| 18+ | Play Responsibly | T&C Apply
Expired
Expired
Expired
Expired
Expired
Expired
Expired
Expired
Expired
Expired
Expired
Expired
Expired
Expired
Expired
Expired
Expired
Expired
Expired
Expired
Expired
Expired
Expired
Expired
Expired
Expired
Expired
Expired
Expired
Expired
header-bg

Live Reads Explained: Jake Cody Escapes Xuan Liu’s Clutches

Have you ever asked yourself how professional poker players make moves that seem to be genius, but not entirely explicable?

We know we have. So when we get the opportunity to ask one of the game's best players just how he or she managed to do just that, we do.

At EPT Barcelona in 2013 Jake Cody found himself at the feature table on Day 2 with rising Canadian star Xuan Liu.

Liu had already had 11 live cashes since her final table appearance at the PCA in 2012 and Cody knew that she wasn’t a fluke.

Cody raised from first position and then masterfully showed how even hyper-aggressive players can make a tight laydown.

Jake Cody Explains Masterful Fold

So how did an aggressive player like Cody back off so quickly? Cody explained at the 2016 PCA:

“To be honest, most of my live reads are more of an instinct thing than like in a movie where someone scratches their nose when they’re particularly weak or strong.

jake cody 4

“You play with someone for a while and if in one hand something just feels awfully different then that can mean they’re extremely strong or weak. It’s usually nothing in the middle; they’re either bluffing or they have a very strong hand.

“I had played with her for a while, and I knew she played quite tight pre-flop, so I didn’t think she would be coming after me in this spot at all. That board hits her pre-flop calling range very well.

“If she had just called I would probably lose another bet on a later street so I don’t really like her raise on the flop. She’s over-representing her hand.

"She might have done this with A-Q or with a set, but it’s strange to do it with aces because you block some of the stronger hands like A-K.

"There are not too many hands I can continue with but definitely a hand that’s stronger than aces. I have pretty much the exact hand she can get value from.”

How the Mighty Fold

“It was a combination of different things. I made a continuation bet of 2,200 and she raised it to 6,700, which is a raise on the larger side.

“I considered my read on her pre-flop range and how she would approach the game against me. I have a rather crazy image so I expect people not to play back at me that much, if you don’t have a hand.

Xuan Liu
Perception is key.

“On a board like this the raise looked much more like a value raise than a bluff, so I found it to be an easy fold at the time, in fact.

“If I remember correctly I put her on a set there rather than aces. If she raises aces there she would certainly raise a set, too.”

The Hands and the Breathing

“The factors that led me to lay down the hand were:

  • Both of our pre-flop ranges
  • Her perception of me and my perception of her
  • Her raise-sizing
  • and then some of her physical mannerisms.

“There is nothing specific that she did but it was surely my instincts kicking in at this moment. A good part of reading people works on a sub-conscious level, which makes it hard to explain.

“To develop that instinct you need to make sure you watch every hand at every showdown because then you can see how someone acted. It’s often more about what they do with their hands rather than their face, because most players are aware of what their face can give away but they rarely pay attention to their hands.

“Everyone wants to have a poker face but they don’t watch the rest of their bodies. This applies especially to amateurs - not that much to a professional like Xuan Liu - although pros give away tells, too.

“The hands and the breathing are the most important elements of tells. If someone starts breathing heavier they’re getting excited and it’s less likely they’re bluffing.

Jake Cody 1
More math guy than you think.

“But of course, poker is so crazy and everyone’s so unique, that you can’t really give anyone advice on tells. If two players make the same movement or anything it can mean two different things, as everyone is an individual.

“I watch every player at the table and study their mannerisms. Of course, you can’t watch everyone as close, and if you watch two players in a hand you can’t watch them both, but I try to pick up as much as possible.

“I even take notes of players at the table if something interesting comes up that I might want to use later.

“I think my success in live poker is based on me being a pretty good mixture of instincts and theory. I’m much more of a math guy than people think.

“I’m certain that everyone can learn reading skills, 100%. Some people have a natural talent but everyone can develop skills.

“In fact, I’d say I’ve learned my reading skills from experience rather than being naturally gifted. I’m sure I read people better than five years ago.

"Actually, you should be better at everything in poker compared to how you did it five years ago.”

Related Articles

Unibet Poker Open 2023
Unibet Open Bukarest 2023 – Here we go!

Unibet Open Bukarest alkoi pari tuntia sitten, pahoittelut että blogi pääsee vauhtiin myöhässä. Syytetään Lufthansaa, joka onnistui eilen jättämään matkalaukkuni Frankfurtin kentälle. Nyt on laukku saatu tänne Bukarestin Marriottiin ja…

November 30, 2023 | Juhani Tyriseva
Unibet Poker Open 2023
Suomalaisten chip count, Event 1

Ville Mustonen 65K Aleksi Naski 265K Samuli Hietala 330K Jarno Jokiniemi 85K Max Avela 260K Kai Lehto 105K Feras Abid 130K Topi Palenius 95K Atte Franssila 85K Markku Vihavainen 50K…

September 16, 2023 | Juhani Tyriseva
Unibet Poker Open 2023
Voitonjako on selvillä

Ensimmäisen sormuskisan WSOPC Event 1, voitonjako on nyt selvillä. Turnauksen palkintopotti on 183.360€, ja 47 parasta pääsee rahoille. Turnauksen voittaja kuittaa mukavat 38.510€, ja min cash on 1.100€. Tällä hetkellä…

September 16, 2023 | Juhani Tyriseva
WSOP banner
WSOP Schedule 2020

The 2020 World Series of Poker kicks of in Las Vegas on May 27th. With a time frame of more than 7 weeks and 100 tournaments this will be the…

August 21, 2023 | Arved Klöhn
WSOP banner
Pikku tauon jälkeen jatketaan

Pidettiin pieni tauko, nyt peli jatkuu tasolla bb ante 4K, blindit 2K/4K. 111/573 pelaajaa.

July 25, 2023 | Juhani Tyriseva
melvin shroen live reports from The Festival in Nottingham 2023
PokerListings set to do Live Reporting from The Festival Series in Nottingham (13-19 February 2023) 

Melvin Schroen - Live Reporter For the first time in the history of The Festival Series, an event series is being held at the Dusk Till Dawn Pokerclub in Nottingham.…

March 22, 2023 | Melvin Schroen
PokerListings Awards 2022
PokerListings Operator Awards – Winners 2022

Since 2020, we have been awarding the best poker operators and innovators in the poker business with our PokerListings Operator Awards. Every year the operators are nominated and awarded in…

January 11, 2023 | Bjorne Lindberg
Oliver Hutchins Wins the Trophy in the €500K GTD PPC Malta Main Event (€71,000)

Oliver Hutchins Wins 2022 PPC Malta Main Event United Kingdom's Oliver Hutchins won the trophy in the €500,000 guaranteed PPC Malta €550 Main Event for €71,000 after a back and…

April 7, 2022 | Jason Glatzer
All Poker News

Comment on that

Your message is awaiting approval