Levelling
Thinking about what your opponent thinks you have, and what they think you think they have — layers of reasoning stacked on top of each other. A 'levelling war' is two players out-guessing each other until the reasoning eats itself.
Frequently asked questions
What is levelling in poker?
Reasoning in layers about an opponent's thinking. Level one is what I have; level two is what they have; level three is what they think I have; level four is what they think I think they have — and it continues from there.
What is a levelling war?
Two players each trying to out-think the other, where each bluffs because they expect the other to read them as strong. The outcome rests on who correctly judges the level the opponent is actually on, not who goes deepest.
What is the common mistake?
Levelling yourself — applying level-four reasoning to an opponent playing at level one, who is simply looking at their own cards. Against a straightforward player the simple read is the correct read, and elaborate reasoning turns a clear decision into a bad one.