Live Poker - Tells

Introduction

In this article

• What tells are
  
• Which types of tells there are
  
• How to detect them at the table and use them to your advantage
  

Understanding and mastering the strategic principles of poker are basic requirements in order to be a successful player in the long run. But beyond the scope of applying and continuously improving this theoretical knowledge, an advanced player will also make use of his psychological superiority over his opponents. You will be able to maximize your profit if you're able to discern the thoughts in their mind and adjust your playing style accordingly.

This skill is of particular importance when it comes to live poker. As opposed to online poker, the opponent isn't in disguise behind a virtual mask, but is sitting right next to you, face-to-face.

Definition and types of tells

The word basically says all: your opponent tells you something about the strength of his hand.

Definition: any behavior which gives away information about your hand is a tell.

In general, tells can be divided into two main categories:

• Unconscious tells
  by players who feel unobserved.
• Conscious tells
  by players who are acting.

In order to discover them, there is one rule you should really take to heart:

This is especially the case when the hole cards are distributed or the community cards are revealed. Your cards don't change, the emotions of your opponent in relation to their hand do.

The first impression of an opponent can already be the first tell. The character of a person is often reflected in his playing style. People who stack their chips rather tidily usually play more conservatively. In contrast, players who have a colorful, untidy and chaotic stack of chips in front of them are probably closer to the loose-aggressive type.

There are quite a few players who give away the strength of their hand through their posture. An unconscious change of sitting posture to a more tense, forward-leaning posture usually is an indication of a strong hand. Players usually show less signs of body tension when they have a weaker hand, which can be identified by suspended shoulders, for instance.

It's often the case that nervous behavior reflects the intention of a bluff - there is usually a lot at stake in that case. In the majority of cases, obvious inner turmoil is a sign of strength however. First of all, it's really hard to plausibly act nervous on purpose. Additionally, you usually try to make a confident, calm impression on your opponent when you're bluffing. That's why players who are facing a hard decision are usually trying to control their nervousness, for instance by holding one hand with the other.

In case a player suddenly starts shaking when the hoped-for card hits on the river, it's not a sign of weakness, but rather some kind of exhaust valve for the tension which has built up. Inexperienced players in particular like to move all their chips in when they have shaking and sweating hands. Don't do them the favor of calling.

A lot of players also have nervous habits in their usual play. They might continuously thumb the table with their fingers, shake with their legs under the table or shuffle their chips most of the time. If someone suddenly stops doing this when his opponent reaches for his chips, it's usually an unconscious sign of a bluff - the player suddenly feels uneasy. With a strong hand, players usually pay less attention to their opponent and thus follow their usual habits.

Players who play a hand which is of high importance to themselves are usually under high inner tension. There is a rush of adrenaline in their blood, the muscles contract, the pupil widens, their heart rate increases, their throat seems to run dry and the pitch of their voice changes.

There is a good reason why so many players wear a pullover to hide their cervical artery. It's hard to tell whether these reactions indicate a good or a bad hand. In general, someone with a bad hand tries to suppress his tension, but it usually produces the exact opposite effect.

A very strong tell is a player's breathing. A change in the breathing frequency is no acting. It's easier to use this tell when you are seated close to your opponent. A flat breathing or the attempt to avoid breathing heavily can be an indicator for a weak hand.

A bluffer usually tries his best to appear as normal as possible. The reason here is the so-called calling-reflex behavior, which can be found in particular at inexperienced players. They love the showdown and look at their opponent for any kind of signal or sign, to use as an excuse later on. They will make their decision dependent on their ego - more so than on the actual strength of their own hand. Almost all bluffers thus instinctively try to appear as calm and unremarkable as possible.

Whenever someone covers his mouth with his hand, the probability is high that they are on a weak hand. He wants to hide his emotions. In a broader sense, he doesn't want to give away his lie, which you might read in his face. It's the same for a player who can't stand your look. He's afraid that his eyes will give it away.

One amongst the most precious unconscious tells. If a player takes a quick peek at his chips and then looks away quickly, he wants to bet. Another variant is a fast look at the opponent's chips, but the meaning is still the same. The important thing is that he feels like nobody notices.

This is another tell which is true especially for beginners. We talk about another look at the own hole cards. If there are three hearts on the flop, for instance, you can be quite sure that the opponent doesn't have a flush if he looks at his cards again.

Beginners in particular don't memorize the suit of their starting hand when it's off-suit. They remember the exact cards only if the cards are suited. That's why you can be certain that the opponent has one heart at most, for instance.

If an opponent is friendly after a bet, he is usually trying to bluff you. He doesn't want to get you involved into a personal confrontation and wants you to concentrate on your hand. The opposite is true if a friendly player suddenly turns unfriendly - he probably wants to be called.

Smiling is another tell. Someone who tries to stay serious but suddenly lets a smile out can be strongly suspected of holding a monster. A player with a natural smile usually has a good hand, as opposed to someone who tries to force a smile.

