands (top pair with good kickers or better)
- All flush and straight draws
- Checking back weaker parts of their range
The updated range might look like this:
Your equity against this range is 38.88%. Given the pot odds, a call is profitable (you need 29.8% equity).
River Analysis
The river is the 2♠. You check, and the CO bets $17 into a $23.50 pot.
Considering the CO's potential bluff hands on the turn (mostly spade draws), this river is not favorable for you. The CO likely:
- Bets strong hands (sets, straights, flushes)
- Bets missed draws (Q8-98, A6, 65)
- Checks one pair and two pair hands
Their range now might look like this:
For a profitable call, you need 29.6% equity. However, K♥ 8♥ has only 26.83% equity against this range, making a fold the correct decision.
Poker is a game of incomplete information. The best players use available information to make the most informed decisions. As a player, your task is to gather, interpret, and prioritize this information, developing an optimal counter-strategy. Good luck at the tables!
