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Online Poker Tells
Every poker player, particularly beginners have certain tells that can be read by very good players that sit at the same table. A “tell” is a distinct change in the player’s behavior due to the hand they have been dealt. Essentially a player might give away his hand by giving off a tell. Being able to spot tells is a very advantageous trait and should be capitalizes upon as much as possible. Also when you play a game of poker be aware of tells and try to avoid giving off tells. Here are some of the most frequent tells seen in online poker.
Speed of play
The speed at which a player makes an action will help determine the type of hand they hold. For example, an immediate bet may be a sign of a weak hand or may just be a sign of a bad player as it shows, if they have a good hand they took no time to think about their play, or if they have a weak hand it may just be a bluff or semi-bluff. If a player pauses for a moment before placing a bet, it usually shows thy have a strong hand and were thinking of the best way to play it. A pause followed by a check on the other hand is a sign of weakness or mediocre at best.
Instant plays
Use of the check/fold and call boxes which most online poker rooms have will give too much away. Many beginners are guilty of using these boxes and they can show signs of weakness in a player’s hand, especially using the check box. Use of the call box can give mixed signals. It may give signs of an incomplete hand or a weak hand which again I commonly linked to beginners. An instant bet after the turn or the river could prove the opposite of the above. The reason being, after betting after the deal and the flop, a player will have a good idea as to weather they can beat their opponents and this type of instant bet may show confidence. Unless you had a good hand in a situation such as this, it may be a good idea to fold.
Frequently flopping vs. frequently folding
There are players that frequently see want to see the flop even if they have low hands. This trait is usually common with beginner players but also with loose players. You can make the assumption that these players seldom have top hands and are worth challenging when you are dealt a good hand. Frequently folding on the other hand is a sign of a tight player. From this you can assume that when a player like this plays a hand they usually have a top hand or a good one at least.
Optimizing position
Although it is a good idea to use out position at a deal to your strategic advantage, it may also give off a tell. For example, if you are one of the blinds and most of the table folds or plays very conservatively, there may be one player who is one of the last to act that may put in a big bet or raise. This does not necessarily mean they have a great hand as they may just be trying to steal the pot. If you had anything at all, a call or re-raise may be appropriate here.
The chatterbox
Most online poker rooms have chat boxes and you will always find players that love to use it. Some use it to bully or intimidate other players but some use it just to be friendly. Either way it may give off tells. If a chatterbox is constantly talking but then stop to play a hand, you may assume that they have a good hand and are trying to focus on their strategy. The above tells apply to tournament poker and cash game poker. The tells listed below are apparent in only cash poker games.
Waiting for the big blind
When playing an online cash poker game you have the option to post the big blind immediately and begin playing or you can sit out until the big blind reaches you. You can tell what type of player a has joined the table from the option they choose here. If they choose to immediately post the big blind and begin playing, they are impatient players, which is characteristic of a loose player. If on the other hand they decide to wait for the big blind to reach them they are patient players which is characteristic of tight players. This may also tell if a player is experienced. If they decide to wait for the big blind to reach them, beware! They may be taking notes on the game and searching for tells and weaknesses in the other players including you.
Sudden big bets
In most online poker rooms the lobby will provide percentages and statistics about the game at hand. An experienced player may search for a table where the flop percentage is high which means play is very loose and most of the players will want to see the flop with little or nothing. If at a cash game a player joins and suddenly puts in a big bet or raises big, you can assume that the above is the reason why. He may not even have a great hand so it may be a good idea to call or re-raise if you have a good hand.
Rebuy
Once a player has been cleaned out at a cash game he has the option of getting more cash from his account. If you spot a player like this at the table constantly getting more cash, this may be a sign of a beginner that has cash in his account but doesn’t quite know how to play very well. See how many time s you can clean him out! It is advisable to note that some more experienced players that are well aware of giving off tells may manipulate a less experienced player by deliberately giving off false tells. For example a player that has been dealt a good hand may try to behave in a manner that suggests that he has a weak hand, he may pause for a moment and then just check.
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