handreading - slowly but surely

I find myself slowly paying more attention to what my opponent is holding. I consider mastry of this skill my next big challenge in my poker education.

Here is a blind vs. blind hand from today that I won purely on putting my opponent on a hand range.

Full Tilt Poker, $20 + $2 NL Hold'em Sit n' Go, 60/120 Blinds, 5 Players
LeggoPoker.com - Hand History Converter

BTN: 2,085
Hero (SB): 4,415
BB: 2,075
UTG: 2,870
CO: 2,055


Pre-Flop: (180) 6 2 dealt to Hero (SB)
3 folds, Hero calls 60, BB checks
Opponent is listed on sharkscope as a bad player, so I complete my blind and hope for a big flop. Against a good player I probably fold this garbage.

Flop: (240) K 7 9 (2 Players)
A complete whiff, but he doesn't know that. I bet out to see if he's afraid of that king.

Hero bets 180, BB calls 180
After his call, I put him on a king (maybe a weak kicker or he would have raised preflop probably), a middle pair, or a draw (both flush and straight draws out there).


Turn: (600) A (2 Players)
Hero checks, BB checks
This ace should scare him - no draws completed. Unless he floated my bet with Ax, he shouldn't like it. Any pair from the flop is likely now behind. I could double barrel here - but I didn't think it made sense to bet the king and then not be scared of the ace.

River: (600) 4 (2 Players)
Well, no draws completed. If he was on a draw, he's got nothing now. If he was on middle pair, does he have the guts to call this "value" bet with his 7 or 9 with 2 overs on the board? We'll see

Hero bets 480, BB folds
Results: 600 Pot

Hero mucked 6 2 and WON 600 (+300 NET)

It's coming - very slowly, but it's coming.