Looking For Common Tells In Players

June 15th, 2008

We’ve all seen enough poker movies to know what “tells” are. If you’re new to the game, you’re probably giving things away without even realizing it. Don’t worry. I’m going to help you fix the problem right now. I actually wrote this to help players recognize tells in their opponents. But, if you’re reading and saying to yourself, “Geez, I do that.” you’re in trouble. Fix it or prepare to get eaten alive.

The Eyes Tell All

Ever see players wear sunglasses at the table? They don’t do it to look cool. They do it so you can’t see their eyes during a hand. Even veteran players have a tough time hiding things with their eyes. So, they wear impenetrable sunglasses. The next time you’re sitting at a table, look at the other players. You’ll notice them staring at hole cards. You’ll see them looking at the hands of the players to their left (watching for possible folds). They can’t control their eyes. Here’s a word of advice: if your eyes can’t lie, wear sunglasses.

Facial Tics

A lot of poker players like to think of themselves as unreadable blocks of marble. They’re not. Most of us are emotional creatures. We wear those emotions on our faces. Your dog dies? Your face shows it. You win $10,000? It’s easy to see. You have such a strong hand that you can’t believe your luck? Don’t be surprised if other players begin folding. You’re not as unreadable as you think. That’s why you see player with baseball caps, sunglasses and hoods. It’s not a fashion statement. They simply know their tells and they’re covering them up.

Nervous About Something?

This tell is actually kind of funny when you spot it. Some players (especially rookies) don’t handle confrontation well. They become anxious. You’ll notice them fidgeting in their seat. Their eyes dilate. They may even start sweating or involuntarily flexing their muscles or jaw. Experienced players know how to identify it quickly. They’ll look for veins that appear in the neck or face. They hear a dry throat of higher-than-normal voice. Listen, if you’re getting anxious at the table, you need to control yourself. Unless you enjoy being a piece of meat for the other dogs at the table, learn to suppress your anxiety. Poker is all about confrontation. Get used to it.

Body Appreciation

Here’s something that rookies do all the time. If you do this, you need to stop. You may think other players at the table are psychic. They’re not. They’re just reading the obvious signs you’re giving them.

Here’s the problem. Just like we wear our emotions on our faces, others can read it in your body language. Watch other players next time you’re at a table. There will be at least one player who does this. If they get a strong hand, they’ll sit up straight. If they’re dealt crappy cards, their shoulders will slump. When they’re getting ready to bluff, they’ll lean toward the pot. You don’t have to be a mind-reader to get the message.

The Bad Actor

Beginners always do this. But, some pros do, too. Everyone thinks that being a good poker player means being a good actor. That’s true to a point. But, most people are bad actors. When they have a great hand, they’ll downplay it (”Oh, I didn’t realize it was my turn.”). Or, if their hand is poor, they may speak more loudly while raising bets (a tell in bluffing). Learn to recognize bad actors. Win their chips and send them packing.

Telling ‘Em Off

Every player has tells. I have them. You have them. Get used to it. Fooling yourself by thinking you’re a rock that’s devoid of emotion is a one-way ticket to the slots. Learn your tells and control them. Learn others’ tells and exploit them. Poker is as much about playing your opponents as it is playing your cards.