When do you look at your cards?

[wegs the wegs]

This is for live game players:

I've heard a lot of comments on how the best strategy is to only look at both of your cards when it is your turn to act. I was wondering when do you players on 2+2 looks at their cards when a hand is dealt. Please throw out any comments, stories, or suggestions about the subject.

[wegs the wegs]

My style is that I look down one at a time the moment they arrive in front of me. I do this because I figure no one would be looking at the moment and it would be tougher to get a read.

I do not understand why everyone would wait until it is their turn to act. Having the whole table know that you are going to look down gives them a chance to see your face as you look at the hand.

Would knowing your cards change the way you try to read oppenents faces as they look at yours?

[Cleveland Guy]

I wait until it's my turn to act.

Why- cause I won't thin I like my cards before I see the action ahead of me. I always look at the action before me before acting.

If I am holding AJo in late positon, or a mid pair in LP, I don't want to be thinking I am going to play it one way.

A key part of how to play the hand is what the action was before you.

And if There is a raise, and a re-raise, I'm not worried about giving away my hand, because the range of cards I am going to come in with at this point is about AK, AA, KK and maybe QQ.

I also am not itching at my chips, or giving away any reads to a player if I have not yet looked. If I am in the SB, and the button thinks about trying to steal the pot, I won't give him any information on my hands cause I don't know.

I can also use this to my advantage, and on occasion re-raise with junk cause I will have just looked and he will think I have good cards.

[mmbt0ne]

Never, I just see the way you react when you look at yours.

Bah, I wish I had the matador gimmick account for this.

[Slow Play Ray]

I have no set scheme. Sometimes I check them individually as they are dealt, sometimes I wait until I have both, sometimes I wait until it's my turn, sometimes in the small blind, I'll limp in w/o even looking, or I'll just pretend to look...etc, etc, etc.

[tek]

After a couple of orbits you should know who the rocks, bluffers, Lags and Tags are. If you notice a couple of players who give off some kind of reliable tell when they look, then watch them. Otherwise, just look at your cards as you see fit.

A players betting patterns are more important than sweating how they look when they glance at their cards.

[junkmail3]

[ QUOTE ]
After a couple of orbits you should know who the rocks, bluffers, Lags and Tags are. If you notice a couple of players who give off some kind of reliable tell when they look, then watch them. Otherwise, just look at your cards as you see fit.

A players betting patterns are more important than sweating how they look when they glance at their cards.

[/ QUOTE ]

Agreed, most reads you get from people (espically lower limits) when they look at their cards go like this:

Seat two looks at his cards.
If he:

Folds: They were bad.
Calls: They were alright.
Raises: They were good.

That's my read.


I didn't vote. but I usually look when it's about two players away from my action. I like to make a quick decision based on the action and the players, while being prepared when it gets to me.

[William Jockusch]

Any of the above, depending on my mood, the time of day, the phase of the moon, the price of tea in China, and above all the weather in Timbuktu.

[djoyce003]

If you are just playing normal small stakes hold em, I look right away because you are better off keeping things moving, than slowing down the game and in general pissing people off by waiting till it's your turn because you were sweating them looking at theirs.

[dankhank]

i voted for "other" because i don't look at my cards as soon as i get them, but i don't wait until it's my turn to act either. i watch the other players until it's 1-2 people away from me and then i look, to keep the game moving fast.

fwiw, i have started experimenting with looking at my cards immediately in a game with the same regular opponents, so it's harder for my opponents to get tells off me.

[tubalkain]

I look at them while they're still in the deck.

Or maybe when it's my turn to act. I'm not quite sure.

[PhatPots]

hahaha, good poll! I usually look at them one at a time. But sometimes I get superstitious and I wait until I get both. I only play limit in casinos. If I were playing NL it might be different.

Cheers,
Pots

[johnnybeef]

[ QUOTE ]
My style is that I look down one at a time the moment they arrive in front of me. I do this because I figure no one would be looking at the moment and it would be tougher to get a read.

I do not understand why everyone would wait until it is their turn to act. Having the whole table know that you are going to look down gives them a chance to see your face as you look at the hand.

Would knowing your cards change the way you try to read oppenents faces as they look at yours?

[/ QUOTE ]
this is true but how do you know what your opponent is doing when you are looking at your cards?

[Chap_Stick]

I look right away to start my thinking.

[bobbyi]

[ QUOTE ]
Other, Please Specify

[/ QUOTE ]
On the turn.

[gila]

you guys look at your cards?

[jalsing]

I wait until the deal is complete, verify there is no mis-deal, then look at my cards.

[deacsoft]

Anything but waiting until your turn is incorrect.

[BigSlickSuited]

I always wait until the action is on me. How would I be able to pick up a slight tell otherwise from someone else? And I always wear a ball cap and shades. If you need a new cap, take a look at my new design...http://www.indymerchantservices.com/poker.html

I hope all your pots are monsters!

[BigSlickSuited]

I could not agree more!

[AncientPC]

I look at others when they get their cards, and my own when it's my action.