Poker is as much a game of psychology as it is a game of mathematical averages and probability. Because there is a human element to the game, it is possible to win a hand, even if you have a worse starting hand. By varying your bets and your actions, you will want to disguise what you truly have and are seeking as far as cards go, and try to create a false illusion to your opponents. Since each person has a different mentality, there are countless ways to achieve this. In order to be a successful player, you need to learn how best to mask your hands and maximize the chances for your opponents to make errors in judgment while playing against you.
The main trick to be aware of when playing online is your response time. Usually, people will instantly raise a hand only if they are bluffing. Other times, raising requires a bit of thought while you determine just how much you want to raise by. Another instance where time comes into account is when you are checking. An auto-check, where you check instantly, usually means that you have a marginal hand and will fold if raised. Now that you are aware of these tells, you can use them to confuse and abuse your opponents. Remember, you want to lead your opponents to believe that you have something other than what you truly do have. This is the basic premise of poker: when your poker opponents play incorrectly against you, you will make money.
Tags: how to get in someones head, mental game, poker head game
