How can learn to ready hands?

[Mr_robot]

I am playing texas holdem 1/2 to 3/6 online and in live games. I am interested in learning more about reading hands. Any advice?

[Robk]

Start with the books... TOP, HP, HPFAP, Poker Essays, etc. They'll give you the basic principles. From there it's a matter of watching opponents when you're not in hands, trying to figure out what they have, and trying to understand how they think.

[Mr_robot]

What is TOP, HP, HPFAP?

[lunchmeat]

IMO the best advice is to pay attention when you play. Try to put players on hands when your not in the pot. Eventually you'll get a feel for what certain checks, bets, and raises mean from certain players... If you're playing online, this means playing 1 table at a time.

[symphonic]

TOP = theory of poker
hpfap = holdem poker for advanced players
hp = holdem poker

they are 2+2 books

[Kurn, son of Mogh]

There's a hand-reading primer in the *Essays* section of 2+2. Click on *Essays*, *Guest Essays* and then scroll down.

[Mackas]

Read the books robk suggested first and foremost. Reading hand aside (which they address anyway) they're a must generally if you want to improve. Watching how other players play etc is obviously important to learn but you'll only get the true value out of that once you've read something and understand the underlying principles etc outlined in those books. IMHO read HP, HPFAP and TOP in that order. If you are already experienced enough with the game you might want to skip HP although that's only my opinion and I'm sure some will disagree.

[gunboat]

First, just try reading the two players on your left. These are the most important from your position. They will be in the blinds when you are in LP and therefore more likely to be in a pot with you. If they are passive, you can limp with more marginal hands knowing it is unlikely to be raised. If they always defend their blinds, steal raises are unlikely to work.

When you have a decent idea of their play, then concentrate on the player to your immediate right. Are his raises loose so you can try to isolate? Or is he so tight you muck AQs if he raises?

In all cases, I find it much more useful to pay attention to betting patterns than to look for "tells".

[Louie Landale]

[1] After YOU play a hand try to figure out which range of hands YOU could have had to play the way you did: Lets say you over-called in middle position against 5 players. Flop was A84. Early bets, you raise, one loose player cold-calls, better calls. Turn is 4. You bet they call. River is J. Everyone checks. With what hands would you do that? AT, A9? Anything else?

Notice that your actions on ALL rounds is considered: AK and AQ were NOT reasonable possibilities since you did NOT raise preflop.

[2] After an opponent plays a hand try to figure out what hands YOU could have had to play the way HE did. Just be sure NOT to presume he plays the same way you do.

[3] Notice the opponents shown-down hands and make notes on how HE plays differently than you do.

[4] Now try to put these opponents on the sorts of hands THEY would play given the way they played it.

The easiest time to put a player on a hand is when he is tight playing in early position (well actually, its when a tight players plays when another tight player raises early). The hardest is if he's weak loose playing in late position.

- Louie