Poker Tells That Are Important To Know and Recognize

When you are playing poker, either online or live, you need to be able to read your opponents. What that means is to be able to pick up on their "tells." A tell is a habitual action that another player may give you as a clue to what he is holding in his hands. There are tells that are utilized during live play, as well as online play. Being able to know and recognize a tell is what is going to separate you from home game poker and the big game poker. Once you learn how to pick up on someone else's tells you can basically "see" their cards, and eventually you will be able to watch their behavior so that you can read the secrets behind the cards. Thus, you will make the right calls, folds, and decisions that will take you from beginning play to the WSOP. Everyone has their own tells, and a good player will be able to spot all of them.

Certain tells that say you have a good hand are acting uninterested in the hand while still in it. This is usually a sign of a strong hand. Another tell that is common is the shaking of the hands. If you notice that a player is shaking as they deposit chips into the center of the table usually means that you should get out of the hand. Rapid breathing is another one that gets even the best players. Sighing and shrugging or "acting" as if they simply do not know what to do will often show signs of dramatics that will give you a big clue that they often have the best hand. Even simple things like drawing in a breath of air too sharply or the twitching of an eye can show strong hands.

Signs of a weak hand are usually quite the opposite. Someone who has a weak hand may often show great strength. For example, they may stare you down as a way to intimidate you. If they sit back very conspicuously then chances are they want to show that they have a strong hand when really they are just bluffing you. Another tell that beginners often show is holding their breath while they are betting. It is a way to combat their nerves when they are bluffing you. If you see them do this then chances are you can easily take them down. There are even tells of players who have a drawing hand. For example, if they check their hold cards after a flop or take a long time calling after a bet you can rest assured that they haven't made their hand.

Online tells are a little harder to decipher because you don't have anyone to really look at. However, there are still certain ways that people do things that can show you what kind of hand they have. The speed of play is one of them. Typically a quick bet is a sign of weakness whereas a delayed action is a sign of strength, as the player is usually trying to figure out his strategy for taking all of your money. Watch how long it takes a typical player to play and you can quickly figure out his actions. Check boxes and auto play boxes are another tell of a player. If he has the check/fold button on then he has nothing whereas if he is on raise any and the raise comes very quickly, he usually has a strong hand. You will see many different situations in online poker where you can pick up the tells, but as long as you are paying attention and watching them carefully you will be able to pick up on them very quickly, just as in live poker.