13.4B
~
I'll Just Keep Staring
~
Caro's Law of Tells #14 & #15
~
He's hoping players with medium hands will decide not to open.  (If no one opens in jacks-or-better draw, there's traditionally a second ante and all players get a new chance at the pot.)
~
In jacks-or-better-to-open draw poker, each player gets a chance to open the pot.  If nobody opens, the antes remain in the pot and new antes are usually added.  Then there's a brand new deal and everyone gets a second opportunity to win.  If you held a garbage hand, obviously it would be to your advantage if no one opened.  And that's exactly how this guy has it figured.  By reaching for his chips out of turn and staring at his cards, he's hoping to convince his opponents that he's a threat.  Maybe that will prevent them from opening with marginal hands.  This seldom works, but players try anyway.  The information you gain by observing their futile attempts can be very valuable.
~
Not only should you go right ahead and open with any hand that seems marginal, you should open with some hands you would otherwise not have considered.  The reason is that, in all forms of poker, the more players remaining to act behind you, the more jeopardy you're in.  The fewer players remaining, the more liberally you can open.  When you see a player behind you stare at his cards and reach for his chips, you should act as if he isn't there!  You have fewer players to contend with and you can profit with hands you would not have played.
~
--
--
TEL13_4B.AVI
~
7_1.AIF
~
88%
73%
62%
~
$2.74
$18.50
$128.00