A Basic Look at Poker Tells – and How not to Give Yours Away

The term ‘tell’ in poker encompasses a whole range of behaviors that are believed to reveal information about the player’s view of the game being played and strength of their hand. Being able to read tells obviously makes a player far more likely to be successful, but it is a surprisingly rare skill amongst poker players. Perhaps more importantly, a good player is careful never to reveal anything about their hand through unconscious tells.

Frequently given advice is ‘watch the eyes’. A player’s eyes are most likely to give him or her away, which is why many professional players wear glasses, sunglasses, visors or caps. Maintaining eye contact when bluffing or deceiving is more difficult; try to avoid breaking it when misleading other players.

Some tells are a good indicator that the player has a strong hand. These include feigning disinterest, or sighing and shrugging, or being dismissive of a hand while the game is still being played, which may indicate a player that’s trying to contain excitement. Other physical indicators of adrenaline, such as shaking hands or rapid breathing are obvious signs of excitement; these are more difficult to restrain, and many players only learn to conceal them through playing many hands of high-stakes poker. One strong unconscious tell is looking at your chip stacks after seeing strong hole cards – this can let other players know that you are considering how high to bet.

Weaker hands, conversely, can be easily betrayed by signs of insecurity. At the most extreme end of the spectrum are nervous ‘tics’ – physical motions that are made repeatedly when the player is under duress. These may range from unhappy facial expressions to nervous twitches, so try to stay still whilst playing.

You can also indicate to others, unconsciously, that you’ve got a ‘drawing hand’. If the table’s flop creates the possibility of giving a player either a straight or a flush, players with likely hands may check and re-check their hole cards. Keen-eyed poker players will watch to see which of the people at the table are checking if they can draw to it. Likewise, avoid spending a long time calculating the odds of the pot; this can indicate to others that you’re considering gambling on whether you’ll catch the cards required to complete your drawing hand.

Lastly, be aware that highly experienced poker players may feign tells. Establishing the experience level of your opponents is perhaps the best way to get a steer on their tells and whether they are genuine.