Poker Tells

If poker was simply mathematics and odds calculation, the game would be very dull. Instead, the game is more about the players than the cards. The psychological aspect to the game makes poker so much more exciting and skilful. As we all know, in different types of poker, each player has a certain number of ‘hole cards’ (cards facing down). Typically this is two as the most popular form of poker is Texas Holdem (as it has been for the last 3 decades).

A ‘poker tell’ is any habit, reaction or type of behaviour which equips other players with more knowledge about your hand or more generally about the type of poker player that you are. Even professionals at the World Series of Poker or the World Poker Tour can display these tells. However, you must be careful to distinguish between novices and advanced players. The more advanced poker players may be forcefully giving out false tells to fool people at the table! This guide to poker tells will allow you to win regularly in your home games once you have bought your set of custom poker chips.

Tell No.1: WEAK MEANS STRONG, STRONG MEANS WEAK

The most important piece of advice is to always remember that poker players are actors! If they look down at their hole cards and see a great hand, they will often attempt to look disinterested. They may be seen to be regularly glancing away from the action, they may be heard to say ‘Oh I might as well play’ or they may appear to have forgotten that it is their turn to act! They will nervously put their custom poker chips into the centre of the poker table and will usually take a long time to make their decision.

If they look down at a poor set of hole cards, they will often attempt to look intimidating. They may tap the table repeatedly, violently throw their customized poker chips into the middle of the table and stare down any opponent that considers calling their bet. Always be careful with this tell as a novice player may not even be thinking along these lines and so weak may actually mean weak. Plus a professional in a casino may do the same, to confuse players with a double bluff!

Tell No.2: CHIP STACKING

This tell comes in handy when you first sit down at the poker table. Make sure you study the way each poker player takes their personalized poker chips out of their deluxe leather case and stacks them. Generally, loose aggressive players set their custom poker chips out in unorganized and sloppy stacks whilst their tight conservative counterparts generally maintain neat and organized stacks.

Tell No.3: TREMBLING HANDS

If you are being bet into by a player whose hands are shaking, this does not mean he/she is trembling with nervousness. They are trembling with excitement at the massive hand they are looking down at. Save your custom poker chips for another gambling round.

Tell No.4: GLANCE DOWN AT CHIPS

When you get dealt your hole cards, watch the eyes of all other players at the poker table. It is common for poker players to glance down (very briefly) at their stack of customized poker chips if they are pleased with their hole cards or if they connect with the board after the flop. This subconscious reaction means the player is already planning to put a huge stack of custom poker chips in the pot. Conversely, if a player has not made a hand, he/she will often continue to stare admiringly at it, as if something beautiful has just been created! Don’t expect to see many of their custom poker chips in the pot during this hand-they will be easy to bluff.

Tell No.5: TAKING A SECOND GLANCE AT HOLE CARDS AFTER THE FLOP

In general, poker players remember the numbers displayed on their hole cards, not the suits. If three cards of the same suit peel out on the flop and you see a poker player taking a second peek at his/her cards, you can be sure that the player is checking to see if one of the cards in his/her hand come from that suit. If both came from the same suit, he/she would have remembered this so you know the poker player is on a draw if they check again after the flop. If you work under the assumption that the poker player is on a draw, you must put the pressure on by betting and gambling with large amounts of custom poker chips. Make it expensive for the poker player to see each extra card.