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To the Good Doctor,
In a reply to a query on online tells, you mentioned looking for players that fold via check boxes…so how can you tell if they are?
Keep up the good work!
kerrybob
Hello Bob!
Aha, dragging something up from my long-forgotten past I see! My Mistress Jacqueline uses that trick all the time to shame me into doing whatever she wants – ‘remember the time you and your college roommate got drunk and went skinny-dipping together – now take me shopping’ or ‘remember the time you drank a whole bottle of fine whiskey; we never saw Weeny my Chihuahua after that night, suspicious – now buy me a chocolate cake’ and so on. That being said, I vaguely recall writing about online tells, so it looks like you might be in luck young man!
It is quite easy to notice when players are using the ‘fold’ check box option, as their cards will be folded immediately as action gets to them. Occasionally this will seem to happen due to internet connection issues, but if you notice players continually folding (or checking on the big blind) almost instantaneously as action gets to them, you can be sure they are using the ‘fold’ button (or ‘check / fold’ button on the big blind).
These convenience buttons (which also include ‘call’, ‘call any’ and ‘bet any’ buttons) are widely used by players at lower stakes cash tables and tournaments to give the game a better flow, but much rarely by higher stakes players. This is because the use of the convenience buttons can sometimes give off some information to your opponents.
For example, frequent use of the ‘fold’ or ‘check / fold’ buttons will obviously show that you have no interest in those hands (automatic checking of your big blind will just encourage your opponents to bet into you after the flop) and that you probably aren’t paying much attention to the hand once you’ve thrown your cards away. It would also indicate that you are playing a very formulaic style of poker, with fixed ranges of starting hands – if you are using the ‘fold’ button too liberally on the button or the cut-off (the position one to the right of the button), you are probably throwing away money! Most of the time, when action is folded to me in either of these positions, I will raise (dependant on the opponents in the blinds) with any two cards – seven-deuce can be enough to steal those blinds!
Meanwhile, using the ‘call’ or ‘call any’ buttons (again, obvious to most others at the table by your instantaneous calling of their bet once action gets to you) indicates weakness and drawing hands. If you were really trying to maximise value with a monster hand, surely you would wait until the action was on you to make your decision? Insta-calling is a common move by multi-tablers anxious to get to see another card – if you notice your opponent trying this on the flop, remember this when action gets to you on the turn or river!
Well, I hope that helps a little Bob! Now, if you please, do not bring up any of my old writings again, for fear of what other memories it may resurrect in my mind – I have done many things I would like to forget, both as an eager young college student and in these last few years with Jacqueline…I’ve almost forgotten her skill with a wooden paddle…just a few more bottles of whiskey and I’ll have forgotten entirely!
Good luck at the tables,
Dr. Jack
In a reply to a query on online tells, you mentioned looking for players that fold via check boxes…so how can you tell if they are?
Keep up the good work!
kerrybob
Hello Bob!
Aha, dragging something up from my long-forgotten past I see! My Mistress Jacqueline uses that trick all the time to shame me into doing whatever she wants – ‘remember the time you and your college roommate got drunk and went skinny-dipping together – now take me shopping’ or ‘remember the time you drank a whole bottle of fine whiskey; we never saw Weeny my Chihuahua after that night, suspicious – now buy me a chocolate cake’ and so on. That being said, I vaguely recall writing about online tells, so it looks like you might be in luck young man!
It is quite easy to notice when players are using the ‘fold’ check box option, as their cards will be folded immediately as action gets to them. Occasionally this will seem to happen due to internet connection issues, but if you notice players continually folding (or checking on the big blind) almost instantaneously as action gets to them, you can be sure they are using the ‘fold’ button (or ‘check / fold’ button on the big blind).
These convenience buttons (which also include ‘call’, ‘call any’ and ‘bet any’ buttons) are widely used by players at lower stakes cash tables and tournaments to give the game a better flow, but much rarely by higher stakes players. This is because the use of the convenience buttons can sometimes give off some information to your opponents.
For example, frequent use of the ‘fold’ or ‘check / fold’ buttons will obviously show that you have no interest in those hands (automatic checking of your big blind will just encourage your opponents to bet into you after the flop) and that you probably aren’t paying much attention to the hand once you’ve thrown your cards away. It would also indicate that you are playing a very formulaic style of poker, with fixed ranges of starting hands – if you are using the ‘fold’ button too liberally on the button or the cut-off (the position one to the right of the button), you are probably throwing away money! Most of the time, when action is folded to me in either of these positions, I will raise (dependant on the opponents in the blinds) with any two cards – seven-deuce can be enough to steal those blinds!
Meanwhile, using the ‘call’ or ‘call any’ buttons (again, obvious to most others at the table by your instantaneous calling of their bet once action gets to you) indicates weakness and drawing hands. If you were really trying to maximise value with a monster hand, surely you would wait until the action was on you to make your decision? Insta-calling is a common move by multi-tablers anxious to get to see another card – if you notice your opponent trying this on the flop, remember this when action gets to you on the turn or river!
Well, I hope that helps a little Bob! Now, if you please, do not bring up any of my old writings again, for fear of what other memories it may resurrect in my mind – I have done many things I would like to forget, both as an eager young college student and in these last few years with Jacqueline…I’ve almost forgotten her skill with a wooden paddle…just a few more bottles of whiskey and I’ll have forgotten entirely!
Good luck at the tables,
Dr. Jack