How do you Read a Novice With Shaky Hands?

[play2win]

I recently was playing in a game where there were a two novice players sitting in. It wasn’t high stakes, $20 buy-in NL tourney, so there is no need to be nervous about getting busted out.

I had a significant chip lead, we started with two tables and were down to one. I was turning up big hands to date, so the two novices shouldn’t have been aware that I was playing the big stack different now and pushing for the blinds more often.

I picked up A [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]9 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] in mid position 7-handed and put in a 4xBB raise. Everyone folded and the BB moved all-in quickly. It would only cost me 1/5 my stack to make the call. But he carefully moved all his chips in and I made him give me a count. His hands were shaking significantly the whole time. Someone else asked him something, then he verbally announced that he was going to show his hand anyway.

I went on gut and figured he had a huge hand. Shaking hands and tapping feet have been a very consistent tell for me showing strength. I made the fold and felt good when I did. Then he flipped over KQo and I then felt sick. My guess is that maybe he really felt that KQ was a powerhouse and was happy to do what he did. Or maybe he was just excited to move all-in.

Is this read still applicable to novice players? Do you have any reads on novice players that prove consistent? Thanks.[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]

[golfboy7]

I've read caro's book of tells and it was very interesting.

Pick it up if you haven't already.

As far as your question goes. It's basically a matter of nerves. A shaking hand is a VERY good indication of a novice having a strong hand. Sometimes however they 'think' their hand is stronger than it really is.

I don't know if you have Pokertracker or not, but if you do you will know what I'm talking about when I say I'm somewhat struggling with PT 'tells.'

Let me explain. I've got over 500 hands on this guy, his VPIP is 14%, PFR is 6% with an aggression factor of 2.2. his WTS is 29% and his W$SD is 64%. Meaning he's a strong tight aggressive player.

So my problem lies when he's directly to my right and he raises it up pre flop. I have AQ of diamonds and I just don't know what the correct 'long-term' move is.

Do I come over the top and take away his momentum right away?

Do I just cold call and see what the flop brings?

What if the flop is a complete whiff...do I try to outplay him on a flop of 7 4 2 rainbow?

You can see where the things geta little more hairy but in general, a shaking hand means he thinks he has a strong hand. So unless you also have a strong hand, or a monster, get out.

Fact is if his KQ is unsuited and not in your suit, you're only a 60% favorite to win. It's a big edge but in your case he could have had A 10 and you're dominated for 1/5 of your stack.

IMHO, good fold.

[Autocratic]

Shaking is often just general nerves. When I went to a casino (underage) for the first time, I was shaking slightly whenever I was in a big hand. I shook when I had aces, and I shook when I had QJo. So it's not a guarantee, but I'd say people are more likely to shake when they have a big hand and/or are anxious in general. I'd say bluffers would tend not to shake.

[bnorthro]

First one or two times I played live I got kinda shaky hands with my monsters, like AA, KK, AKs. Also, I was kinda unfamiliar with moving chips around and stuff so that added to the nerves. I was totally over it on my 3rd time which was kind of wierd.

[4_2_it]

Shaking is a tell that every donk at the table knows. Sometimes when I don't want a call I will shake pushing in my chips and then look away disinterested. The 'tell experts' immediately muck their hands.

Don't read too much into any one individual tell. Look at a potential tell as one piece of the puzzle.

I used to play with a kid who was very inexperienced with poker (though his TV time made him think he knew how to play). Whenever this kid shook (and he SHOOK) he was always bluffing. I've read Caro's book and heard about the strong tell, but that kid always make me cautious when I see someone shake.

[Kaeser]

I know when I first started playing my hands shook whenever I first sat down and shook really hard when I played my first few hands whether they were strong or not.

If this is one of the guys first few tournies he might be shaking just because he's going all in. Also if he's a new player then he probably did think KQ was a superstrong hand.

Shaking, especially from a novice, is from the release of tension. Post-flop, you can generally place them on a hand and play accordingly. But pre-flop they cannot have a made hand and the release is nothing more than the all-in bet. And the all-in bet doesn't tell you much more than a call. If they are holding monsters, you still have a ~30% chance to reduce the field. Folding is likely to wise the novices up to the fact that you are stealing their blinds, and shows weakness that will invite agressiveness from the short stacks.

[Petteri]

[ QUOTE ]
et me explain. I've got over 500 hands on this guy, his VPIP is 14%, PFR is 6% with an aggression factor of 2.2. his WTS is 29% and his W$SD is 64%. Meaning he's a strong tight aggressive player.

So my problem lies when he's directly to my right and he raises it up pre flop. I have AQ of diamonds and I just don't know what the correct 'long-term' move is.

Do I come over the top and take away his momentum right away?

Do I just cold call and see what the flop brings?

What if the flop is a complete whiff...do I try to outplay him on a flop of 7 4 2 rainbow?


[/ QUOTE ]

This depends on the position. In early position I generally cold call with AQs.

In MP3, CO and Button if there is no limpers I generally raise cause he could be open-raising without strong hand and you want to get pot heads up.

If you play you must play aggressively after flop especially if pot is heads up or 3-handed. Take full advantage of the position and find out if he has hand that can stand heat.

If you are afraid of playing against him you better fold pre-flop (and find an other table.)