Just like you would protect a precious treasure, a lot of players unconsciously protect a good starting hand. They take a quick look, immediately hide the cards and keep their hands over them as if they were trying to protect it.

Inexperienced players will often show their hole cards to friends or partners during a hand. This usually is a sign of a strong hand. There are two reasons for this assumption: first of all, the player in question wants to show off how good of a player he is. This can only be done with a legitimate hand - usually a good made hand - which even a layman can easily recognize. Second, the outsider could give away a bluff, which is why a player avoids showing the cards in that case.

Whenever someone looks at his hand and bets right away, it's an indication for honest play. Most players will take some time before they bluff, as their action is supposed to appear well thought-over. They also try to avoid any kind of flashy move to avoid raising suspicion.

Opponents who try to bluff often reach for their glass - this is supposed to appear casual, which is exactly why you should pay attention to it.

You can also get information about someone's hand strength by the way he smokes his cigarette. In case the opponent lets out a big cloud of smoke, you can assume he doesn't care too much about the call and thus has a strong hand. If he tries to breathe out as unremarkably as possible, he's often playing a bluff. It's quite a vague tell, though, and you should only use it in conjunction with other tells.

The way someone moves his chips in can also tell you a lot about his hand. If he has a strong hand and wants to encourage the opponent to call, he won't make a big deal out of it. He doesn't want to scare anyone away and will either say nothing at all or just mention the value of his chips casually.

A player with a weak hand usually acts differently. He will usually try to announce his bet optimistically and with authority. Doesn't this behavior seem illogical? Doesn't a bluffer try not to attract any unnecessary attention? It's not - at first, when he is in control of the situation. He initially tries to scare the opponent away from the hand; it's only later that he tries to remain calm and unnoticeable.

Another signal is the over-the-top move when betting the chips. If someone moves the chips in an opponent's direction, or even throws them, he usually tries to scare him off. A good indication is a stretched-out forearm or an exaggerated stretching of the fingers up to the tips.

Doyle Brunson's legendary book - "Super System" - includes a very insightful passage written by Mike Caro, which reads as follows:

„ Most people are prevented from living life as they want. In childhood, they are required to do chores they hate. [...] .

As adults, they must shake hands they don't want to shake, socialize with people they dislike, pretend they're feeling "fine" when they're feeling miserable and "act" in control of situations where, in truth, they feel frightened and unsure.“ 1

These people are actors. They pretend to be a person they are not. On the poker table, they unconsciously follow the rule: "If I don't pretend to be someone else, they will recognize the true me."

That's why people with a strong hand usually feign weakness and weak hands usually pretend to be strong.

Your goal should always be to find out whether an opponent is acting or not. If he is acting, ask yourself what he is hoping to achieve and do the opposite.

This might be tough, but there are two reliable indicators:

• Your opponent has to feel observed by you.
• Your decision needs to be of consequence to him.

In general, both indicators have to be the case.

Simulated weakness can be displayed in many ways: a sight, a shrug, pondering a long time or any sign of played disinterest. Players who pretend to be weak have a strong hand. They want to trick the opposing player into a call or even a raise.

Someone who consciously looks away during a hand is usually very dangerous. He acts as if he doesn't care about the hand in order to provoke an adverse reaction from the opponent. This is often the case when the flop is dealt. A quick glance at the flop followed by a look away is usually an indication of strength.

You will run into this tell in various forms - inexperienced players will usually tend to overact. It's the same for people who act like they want to get rid of their hand while it's not yet their turn.

Most players make their decision in a matter of seconds. If someone thinks over his decision for a long time and then raises a lot, he usually tries to make you think that he had a hard time making a choice. You can easily suspect a very strong hand or even a monster then.

If you put the tell of feigned strength to good use, you can avoid losing a lot of money. It's a lot more profitable, and risky, to unmask played strength, though. A correct tell and a courageous call can sometimes decide hands in your favor where you wouldn't even have considered to win.

As opposed to feigning weakness and trying to get your chips into the pot, players with weak hands try to avoid that exact result. The best signs are:

If someone grabs his chips while it's an opponent's turn to act, he usually tries to scare him. If he plays with his chips the whole time and suddenly keeps his hands away from his chips while it's your turn to act, it's usually a sign of true strength.

Players who stare down their opponent with their look usually aren't too dangerous. The signal "I'm looking at you, so think about what you do" can often be interpreted as weakness.

Whenever a player is looking at his hole cards or the board for a really long time, he's usually on a weak hand. If he looks for a long time and then bets, it's usually a bluff.

Looking at one's starting hand again after betting and when you reach for your chips is a very strong tell. You can assume a bluff in that case.

Players with a strong hand usually wait for the last moment in the hope of getting a call. If he wants to end the action as fast as possible, by stating "I will show my hand" or by claiming the pot, for instance, this normally is a clear sign of weakness.

Unfortunately, tells aren't always as straightforward as you would like them to. Most of the time, you will observe more than one, and if they coincide, your decision should become easier.

