More “Subtle” Poker Tells to Look For when gambling
Much attention is given to using obvious tells to catch your opponent on a big bluff or trying to induce a call with the nuts there are a lot of subtle reads where valuable information is hidden.
We call these “subtle tells,” and these are particularly useful in ring games where the same two opponents remain for a long time, and the blinds do not increase.
1) The Big Blind Peek
Make a habit of unsuspectingly observing your opponent positioned on the big blind – especially when you’re sitting in the small blind in a standard live ring game. Inexperienced or impatient players will surprisingly steal a glance at the cards almost immediately after they’ve left the dealer’s hands.
Whenever you notice this, try to inconspicuously gain as much information from this player’s behaviour before the action turns to him. He is likely to indicate his hand through his body language.
If it is your turn act in the small blind, you can either raise if he seems displeased with his hand or get out if he looks ready to dance.
2) Sit Slanting
This soft tell is also pre-flop. Players who are suddenly stimulated and lean forward after seeing their hole cards are most often anticipating some good action.
If you don’t have a big hand or a real good read on your opponent’s overall game, it may be the time to lay down your small pair or weak aces.
3) Bouncy Eyes on Board
Practise observing your opponent’s eyes on every street while he is looking at the board. An immense amount of eye shifting is appalling even to Three-Card Monty hustlers.
With practice, you’ll be able to determine the likelihood of your opponent looking to fill in his gut-shot straight or decipher concern that the third heart just fell on the turn.
4) Rack Stacker and Castle Builder
Three things you must learn, and when you do, spotting these tells will light your eyes up.
Firstly, The “awkward chip-rack dissembler.” These players are unnecessarily sloppy with their transitions spilling their chips from the rack to the felt.
Inexperienced players are often unfamiliar with this tell. (Note: Beware the faker who intentionally uses this move and also the Internet pro new to live games.)
Secondly, The “ready to leave player”. If one of the players grab a rack and is obviously devising to leave the table, he probably doesn’t want to risk a late hit when he can practically smell his cash at the cashier.
You can attempt to isolate this player or trigger a fold if you see this. Beware of this player’s participation as it probably signifies he has two cards he loves.
Finally, be keen to the player who is busy with his winnings and hasn’t had an opportunity to look at his next hand. He is distracted and still excited, rendering his actions, should he decide to call or raise challenging to read. His tendencies should return to normal after a few minutes.
5)Frisbee Toss
This easy tell is sure to make you win big.
The Frisbee Toss describes a player who can hardly wait to play so he chucks his cards into the muck and has his barrel cocked and loaded.
Look for these behaviours and be sure to never display them.
Top 5 Most Difficult Poker Tells to Hide
Your body initiates responses in high-stress situations even when you have a good hand. These autonomic responses are challenging to control.
Here are some tells most poker players can’t control:
5) Twitchy Fingers If you’re asked how much you have behind, your fingers may tremble. This is due to induced stress and increased blood flow.
The only solution is to breathe slowly to lower your heart rate.
4) The Inadvertent Grin. When making a bluff, the movement of the sides of your mouth and eyes can tip off your opponent about your holdings.
If this happens, just go with it. Pretend it was intentional and give the guy the creepy stare. It’s too late for anything else.
3) The Cracking Voice. Be sure to always speak only if absolutely necessary.
Misspoken words or changes in your inflexion can cause a strong player to call your bluff. If you’re trying to induce a call, being talkative can reveal your pretense.
It’s generally best to stay quiet and leave your opponent with no information.
2) The Shifty Eyes. If a player’s eyes are uncovered, it is easy to notice their eyes running rampant.
If you try to induce a fold by staring at someone, your actions could actually persuade the player to call.
Eye contact with the opponent can, however, trigger those as mentioned earlier “Inadvertent Grin.” Intentionally keep your gaze calm and fixed.
1)The Gulp/Swallow. Even with a low stakes casual game, the tension felt is enormous. Heart racing, palms sweating and before you know it the inevitable happens: the Gulp.
Just hope no one notices.
Beware of False Poker Tells!
False poker tells might even be more common than actual tells. Deciphering the two may prove difficult but here’s what you need to know. Two types of false tells exist. The first of which is unintentional.
Unconscious Poker Tells – Shaking Hands
The trembling of a player’s hand is a good indicator that they have a strong hand. Players get so When a player’s hands shake, it’s a great tell that they have a very strong hand. People get so thrilled when they have that their hands automatically shake.
Such a strong tell may be perceived as false, but oftentimes that’s precisely what the tell is.
Players’ hands can shake for medical reasons or just because of nerves, even with a bad hand.
To read a tell correctly, learn the player’s normal state and observe changes. Does the player’s hand tremble when he hasn’t even been dealt a hand? Or is he calm?
This tell accounts for the person who’s normally steady-handed. If it’s only the first hand, keep observing. Don’t make rash decisions based on the shake.
They Might Just Suck at Poker
This false tell, in particular, has tricked many players.
Suppose you’re in a pot with a player who is unfamiliar to you. You don’t know how he or she plays, and the tells lead you to believe the player has a large hand. It could really be that they just suck. What you thought to be a monster is only a single pair. Sometimes new players are convinced that they have a strong hand while having a pair of aces with four to a straight and flush on the board.
They think they have a good hand, but it doesn’t mean that they do. Still, it’s better to let yourself get bluffed than lose your whole stack.
Deliberate False Poker Tells
Watch Out for Poker Actors
The second type of false tells is from the actors that are easy to spot. Every table has one.
Any strong and experienced player who displays obvious tells from Caro’s famous Book of Tells is guilty.
If you spot the actor, react opposingly to what the tell conveys. If the actor starts exhibiting a tell that would normally induce you to fold, don’t. Make it your mission to disappoint them.
Choose the Best Reaction
If you identify a false tell, react accordingly by using the simplest solution. This is usually a story and it can be how you started gambling ground zero.
If the tell you identify strays from the theme of the betting story, you have to decipher what the truth is. When in doubt, stick with the betting story.
The bets people make are usually accurate and intentional. It’s how they perform those betting actions that can be misinterpreted.