Poker tells are any information that a player inadvertently gives away during a game. With poker there are a variety of different tells that are done and if you spot them you can use them to your advantage. Its important to be aware of the tells because we are all people of habit and anyone can fall into a pattern that can be picked up on. After some solid experience with these you will begin to pick up the professionals you will try to give out fails tells to fool players too.
1.) Watch the Eyes
This is why you will see a lot of the professionals where visors or sunglasses. That is because the eyes rarely lie. Many players can't help but stare at a big hole cards making their length of time peeking longer. If a players is looking to steal a pot he may glance left looking to see if the rest of the players to see if they have made quick glances and are likely to fold. You will also catch people trying to ask you questions because they know a man can rarely look someone in the eyes and lie.
2.) Facial Expressions
Professionals study facial expressions and you will see the pros often looking down to hide anything that might come across. Players look at each other and try to pick up signs of discomfort on weak hands and slight grins or anything that shows confidence in strong ones. Remember a tell is something that is giving away without meaning too. So these players are not aware they are doing it unless you have a professional who can shift expressions up without falling into a pattern which is very rare in Texas Holdem.
3.) Weak is Strong/ Strong is Weak
This is very common in novice players but frequently pros will do it too. That is if you have a strong hand you pretend its weak and if you have a weak hand you pretend its strong. Only a couple of times of this and you are a dead give away. For example when they get a monster hand they begin to look disinterested. When a person raises his level of voice when raising the pot and trying to look intimidating can be running a bluff.
4.) Anxiety
This is something that can be picked up on and typically occurs when they are facing confrontation or anticipation of it. Physical changes can happen such as flexing of the muscles, eye dilation, dry throat, raising tone of voice, and some professionals watch the vein on the forehead. During a bluff you will see a player demonstrate anxiety but if you see a player who know he will fold if re-raises he might be quite comfortable.
5.) Trembling Hands
This is a very easy tell and with novice players it demonstrates extreme anxiety. Watch for this tell it demonstrates a big hand usually.
6.) Glance at Chips
This is relating to the eyes that never lie. After the flop look for the player glancing at the chips. He will glance at the chips in preparing to stake his claim and the tell is he is already planning for an attack.
7.) Peeking Hole Cards on Flop
This is where some players will take another glance at their hole cards when for example the flop has a potential flush draw. The player will take another glance at his cards because he knows they were different suites just checking to see if one of them was leading to getting a flush.
8.) Repetitive Betting Patterns
This is one of the easier tells because we are all a nature of habit and people will just naturally bet the same way based on the hand they have just received. For example a player might regularly fold after being re raised or might always call the flop with a good hand.
9.) Body Postures/Attitude
Posture will show a tell on what the player has on occasion whether it be a weak or a strong hand. Watch for the shoulders to naturally slump on the weak hands and also for them to become erect and attentive on the stronger ones. You will notice that a player who bluffs a lot will lean forward in a confrontational way....keep in mind strong is week.
10.) Chip Stacking
This is a sign of a persons personality and if you can pick up on this it will take you a long way. When you first sit down at table, study the way the players stack their chips. Although its is a generalization, loose aggressive players typically maintain sloppy stacks but on the reverse tight conservative players keep well organized stacks.
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