When do you look at your cards?

[Brad F.]

In my local live tourneys, there are probably about 10-15% of the entrants who look at their cards when it is their turn to act. Otherwise everyone just looks at them right when they are dealt.

Because of this, do you think it would be to my advantage to look at my cards right away? I'd usually watch the opponents look at their cards to try and get reads, but that's hard to do when there are 5-6 people looking at them at the same time. Plus I feel I might be giving an advantage to my opponents if they all can watch me look at my cards when I can't really read them when they first look.

Any thoughts? Is this normal in tourneys?

Brad

[Murdz]

It is difficult to get a read on people, when they all look at their cards at the same time after being dealt. However, that in itself tells you, your opponents are not very sophisitcated. I usually try to ascertain who the best players are at the table, and then watch them when they look at their cards. Just pick one or two people at first and watch them every hand. Furthermore, the key is to watch and see of they show the hand down. Remember, you are only getting 1/2 the story if you stop paying attention after you muck.

You should never, ever, ever look at your cards until it's your turn to act. First, it's a self-control thing. You don't want to give away any subconscious tells. Second, you can look at the other actors at the table, rather than trying to think what your play is. When you do look at your cards, look at them for three to four seconds every time and memorize them. You never want to look back at your cards while the hand is ongoing. That is a tell as well.

[gsyme]

To me it's obvious that almost anyone would give the strongest tell right after looking at one's cards. That's the *worst* time to have everybody watching.

If you wait to look at your cards, you might have a read on one or two people, but everyone will have a read on you.

[fnord_too]

A lot of pros advocate waiting until the action is on you to look at your cards. At least TJ Cloutier suggests just the opposite.

The real tells you try to avoid by looking at your cards when it is your turn are mannerisms that suggest you have or don't have an interest in playing the hand (and even how strongly you want to play it). (These tells are why good players advocate looking left before you act.)

I have do not get to play live very often, but from everything I have heard, the point is pretty debatable. I personally will probably first try looking at my cards straight off when I get to play more live. I think if you have the same routine regardless of what your cards are this is slightly better, as you can view the action in the context of your cards and think through possible scenarios. The trick of course is to do the exact same thing every time, which is easier said than done.

[37offsuit]

It depends on position for me. If I'm in EP or am in the blinds, I try to look at my cards while people are distracted with the deal. I look at them as I get them when I do this. In middle to late I wait until it's my turn, the later you are, the less people getting information before they act.

If I notice someone checking me out all the time when I look, sometimes I give them the hairy eyeball or will feign a giant smile or overly done frown regardless of my cards.

[Murdz]

[ QUOTE ]
To me it's obvious that almost anyone would give the strongest tell right after looking at one's cards. That's the *worst* time to have everybody watching.

If you wait to look at your cards, you might have a read on one or two people, but everyone will have a read on you.

[/ QUOTE ]

First of all, you assume everyone is paying attention. That simply isn't the case. Second, it is easier to control yourself for 3 or 4 seconds when you look at the cards the same way every time than it is for minutes on end when you are waiting for the hand to come around to you.

[37offsuit]

Or do something completely different every time, which is much easier. It can also be distracting to players watching you when you use overly exagerated expressions. The key is to know which expression you will be using before you look. This will break up any correlation between your acting and your cards.

[pindawg]

At least my opponents can't see my peeing my pants when I look down and see pocket aces. Is that a tell?

[otnemem]

[ QUOTE ]
It is difficult to get a read on people, when they all look at their cards at the same time after being dealt. However, that in itself tells you, your opponents are not very sophisitcated.

[/ QUOTE ]

I never realized that this was a matter of sophistication... Do you play mostly live games? I find that most people at a full ring do look at their cards when they're dealt, rather than waiting for the action to get to them.

[fnord_too]

[ QUOTE ]
At least my opponents can't see my peeing my pants when I look down and see pocket aces. Is that a tell?

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm sorry I was looking at your avatar, did you say something?