Your Poker Success is Not in the Cards: How to Peg the Pigeon at Your Table
Pro poker player Rory Monahan says you can ň€śspot the suckerň€ť at your table within the first few hands. If you pay attention to Roryň€™s surefire giveaways, youň€™ll learn 1) how to spot the sucker and 2) how to avoid being the sucker. Here they are:*Arrogance.Ň When a player keeps bragging, acting cocky and ň€śtalking trash,ň€ť itň€™s likely he or she is compensating for insecurities.
*Immediate Tilt. High-stakes poker is an intense game.Ň On tilt is the term for a state of mental confusion or frustration, during which a player becomes overly aggressive, which leads to less-than-optimal game play. If a player goes on tilt early in the game, youň€™ve got your patsy.
*Ham and Cheese. Commonly known as overacting, if a player gets dramatic with his or her bluffs, calls and holds, chances are youň€™ve got a weak player in your midst. Theyň€™re overcompensating for a lack of skill.
*World Series of Poker Syndrome. If youň€™ve ever watched TVň€™s World Series of Poker, youň€™ve probably noticed thereň€™s heavy action on every hand. Itň€™s called editing. For the show to fit into the allotted time, dozens of less-exciting hands are cut. If a player plays every pot, you can bet theyň€™ve been watching the show instead of playing real Texas-Hold ň€˜Em.
*Showboating. Nobody likes a pompous winner. Players who grandstand after winning a hand are showing their lack of experience. Seasoned poker players know better than to make enemies of the other players. Itň€™s amazing how quickly the showboating stops when all the showboaterň€™s chips are gone.
*Fear of Risk. An experienced poker player is committed to the gameň€”and to winning. If a player shows a fear of commitment by folding each time he or she is raised, youň€™ve found your markň€”someone who doesnň€™t have the experience or the ň€śgutsň€ť for the game.Ň Make these calls and watch your chips come in!