Poker is a game of people played through the form of cards. A tell is a pattern that shows the relative strength of an opposing player’s hand. If you participate in internet poker, common tells are comprised of gambling patterns and time to act. Live poker at the betting house offers a greater opportunity to identify tells. Along with time tells and wagering sequences, players have physical tells. Individuals frequently telegraph the strength of their cards through body language, movements of their eyes, breathing rates, and voices. Poker is a sport of feelings and most individuals cannot control their emotions when cash is involved. In order to notice a tell you have to closely observe your opponents on each and every hand. Look for any sort of wagering sequence or physical tell that correlates with the strength of their hand. If a challenger constantly breaths deeply when she has a huge hand, that is a tell for absolute strength. If an opponent constantly wagers his weak hands with a flick of his wrist, that is a tell for absolute weakness.
Tells allow you to see beyond your own cards and into your competitor’s mind. Focus on all the things that your competitor does while he bets in a hand and try to link each action to a given strength of their cards. With the opportunity to obtain tells on your competitor, the cards really don’t matter. If your opponent shows you that they are weak, you are able to raise him with any hand with the understanding that he will drop out. If your opponent indicates you that he is strong, you will be able to fold very strong hands. There is a lot more to poker than just the cards you’re dealt. Focus on your opponent’s body language and your winnings will soar.
