Mason's visual cue no. 1 - also occurs in 7-stud!

Mason had an interesting article discussing a form of tell--"visual cues"--in the Winter 2001/02 Intelligent Gambler, which I belatedly received this week.


Mason's visual cue no. 1 is when you see careless players preparing to muck their starting hands before the bet gets to them in hold'em--useful if you are in early/middle position. He then states he rarely sees this cue in 7-stud. However, he's playing at the middle limits and up--whereas in low-limit 7 stud, you see this all the time! Roy West calls it a "telegraph" in his book, a word I like since the player is telegraphing his intentions.


The reverse is also true--some low-limit 7-stud players will overact the part of being disinterested in their starting cards prior to the bet getting to them, which is a cue they intend to either raise or limp, depending on the intensity of the cue. This is a fairly individual and less common telegraph, however.

I have seen this too in players who place chips on their cards before the action gets to them. They almost never fold after doing this.


Todd

I mix it up. Sometimes I place my chips on the cards and fold or bet. Sometimes I put my chips on the cards after I bet. Sometimes I put my chips on the cards before, I look at them. Sometimes not. I guess it just depends on how I feel.

Maybe. I think if you do something depending on how you "feel," you're probably broadcasting tells if someone is looking for them. Anything you do unconsciously or without specific intent is vulnerable. That's certainly been the case with me!

I really didn't mean how I feel or sub-consciously. I consciously decide how to place my chips before the hand is dealt. Thank-you for the imput, I be careful not to do things based on how I "feel".

In that case I take it back--you're probably pretty tricky to try and read.