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Tells: Does Your Opponent Have A Good Hand?

March 28, 2008

If you are always getting stumped during your poker game, one of the problems you may be having is an inability to read another players’ tells. This is the kind of advanced strategy that separates really good players from inexperienced ones.

But what should you be looking for when it comes to tells? There are a lot of body language secrets that you can learn that will determine how you bet and whether or not you can win your poker showdowns when there are big pots sitting in front of you.

Here are some of the tips which can tell you that the person sitting across the table from you has a good hand:

  • They act like they have nothing or are too disinterested in what is going on. This aloof move usually is a bit of overacting. They have a strong hand, but they are “slow playing”. Not acting exciting in this case, is a smokescreen for how excited they really are.
  • Nervous shaky and quick breathing. Maybe your opponent can’t really hand back just how excited they really are and they become really nervous. Watch their hands and their breathing, especially as they make a bet.  
  • Talking to themselves. This is another case of overcompensation on the part of your opponent. If they keep asking themselves why they are betting or why they are acting crazy, that means they are trying to throw you off the scent of what they really have in their hand. They probably have something big. 
  • Keeping an eye on the chips. If someone has a big hand, they will always be adding up in their mind what they can do to win. For some players this means looking at the chips they have, and trying to figure out their next big bet. If they have a good hand, they will be thinking ahead like that.

Now here’s the tricky part. If you are playing against someone who is really experienced, they may throw out a tell that is the opposite of what they are doing. They may have a weak hand, but tell like they have a strong one. That’s why it’s good for you to know what kind of player you are up against, so you can be ready for whatever they do.

If you are able to discern a true tell from a false one and when a player is holding something good or something bad, then you will be on your way to being a winning poker player.

Written by Tom · Filed Under Poker Strategy |  

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