Two Plus Two Older Archives  

Go Back   Two Plus Two Older Archives > General Poker Discussion > Brick and Mortar

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 11-17-2005, 09:54 PM
jubeirm jubeirm is offline
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 12
Default When do you look at your cards. And Why?

I ran several searches and after 20 minutes am suprised that I could not find this question asked before. If it is leave a link, if not then please tell me when YOU look at your cards and why?

I read somewhere, not sure where, when I first started playing that you want to wait till the action gets to you to look at your cards. This allows you to observe the action as its coming to you and make glances at those down stream who look at their cards and maybe pick up on what they might do. If you look when you first get them you might miss something and/or you might give off a clue as to what you have and what your action might be. I've used this in both limit and no-limt, ring and tournament play.

Today I was skimming through Cloutier and McEvoy's book and they say: "If you look at your hand before the action comes to you, you can see whether anything is going on behind you. If you wait till the action gets to you to look at your hand, you will miss a lot of things. Look at your hand as soon as you get both of your cards..." And well it got me to thinking.

--jubei
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 11-17-2005, 10:09 PM
Barry Barry is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Not at Foxwoods enough
Posts: 893
Default Re: When do you look at your cards. And Why?

I do my looking when it's my turn to act. I've already watched what happened ahead of me and I've looked left before I look at my cards and just after again to see what's happening there.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 11-17-2005, 10:13 PM
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Default Re: When do you look at your cards. And Why?

I know most of the big tourney players wait until the action gets to them, but I look at them when I get both of them.

My thougt is that I don't want everyone looking at me when I look at my cards, if I wait until the action gets to me everyone might be looking at me to see what I'll do. Also, I can formulate a plan a little better if I have time to formulate before the action gets to me.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 11-17-2005, 10:20 PM
Photoc Photoc is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Sin City
Posts: 283
Default Re: When do you look at your cards. And Why?

You look at your cards? WTF?
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 11-17-2005, 10:21 PM
Barry Barry is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Not at Foxwoods enough
Posts: 893
Default Re: When do you look at your cards. And Why?

They'll still be looking at you when it's your turn to act even if you have already looked at your hand.

If you have to worry about giving off tells when you look at your hand, you need to work on your table demeanor.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 11-17-2005, 11:07 PM
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Default Re: When do you look at your cards. And Why?

I believe the rational for waiting to look at your cards until your turn is so you can watch each of the previous players in turn as they make their decisions (so you don't miss anything while looking down); and so you don't give off any tells before your turn (i.e., you look at Aces and get antsy and prevent a early limp or whatever).

I have read somewhere (sorry, forgot where - maybe Jones?) not to wait at low limits, because you don't want to slow down the game, or give the other players any indication that you think about what you are doing. The first part makes sense to me; the second part - whatever - I'm not sure if it really matters, although I'm sure whomever it was that wrote it probably has a lot more experience than me.

I think I've also read that it is best to look at card in 7stud early, b/c it makes it a lot easier to count relevent cards from players who fold b/f you (although if you are proficient at counting the whole deck I guess this isn't an issue).

I think those are the pertinent arguments. In the end I guess it's personal style - a matter of how easily you give off/read tells; and how much time it takes you to make a decision. The stud argument is probably the strongest, but doesn't really apply to hold'em.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 11-17-2005, 11:25 PM
ThinkQuick ThinkQuick is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Alberta, Canada
Posts: 97
Default Re: When do you look at your cards. And Why?

In my experience, I feel it is ok to wait to look at low limits, provided you are not going to slow the game down too much.

It is a beneficial strategy to look at others while they peek at their cards, and you can even look at the people behind you at this time as well.

My caveat is that one thing at low limit you do not want to do is give the impression that you are a thinking player. Anything that might make a fishy opponent play differently against you is to be avoided. This means that you should not take a long time to act preflop. So.. If you are capable of knowing your position, the number of players limped/raised/called so far, and any preflop tells you have observed, and then putting this all together to quickly decided what you will do once you identify your cards - then by all means wait to look. Its not as hard as it sounds.. .most hands you already know what you should do in every situation. But if there are a great deal of hands that have you need some time to consider your action, then it may be better to look as you receieve your cards.

One alternative is to look once the action is close (~2 players) to you, but not while receieving your cards, so that you can still observe other players picking up their cards after the deal. This is of course provided that you are in a late enough position.

As far as giving off preflop tells yourself... practice.
Matt Damon practiced with blank cards while making rounders to make sure he didnt piss himself with excitement when he picked up that A9.
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 11-17-2005, 11:33 PM
Mens Rea Mens Rea is offline
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 10
Default Re: When do you look at your cards. And Why?

I look at my hand as soon as I get my cards. First, I'm impatient, but I also like to look like I don't know what I'm doing. Second, I for some reason don't like people watching me when I squeeze.

Third, and probably most importantI like to watch the people ahead of me. If I know I'm calling a raise, calling a limp, reraising most hands, I can begin to formulate a strategy before it gets to me. If I can make my decision quickly, it gives the impression that I am an action guy and that I'm not giving deep thought to my decisions. This encourages others to do the same, and prevents people from treating me cautiously. For example, when I look down at 88 and know that I'm calling any small raises, or even big raises if the stacks are deep enough, and when the action gets to me, I just chuck in my call immediately, it makes it look like I'm a loose non-thinker. I find this to be a huge advantage for my style of play.
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 11-17-2005, 11:55 PM
Toro Toro is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 367
Default Re: When do you look at your cards. And Why?

I used to look when it was my turn but just recently changed to looking as soon as I get them. And I'm liking this better. Like others have said it gives me time to decide what I want to do and you don't have 8 sets of eyes scrutinizing you as you squeeze them out.
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 11-18-2005, 01:34 AM
jzpiano14 jzpiano14 is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: IL
Posts: 229
Default Re: When do you look at your cards. And Why?

I look when I get both of my cards, I try to wait till it is my turn but I get to impatient.
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 05:02 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.