Poker players have a tendency to pick on the newbies because they’re usually a quick source of money. If you’re looking to find that newbie on the table, there are a few things you can look for, many of which are listed below. Also take some time to look over this list if you are in fact a newcomer to the game. This may help you be less preyed upon when it comes playing time.
Quickly Looking at Cards
If you don’t know this already, you don’t have to look at your cards right when they’re dealt to you. Instead, you’re supposed to watch everyone else when they look at their cards so you can see if they have a positive or negative reaction. The hasty glance at the deal is a sign of a newbie.
Fumbling with Chips
Tossing your chips into a pot should look just like that – a toss. If you see someone just set their chips in the pot or practically throw them in, they likely don’t have much experience in poker. Also, if the person tries to casually play with his or her chips and is doing more fumbling than playing, he or she is most likely a newbie.
Confusion with the Blinds
If you have to repetitively tell someone at the table what the blinds are and when it’s their turn to put money in, chances are you’re dealing with a newbie. Same can be said for pot sizes and minimum betting amounts. Forgetting on occasion is normal, but consistent forgetting is a sign of a newbie.
Overbetting the Pots
If you have a person on a table betting more than pot all the time or who is going all in consistently for low pots, you probably have a newbie on your hands. A standard three times blind raise is expected pre-flop, so if you have someone raising double that or more,you should question his or her experience.