To be a good poker player you need to leave your opponents confused and manipulate them to make your way through. In order to manipulate your opponents you need to be acquainted with the tricks of poker and about the game of poker as a whole. More your knowledge easier it is to read the opposition.
Following opponents betting patterns is an effective way of learning their stance. In fact, this is one of the best and most reasonable ways of getting a first hand knowledge of your opponent. Learn to read those and you will surely have an edge. Betting patterns are like puzzles and you would need to study some bets to start getting a feel. In fact, some early losses to study your opponents’ betting pattern is a good idea.
The essence of online poker games is patience. You should learn to wait and observe betting and other characteristics of players. This will give you an idea of what kind of players you have to encounter. Reading this won’t ensure easy success. You need to first take a passive position to figure out what the different actions that your opponent takes and then make an average of it.
The check-check-raise pattern: In this, an opponent checks on pre-flop, then either checks again on the flop or calls somebody's raise, only to raise on the turn. Such a characteristic makes it apparent that the guy is a slow playing one who starts raising on the turn, or who wait hoping that somebody else will start the betting and then they can check-raise him.
The raise-bet-check pattern: This is a big sign of weak opponent. This pattern shows that the player wanted to bluff but just admitted that he couldn't pull it off. Try to avoid getting into such a situation. Any player following the raise-bet-check pattern usually means that he had a good deal, which he failed to capitalize upon. He keeps on betting still hoping for something on the river, and also because of the fact that he knows if a hand is not worth raising and betting on, it is not worth playing at all. Such a player will miss a turn too, and then call to make up for the damage.
These are, of course, a few extreme examples of betting patterns. You can catch on to much more subtle aspects of betting in free online poker and turn them into an advantage. It's all in how good you are in observing.
