When do you look at your cards. And Why?

[jubeirm]

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