For instance, if someone only takes a quick glance at his hand, then covers it fast and protects it with his hands, takes a short look at his chips before looking at his glass like he was bored, you can safely assume that he has a strong or very strong hand.

It gets more complicated when the tells contradict each other. But there is a solution to this issue, too. Often, players are only aware of some of their actions. You have to find out which part of the tell is show and what is real, and then do the opposite of what they want you to.

Someone takes his hand into the right hand and is about to fold. His left hand, however, slowly moves towards his chips. Which part of the tell is conscious and which one isn't? Is he trying to represent a strong or a weak hand?

The man usually is trying to feign weakness by showing that he wants to fold. That should be the conscious part of his tell and you are thus supposed to think he's weak. In contrast, the reach for the chips is an unconscious tell which gives away his true motivation.

You're observing a player who is about to act. He looks away from the opponent noticeably, but his eyes keep wandering back and forth between opponent and chip stack.

The opponent is supposed to interpret the body language as weakness, but the eyes, which probably aren't noticed by the opposing player, give away his true motivation.

Feigning tells

In the examples above, we assume that your opponents are part of the majority who show strength when weak and vice-versa. It gets even more complicated when you face experienced players, though, as they exactly know what each tell means. They will try to use these tells against you. Eli Elezra provides a good example when he looks at his hole cards after already having completed his flush.

If someone consciously shows weakness with a weak hand in order to irritate you, he acts in "reverse". Experienced players might even think "reverse reverse" or "reverse reverse reverse". It's all about the question "what does he think I am thinking (he is thinking I am thinking etc.)?".

Example hands

In the following section, we will present three popular hands in which tells played a very important role. In the first hand, a fake display of weakness is exposed. The second hand doesn't just show the difference between live and online poker, but also how profitable it can be to unmask a show of strength. The third and final hand shows that even a correct tell can lead to a wrong decision.

In a NL tournament at the WSOP 2004, Anni Duke was dealt TT and she made a strong raise. Greg Raymer then put her all-in. After observing Greg Raymer for a very long time, she discovered a strong tell which gave away that he was holding a very strong hand and wanted her to call.

She was getting 3:1 pot odds - only a higher pocket pair could be 4:1 ahead. After thinking it through for a long time, she folded her hand. After Raymer's elimination a short time later, he told her that he was on KK and that she made a really good decision. Anni Duke later won the tournament and a prize money of 2.4 million dollars.

During the WSOP of 2005, Mike "The Mouth" Matusow had discovered a very strong tell of Dustin Woolf's. Even though the latter had only little experience with live poker, he is one of the legends of online poker with winnings ranging in the six digits.

In contrast to live poker, there is no one observing you in online poker, which should prove to be Woolf's downfall.

Matusow was able to observe that Woolf would boldly throw his chip into the table when he had a strong hand, while he would carefully place them and announce "I raise" if he had a weak hand.

Matusow was able to exploit this in the following hand:

After Matusow, with Q, J, and one other player had called the $10,000, Woolf raised to $80,000. He carefully moved his chips towards the middle and said: "I raise".

Instead of winning the $100,000 right away by re-raising, Matusow decided to just call and give him the possibility to bluff again. The KT4 flop gave Matusow an OESD and Woolf bet $250,000, calmly announcing "I bet". Matusow, trying to suck Woolf in even more, merely called. The turn was a 6, Woolf checked and Matusow announced all-in.

Woolf quickly mucked his hand and Matusow could increase his stack tremendously because he was able to optimally put his knowledge of the opponent's tell to use.

A hand which might be known to you took place in the Party Poker German Open, in the heads-up between our PokerStrategy member Morgoth and Soraya Homam:

Soraya Homam raised to almost all-in with AQ. Morgoth had QQ and announced that he would be all-in if he called. Homam misunderstood his words for an all-in and very quickly called the assumed raise, right away. The misunderstanding was cleared up, but Morgoth felt insecure now. After thinking it over for some time, he decided to fold his queens.

As Homam would have called Morgoth's all-in without thinking twice, she had to be convinced to be holding a very strong hand. Morgoth was wondering about this: which hands does Homam think are strong in this situation?

Morgoth's decision might be doubted by the spectators, but in the end, he probably put Homam on AA, KK or AK. Against this range, his hand would have been on a coin flip at best, which is why he folded and tried to beat her with his remaining chips. In the end, he was successful, but you can still see how a tell can lead to an objectively considered wrong decision.

Conclusion

In the first and the last example, the tell isn't the main point - the following question is more important:

• "Which hands does my opponent think are good?"

The follow-up question has to be:

• "Which hands does my opponent think are weak?"

Even though tells are a proven means to collect information, you should never justify your play solely through them. They can be of much help in reading your opponent, but they are still just a part of the puzzle a good poker player has to put together in order to make his decision.

The key to good, successful live poker lies in the mastery of the strategic principles, the correct interpretation of tells and the ability to see the game through your opponents' eyes.