Picking up Tells through Player Observation

The first thing that you should know about Poker tells is that they are not easy to identify. Contrary to what you may see on television and the movies, you will have to use all your powers of observation to spot them.

In real life, Poker tells are not conspicuous mannerisms like always lighting a cigarette when holding a big hand, or swallowing when trying to bluff. You also need to understand that tells that apply to one player does not necessarily mean it can be used on another because the reaction of people are very different.

The best way to pick up Poker tells is by being a keen observer of the events taking place on the table. By repeatedly watching the way that your opponents play certain hands and seeing the associated behavioral/playing patterns, the easier you time you will have in reading him and developing the proper counter strategies.

For example, if you notice that he always makes a check raise when he has the nut hand, then you can fold at the turn or river whenever he makes the check, so you do not have to pay him off.

Another Poker tell based on their playing pattern that you can use is when they always bring to the showdown AK or AA no matter what the board has. What this means is that these players cannot let go of strong pre flop hands that weaken at the flop. You can use this to your advantage; you can, when you have good hands, get him to pay and chase poor hands or make dead draws.

Of course, Poker tells are not just based on the playing patterns but also in the way that people behave during the game. Some of them are quite conspicuous; if they are always drinking and raising every hand, you can feel secure playing more hands that usual.

Other obvious tells are when a player starts to complain about the bad hands he is getting; this is sign he is on tilt. Focus your game on him.

Poker tells can be obvious, as shown, but more often than not they lie within the way that person plays the game. For this reason, if you want to play on and be successful, you must try and exert an effort to analyze the situation on the table. This will allow you to develop this all important skill.