Poker Tells
A Poker Tell is any physical
reaction, behavior, or habit that gives you information about your opponent’s
hand. There are some very common poker tells that you should be aware of.
Being able to spot these tells will help you make good decisions at the poker
table and put yourself in position to win more money.
Also, by
knowing what these common poker tells are, you can avoid giving them off
yourself!
The
majority of players give off tells in the following manner – they act as if they
have a strong hand when they actually have a weak hand. They act as if they
have a weak hand when they actually have a strong hand.
Online Poker
Tells
A
quick bet is a sign of weakness.
A
delayed action is a sign of strength. When an opponent thinks for a long time
and then bets, they will usually be holding a strong hand.
If
you have played in an online casino before, you may have noticed how they make
it easy to act when it is your turn. This is done through the use of check
boxes – “check” “fold” “raise”, or “call”.
You
can tell when a player has used a check box, because they act almost immediately
after the player in front of them has acted.
Use
this to your advantage.
When
a player has checked “raise” it should be obvious to you that they have a strong
hand.
If a
player uses the check box to “check” then you can probably conclude that your
opponents hand is weak.
If a
player uses the check box to “call”, a good assumption is that your opponent has
a drawing hand.
The
use of a checkbox is a good poker tell because the player has already made a
decision on what they are going to do before even seeing what the other have
done.
Remember to pay close attention to how your opponents act and you will be able
to spot their own individual poker tells.
Poker Tells
When you
first sit down at a table, study the way the players stack their chips. Although
it is a generalization, loose aggressive players typically maintain sloppy
stacks, while tight conservative players keep neat stacks.
Poker Tells your opponent gives off when they have a good
hand.
-
They act disinterested in a hand that they are
playing in.
Here they are trying to trick you into thinking they are not happy about
their cards.
-
Shaking Hands when placing a bet
Oftentimes players’ hands shake when they have an excellent hand.
-
Sighing and Shrugging
This is typically a sure sign that your opponent is putting on an act of
weakness when they have a strong hand.
-
Glancing at Chips After Looking at Hole Cards
This is a sign that your opponent is planning a bet.
Poker Tells your opponent gives off when they have a weak
or a drawing hand
-
Staring
If an opponent tries to stare you down they are trying to act as if they
have a strong hand.
-
Holding Breath
Often, inexperienced players will hold their breath if they are bluffing.
-
They Check Their Hole Cards After the Flop
If the flop shows a possible flush or straight, an opponent that checks or
re-checks their hole cards is looking to see if they have hit a flush or
straight. If they did hit a flush or straight they would know it and not
need to check.
-
Taking a Long Time Before Calling a Bet
If a player looks into
the pot and seems to be running through some calculations they are most
likely figuring out the pot odds to see if it’s worth trying to complete
their hand.
Remember, by knowing what these common poker tells are, you can avoid giving
them off yourself!
|