Leave Your Cards on the Table
As a courtesy to my poker online opponents, I used to try to act as quickly as I could when the action was on me. When my casino cards were dealt, I’d grab them up and focus on them-I’d figure out their strength, how likely they were to draw into a huge hand, and what I should do when the action came to me. That way, when it was my turn to act, nobody would have to wait-I’d bet, limp, or fold, and the next guy would act. Screw that noise. Eventually, I learned that having tunnel vision on my own cards was crippling my poker game. I had a great idea of how much I liked my cards, but I had no clue as to what my opponents thought of theirs. Nowadays, I let my cards sit on the table until it’s my turn to act. I’ll scan the table and keep an eye on my online poker opponents as they turn over their cards, trying to catch a telltale sign of what they’ve got. Then I’ll try to gauge my opponent’s hands based on how they’re betting. Once the action comes around to me, I can pick up my cards and make a much more educated decision based on what I’ve learned. My opponents can afford to wait a bit.