The quickest I have ever spotted a fish at the table
I was at Fallsview on Sunday, coming off a bad week of poker. I have nobody to blame but myself for some poor play earlier in the week and on Sunday - it was a losing week. However, I was happy about one aspect of my game.
As I sat down to play my first hand I was able to spot the biggest fish at the table before I saw a single flop! And to top it off, I was able to pick out the second biggest fish before the river of the first hand.
It was a 2/5 table and fish #1 had over $600 in front of her (Please save your predictable sexist responses for someone who doesn't assume that the female at the table is automatically the fish).
Clue #1: I watched her lift up her cards at a 90 degree angle to the table in such a way that either of the players on either side could have seen them.
Clue #2: I watched her carefully pull a $5 chip off her stack and limp in UG.
Clue #3: After a raise to $30 by the cutoff, I watched her automatically pull $25 more off her stack - because of course if it is worth $5; it is worth $30.
Before I even saw the flop, I knew that this was a stack of chips up for grabs. And predictably, I watched that $600 dwindled down to $100 before I left for a dinner break.
Here were the other clues I used to spot fish #2.
Clue #4: He was sitting to the right of fish #1 and they were clearly a couple - probably married. With five tables open, why would you choose to sit at a table with your spouse or friend.
Clue #5: Along with the constant limp/calling preflop by both fish, it was followed by constant check/calling - including a significant pot-sized bet heads up, where there was a four card flush on the board on the turn, and a fold on the river.
Clue #6: Was constantly the first person to check in the hand, even when he was playing on the button.
Clue #7: Quickly and proudly turned over second pair ... on a paired, possible straight board ... out of turn ... and declared "I have two pair!".
I am sure there were more, but I forgot to record my mental notes. What are your clues to spotting the fish at the table? And remember, "If you can't spot the fish at the table ..."
As I sat down to play my first hand I was able to spot the biggest fish at the table before I saw a single flop! And to top it off, I was able to pick out the second biggest fish before the river of the first hand.
It was a 2/5 table and fish #1 had over $600 in front of her (Please save your predictable sexist responses for someone who doesn't assume that the female at the table is automatically the fish).
Clue #1: I watched her lift up her cards at a 90 degree angle to the table in such a way that either of the players on either side could have seen them.
Clue #2: I watched her carefully pull a $5 chip off her stack and limp in UG.
Clue #3: After a raise to $30 by the cutoff, I watched her automatically pull $25 more off her stack - because of course if it is worth $5; it is worth $30.
Before I even saw the flop, I knew that this was a stack of chips up for grabs. And predictably, I watched that $600 dwindled down to $100 before I left for a dinner break.
Here were the other clues I used to spot fish #2.
Clue #4: He was sitting to the right of fish #1 and they were clearly a couple - probably married. With five tables open, why would you choose to sit at a table with your spouse or friend.
Clue #5: Along with the constant limp/calling preflop by both fish, it was followed by constant check/calling - including a significant pot-sized bet heads up, where there was a four card flush on the board on the turn, and a fold on the river.
Clue #6: Was constantly the first person to check in the hand, even when he was playing on the button.
Clue #7: Quickly and proudly turned over second pair ... on a paired, possible straight board ... out of turn ... and declared "I have two pair!".
I am sure there were more, but I forgot to record my mental notes. What are your clues to spotting the fish at the table? And remember, "If you can't spot the fish at the table ..."
Comments
Uhh, . . . usually I just borrow a mirror from one of the chicks.
There's probably a ton more I'm not privy to, but here are some that raise a red flag for me:
1) How and when they look at their cards
2) # of hands played
3) # of limp-calls or check-calls
4) Betting/calling and showing down weak hands on scary boards
5) Min bets or large overbets
First one was at Casino Niagara a couple of years ago. When a 2-4 limit game got started, one of the players asked the table if anyone was a pro....a pro at a 2-4 limit table? He didn't last very long.
The next one was at Brantford last year in a 2-5 limit game. A couple came in a sat down at the table. Guy announces that his wife/girlfriend is playing for the first time....and she is directly on my right. You can't bluff in a 2-5 limit game? I had no trouble that day.....
You just reminded me of another couple of clues.
Donkey #1: First blind level of a tournament where the blinds are 100/200 and the starting stack is 10 000. First to act. Pushes all-in with over starting stack in chips. After everyone folds, shows pocket aces. Pulls in 300 in chips.
Donkey #2: On the button in the previous hand. Tanks for about two minutes and finally folds. Says he had A-K. What was he thinking? This is probably the only time in my life I can fold kings preflop.
Nice avatar by the way Greg. Has your wrist turned green yet? Queen/ten suited never loses.
ok, I'm in a pretty bad mood...but I went to the casino last night and I've got a rant about female players.
Sandy you are one of the very few truly competent woman I have ever played against in any casino setting...I'm really racking my brain for exceptions, but no one is coming to mind besides. (edit: I've only played Miranda once but she seems alright) Elelliot is the nuts, sick good!
I'm sure that some woman will read this..so to you I say, GROW SOME FUCKING BALLS!
If I have to watch one more woman go broke because she can't get off the live 'call button' or because she's not versed in the rules of the game, or makes massive fundamental mistakes... I am seriously going to throw up on the table!
and to those men who automatically assume the woman is the fish...
astute assesment, not only are you usually right..you're paying me off.
/rant
Cosign MarcoGD's list:
I think one of the biggest 'tells' that they don't know what they are doing is bet sizing in proportion to the pot.
Eg. guy rivers trips last night on a paired, straight and flush board and bets 2.5x pot.
I also put stock (probably way too much) in the way they cut chips to measure out bets.. donks/inexperienced are irregular; limit guys make little neat mini piles; the scary ones are comfortable manipulating stacks of 100 or larger, they're the guys who play NL most.
I try to say "I'm confused, can you please explain 'X' to me?" as soon as possible.
X = Hand Rankings.....best ever.
The obligatory "Does a straight beat a flush?" has to be asked to maximize profit.
I've spoken to quite a few 2/4 live 'pros' in my life. Most were at seneca casino. Everytime, I laugh in their faces.
5 hours of work a day to grind out a cheeseburger. Sounds fun.
hey, don't forget the soggy fries and watered down beverage!
Now, I try for a very loose, very aggressive image while in fact being only semi-loose and selectively aggressive. The fish still don't really notice while the average players make more mistakes against me and the good players avoid me. There's nothing like "owning a table" and a fish image is the opposite of that.