Learn to Read and to Use Poker Tells Correctly

Reading and Understanding Poker Tells

Some experts suggest against using poker tells and others claim that such a thing does not exist. Well, it is true that professional poker play is not based on tells, but it does not mean that poker tells do not exist or can not be used in an amateur game. Actually, all players are aware of the fact that expressing emotions can reveal their cards to others, so they try to hide or simulate emotions to mislead other players.

Therefore, direct poker tells, such as toughness or a joyfulness of a player with a strong hand usually do not work, because these real emotions will be hidden behind false emotions that are much more noticeable.

The Truth About Poker Tells:

Poker tells exist and can be used, but they are rare, and a player must not expect to see them in each and every hand. Those who try to do so, usually start to imagine poker tells that do not exist. Another advice is not to watch all players at the same time being afraid to miss poker tells. This way you will miss them all. Concentrate on every player and switch to the next one, once you believe you have studied the way he plays.

However, it is not advisable to look for personal poker tells, such as scratching an ear with three 9s, etc. Such things probably exist, but you can spend a lifetime to learn each player’s personal behavior. What you have to note is what is the playing strategy and attitude of the player, whether he is likely to bluff or more probably will fold unless he has a very strong hand. Also pay attention to what kind of person he is, whether he is normally calm or an animated person and what is his self-esteem.

Another advice for those who look for poker tells is to forget about your own interest. It is very much like human nature to see what is desired to be seen, therefore a player who really wants to call can imagine calls that tell him to it. It is very important to take into the account all poker tells and not only those that satisfy your will, and make an objective analysis of the situation.

When you study all the players at the table you can start to look for poker tells. Once again, do not try to watch all the players at once. Watch them one by one and do not be afraid to miss anything. Poker tells to look for are normally opposite from real-life emotions. If you see a player who seems to bet unconfident when betting, it most probably means that such a player has a good hand, but does not want others to know about it.

When a player bets too aggressively he probably is bluffing. Bluffing can also be seen when a naturally animated player becomes inanimate. A bluffing player is afraid that anything he does will reveal his bluffing and therefore tries to do nothing at all. A player with a good hand will normally look disinterested in the game to try and make you think he already feels out of the game and can not be taken into the account. A player who is going to fold, in contrary, will show interest. Although it is not important for him, he is still following the main principle of poker: to hide real emotions.