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  Somebody once said for ever action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Chances are this statement was uttered by a guy who just got a wrought iron skillet slammed into his frontal lobe by an angry wife who just learned he spent $10,000 on a big screen television.



  In Texas Holdem there is generally a reaction when cards are shown on the board. A good flop can neuter some great starting hands. Conversely, an iffy drawing hand can become the nuts if the flop and turn go a player's way. How somebody reacts after a new card is shown is often a little window into what is going on with their hand.



  If somebody who was aggressive before the flop, suddenly becomes docile when first three cards on the board are 2s/7c/8s, chances are pretty good they are holding something like K/10 or Q/J. Conversely, if somebody who was showing weakness suddenly turns on the burners, chances are they have either matched a card in their hand to the highest card on the board, or they have a small pair that has just become a three of a kind.



  We can't take bluffing out of the equation. There are people who will see a King, Queen, or Ace show up on the board, and start betting like their mortgage depended on it in order to convey a message that says, "Hey, that Ace just matched one in my hand". Bluffs with these scare cards are often very effective.



  If you are fortunate enough to have the sort of experience with a player that allows you to pick up on their tells, then trust your instincts on what to do if you think that someone is trying to pull the wool over your eyes. If you don't have that sort of insight, knowing the odds of a particular hand showing up might be helpful. Below we have printed the odds so that you can play them in order to figure out what your opponent might have. Outside of ESP, nothing you do can turn the unknown into an absolute, but it is often helpful to know that math is on your side.