Most players know that reading hands is a critical Texas Holdem skill. If you can consistently and accurately deduce what your opponents’ cards are, you can beat the best players in the world.

Hand reading is deeper than many players seem to think it is. It’s not just about knowing what you have and guessing what your opponent has. It’s about getting into your opponent’s head. "Given how I’ve played the hand so far, what might my opponent think I have?" Or, "Given what my opponent knows about how I think, what might he think that I think he has?" Or even, "Is he trying to deceive me, and if so, what does he want me to think he has? And, therefore, what sort of hand might he actually have?"

Texas Holdem hand reading is also an exercise in juggling probabilities. Rarely will you be able to deduce with certainty what cards your opponent holds. Usually, the best you’ll be able to do is to sort candidate holdings into categories like, "Likely," "Somewhat likely," or "Unlikely." You might observe the way a pot has played out and conclude, "She’s probably either got a terrific hand, or she’s bluffing. It’s unlikely that she’s got a fairly good or a so-so hand."

Finally, the hand reading skill requires that you be able to use the insight into your opponents’ possible holdings to formulate your strategy. It does you no good to know which hands are likely and which poker hands aren’t if you can’t translate that knowledge into the right play. The translation process relies upon logical reasoning, and it too is a valuable skill.

Also recommended:

1. Expectation and Multiple Possible Hands
2. When Bigger Bluff Sizes Will Fold More Hands
3. Choosing Starting Hands in Seven-Card Stud Hi/lo
4. Choosing Starting Hands in Pineapple Poker Hi/lo
5. Choosing Starting Hands in Seven-Card Stud