Penetrating Online Anonymity
Mar 13, 2008By: J.B. Harshaw “Online no one knows you are a dog.”
The most significant difference between live poker and poker online is the lack of information about your opponents. That blond in the red dress, named SexyLady could well be Bubba, in his bathrobe, sitting at his computer in the garage.
If poker is a game of limited information, the information about your opponents is the most limited online. As a result the game should be approached with a slightly different point of view.
In a live game when you are looking your opponent in the eye, the above the felt, mind game is much easier to play. In a regular live game, you often play with the same players every session. Even in the poker rooms of Las Vegas, you’ll often play against the same opponents, and the tourists can quickly be categorized as certain player types: based on how they are dressed, what drinks they order and their table talk.
Online we have none of that extraneous information to base our analysis on. Online the game is much more based on the cards, not the players. In fact other than observations about their play, we have only a few sources of information about each opponent:
The Player ID is the first tidbit available, and the easiest to use deceptively. You might think that SexyLady is female but betting that they are male is probably +EV (Positive Expected Value). With experience you can usually peg this player quickly by watching their play. Most female players are rather passive, aggressive play usually indicates Bubba.
Other IDs like InYourFace, or TakeYourChips, would tend to indicate a young confrontational player. After observing their play for a short period you should be able to identify a player’s attempt at deception.
Although you should never take an ID at its face value, there is one set of IDs that usually provide some information. Players who take IDs that resemble well known professional players. For example FillIvey, or GusHandson will usually indicate a young player that will attempt to emulate the play of his idol.
Only after a few rounds of play can you really put any value to this bit of information. Of course while gathering information you should use some bit of deception yourself.
What bit of information do you want to give your opponents? IBluffOften might be suitable for a Nit (a player that only plays good cards), but that deception will quickly be discovered by your opponents, and most will automatically treat you with some skepticism.
Generally it is best to pick a generic ID like some name or a combination of initials. Don’t use your real name of course and the ID shouldn’t give other information. For example John1988 might indicate that John is 20 years old. Just pick your ID with a little forethought, and never take your opponents’ IDs literally.
Stack Size might be the best, initial, indicator of a player’s skill. Big stacks usually indicate good players. Often bad players have big stacks too, but they can easily be identified by how active they are in play. Good Solid players have big stacks but tend to fold often. Always be wary of a big stack that is seldom involved in the hand. Those players are about winning the money, not winning hands. Always be aware that rushes (streaks of good cards), do occur, and even a monkey can win if they get the cards. Always respect a tight player with a stack significantly larger than the maximum buy-in.
Buy-in is another good indicator when combined with the style of play. A player that does a short buy-in then gets involved with marginal but speculative hands, like suited connectors, does not understand the game. Short stack play involves waiting for big hands and getting all of your money in the pot as a big favorite. Large buy-ins do not give as much information, but when combined with super tight play can indicate a Nit. They want to catch the hand and then de-stack (win all of an opponent’s chips with one big hand).
The Chat Box can be a valuable, if aggravating, source of information about a player, and as you might expect, the players most active in the chat box are the players with the least maturity. Players that complain about “Luck” or berate other players tend to be Nits. Take that into account when they enter the pot. They usually play with only premium hands. You can turn off chat, or ignore specific opponents, but it is just too valuable as a source of information. Remember your opponent took time to type out the chat, never take it at face value. It is often a source of deception. Always ask yourself, “What does he want me to think.”
Style of Play, or betting pattern, is the best source of information while playing poker online, but it usually takes several rounds before you can develop a reliable read on an opponent. Even then rushes of good cards and streaks of bad cards can obscure an opponent’s real style. Note: How often they enter the pot, the hands they show, their betting patterns and finally are they aggressive, or passive.
In online poker the cards may be more important than the player but there is information available to the attentive player. Otherwise how could Annette15, the first main event winner of the WSOPE (World Series of Poker Europe,) win a 180 seat tournament on Poker Stars without looking at her cards? (Okay, she peeked once.)
