Sometimes when I am bored...

[frob23]

I will hop on a poker site and go to a table (for a limit I don't play, yet) and watch the players there. I don't use tracking software so I make it a point to watch the game for myself. I try and spot the weakest player or players and the strongest player at the table.

I then try and predict their play and bets and generally try and watch the game as if I was going to hop in at any moment. I know I'm not but I want to learn. If I find a very interesting player, I will take notes on things he does and patterns I see.

This is basically practice on table reading and the attention skills I need while playing. Without cards to focus on, I have to base my opinions on the play... and the rare showdowns. But I can usually predict a rough range during a showdown from the previous observations.

Anyway, tonight I saw one of the worst players I have ever seen. He was playing $100NL and it didn't take long for him to catch my eye. He has to have a nearly 100% VPIP. He open-limps constantly or will open-minraise from any position. He'll call a 4xBB bet cold with hands like A-8o. Who am I kidding? He'll call a 4xBB raise with any two cards.

He's called a 4xBB UTG raise, and then a 19xBB shove from the BB... and proceeded to lose to AK-high on a board that had to hit any reasonable holding a person might have in that spot.

I'm rambling but this is just amazing. I should really be sleeping but I can't stop watching this trainwreck. If he keeps playing like this... my notes should come in useful... since he'll be broke and playing down at the lower levels in no time.

[liladypokerpro]

Wow frob I'm impressed! I hope others follow your example...

[irishpkr]

I actually did this a few nights ago for the first time (but at my normal limit )

Saw a couple of mega superduper fish, joined the queue, got a seat and proceded to take one of the fishs' stacks within about 20minutes

[bowlaman]

what was his name LOL maybe I play him heads up for his roll =]

[Hot Chark]

Interesting

[HeyKidMove]

I've tried to do this a couple times, but I usually get bored really quick and end up playing anyway. Good job being observant, it should really pay off at the tables for you.

[LyndaNova]

Good post, Frob!

Observance is one of the great tools of playing poker.
Watching people play games at higher stakes is very useful for taking notes and such.

Poker is not for people who become easily bored or distracted;
It is for people with patience and perseverance.

With that said, have fun everybody!

[iceveins0901]

you would be surprised at how many fish play at $100 NL. The weekends are the worst, even on a bad weekend day you should be up 2-3 buyins at this limit. I can play for 8-10 hours and just absorb about 1 buy in an hour while running 4 tables. Really I am not even playing poker, I am just sitting on my stack basically waiting for the nuts.

The weekdays are a bit more difficult, as there are more nits than anything during the week.

[elfanor]

That's especially true on lower limits, I often play 8 tables on the lowest limit on FullTilt; there are about 10 to 20 players (always the same) I see often buying in for the minimum and just waiting to get a monster then they'll go all in pre flop. There is ALWAYS a fish who wasnt paying attention to call with a semi good hand like AJ.

You gotta be patient, but with enough tables it almost always pay off ^_^