Past actions can indicate future actions at the poker table for both you and your opponents.
As a poker player and former historian, I always enjoyed the concept of ‘the best indicator of future behavior is past behavior.’ The reason for that was simple. It showed that patterns exist in the world and one can analyze those patterns perhaps in the effort of being proactive if necessary.
Sure, the world doesn’t seem to work hard on being proactive, but poker players must be. Nothing has helped my game more than this particular concept.
How? Well, this is two-fold. First, you must observe the actions of your opponents. If you notice a player likes to play 7,2 off-suit, then you need to make note of it because the possibility exists that he/she could put a heck of a bad beat on you with this rag-hand.
Another example, if your opponent twirls her hair before folding, then you can watch for the twirl and predict a future fold. It is part of reading your players and just observing what they do.
In your own game, however, the past actions predicting future ones is more difficult to work with. Why? You must realize that you have patterns. There are things you do that perhaps you shouldn’t do. You want to call that big raise with the 6,9 off-suit because you think the Big Lick hand is funny. You may tilt easily. You may do so many things that need work.
If you remember that your opponents are watching you and that sometimes changing behavior can be the best thing you can do at the table – especially if you’re running poorly – then, you can work to be proactive and put out fires before the flames consume you.