How good is this guy?

[Bad Lobster]

When you play a game against a table full of strangers, how long does it take you to pick out the good players? And what do you look for, short of observing someone for hours and hours?

In a low-stakes game, where you don't assume the opposition are all experts, a few players will quickly identify themselves as bad by making terrible plays. You can rate few others as at least fair if they go a while without doing anything obviously dumb. But that doesn't mean they're experts.

Can anyone think of a single play or series of events that would make you watch out for a guy right from the start?

[Ace Method]

In brick and mortar casinos at low limits (2-4 to 10-20) the best indicators are someone with a fairly large chip stack, who raises pre-flop or on third street but is willing to fold afterwards. Also, note players who raise on the river with marginal hands and win consistently. If you find a table full of these guys, move to a softer game.

[Sykes]

[ QUOTE ]
In brick and mortar casinos at low limits (2-4 to 10-20) the best indicators are someone with a fairly large chip stack, who raises pre-flop or on third street but is willing to fold afterwards. Also, note players who raise on the river with marginal hands and win consistently. If you find a table full of these guys, move to a softer game.

[/ QUOTE ]

Just because you have a large chip stack doesn't mean they are good. I've seen a ton of donkeys with huge chips.

Plus, raising on the river with a marginal hand is horrible. I think you meant the turn.

[pzhon]

I notice when someone folds the small blind. This is often correct, but many mediocre players complete the small blind far too frequently.

[Dov]

You need to see what people turn over at showdown and remember how they played the hand.

Look for plays that indicate understanding of key concepts like pot odds, implied odds, raising to thin the field, bluff raising, value betting or raising the river, cold calling frequency, position, aggressiveness, ability to read the board, understanding hidden outs, discounting outs, and understanding whether hands play well multiway or HU, how they handle bad beats, general demeanor at the table, etc.

Of course there are more, but I'm out of time right now.

Obviously, the more of this you see, the better they are.

[kiddj]

[ QUOTE ]
I notice when someone folds the small blind. This is often correct, but many mediocre players complete the small blind far too frequently.

[/ QUOTE ]
At my B&M, The people that fold their SB (or BB to PFR) regularly are usually pretty good.

The people that ALWAYS play their BB and SB, are usually terrible. Even if their post flop play is ok, they pretty much vomit money in the blinds.

[bobman0330]

In general in a B&M, you should use racial, gender, and other forms of offensive stereotyping. With some experience, you'll become familiar with figures such as the Gambling Asian, Tight Old Guy, Drunk Frat Boy, WPT Wannabe, etc. Certain mannerisms and other non-playing characteristics frequently correlate with style and skill of play.

Of course, you should be quick to revise these preliminary assessments, and be aware that one of the many flaws of stereotypes is that they're frequently incorrect. However, they're usually better than nothing.

[varoadstter]

More or less in order this is how I figure a particular player is good:
<ul type="square"> [*]Is the player playing a lot of pots?[*]When he plays a pot, does he always or nearly always raise or is he limping in a lot? Good players generally take control of the hand. [*]Is the player playing more hands from later positions? [*]If the player was the aggressor PF, does he continue to bet on the flop to an uncoordinated board? [*]How often does the player win in a showdown? [*]What hands is the player showing down? [/list]
That's just the indications that are easilly observable from how the opponent is playing their cards. Additionally, there are other things I pick up on like table mannerisms, a lack of "tells", etc. that add more to my belief that a particular player is the goods.

[Isuzuman]

When first sitting at any new table, I will take a mental note of the number of hands my opponents are playing. This is a great way to initially access a players' starting hand requirements.

[TripleH68]

1) Look for people who cold call raises preflop. These people are usually not good.

2) Look for people who do not notice when there is a raise preflop, especially those who limp from early position and need to be told by the dealer "another x to play." These people are really not good.

3) Anyone paying close attention when they are not in the hand. These people are usually good.