In poker, tells are actions made by poker players, either physical or verbal, at the poker tables that may provide details regarding the strength of their hands, especially when playing live cash games.
Tells fall under two categories: unintentional and intentional. Someone makes an unintended tell subconsciously when they are unaware of the signals they are sending. On the other hand, an intentional tell refers to when a player makes a deliberate action that conveys a message, and in most cases, is done to trick their opponents.
Examine the following points carefully and check for these tendencies in your next poker game.
Eye contact
Assume your opponent has just placed a massive bet on the river and is now establishing intense eye contact while waiting for other players to act. It is most likely that your opponent has a weak hand and is trying to bluff to keep you away from the pot.
Prolonged eye contact with other players usually indicates an interest in the hand. Players with weak hands are more likely to maintain eye contact with opponents. This tactic is used to intimidate opponents and deter them from betting (knowingly or unknowingly). It is often a defensive action.
A formidable opponent will not seek to make other players feel uneasy about making the call. They are significantly more likely to attempt to establish a safe atmosphere by avoiding eye contact.
When you have a strong holding and are confident that the hand's result will be favorable to you, it is easier to feel comfortable.
Chip Stacking
How a player arranges his chips is one of the most obvious signals of the type of player you are encountering. It is a cue that may assist you in identifying and categorizing your opponents before the game begins.
Players that do not arrange their chips evenly, or at all, are likely to be loose. They have a broad preflop range and will often get aggressive with mediocre hands. These are the players that fuel the poker economy and you should capitalize on their missteps.
Players with their chips neatly stacked and arranged in various patterns are often very tight. They seldom bluff and often call with solid hands.
Double checking hole cards
Players may double-check their hole cards at any time throughout the hand. Assume we begin playing with more complicated drawing hands, such as the various straight draws and combination draw, it is imperative now more than ever to double-check our hole cards to ensure we have connected with the board.
Typically, players who bluff or bet with marginal hands, will bet regularly and are unlikely to double-check their hole cards.
Sometimes, rechecking may suggest that a player is attempting to determine if he has a straight draw. In any case, expect your opponent to be on a draw or chasing one.
Summary
Be extremely diligent when looking for tells since most experienced poker players are good at deceiving their opponents with reverse tells. Tells are most effective when you have played with your opponents for quite some time to determine whether their tell is something they are oblivious to.
Nevertheless, most skilled players are more concerned with implementing a winning poker strategy, disregarding live poker tells.
