Listen to the Short Stack

It happens to all of us, somebody bets into you out of left field, or raises your bet. If you are holding a hand that you believe may only be the second best hand at the table, most players' natural inclination is to fold. Before you surrender the hand to your opponent take a good look at his stack. This will often be able to tell you more about whether or not they are bluffing than any facial tick or profuse sweating. If this is a cash game, and you see somebody with a small stack displaying this sudden flash of aggression, you can believe you are now facing a legit, formidable hand.