September 3, 2005

What is a Poker Tell? A tell is any habit, behavior, or physical reaction, that gives other players more information about your hand. The following are tips supplied to PokerTop10 by the pros, and can apply against novice or advanced players. Remember, that in poker there are many contradictions and exceptions to the rule. Also, experienced pros will give out false tells to fool players.


Watch the Eyes
This is why many pros wear sunglasses or visors/caps when playing, they know that the eyes rarely lie. For eg. many players can't help but stare at big hole cards, so their length of time peeking is longer. Conversely, if a player is looking to steal the pot, he may look to his left to see if the remaining players, who haven't yet acted, have quickly glanced at their cards and are likely to fold. Another eg., a player may try to ask you questions about your hand, knowing that people rarely can "look someone straight in the eyes" while being dishonest.

Facial Expression
Again, many pros try to disguise their entire face by wearing a cap and looking downward. This is to avoid the classic stare down that poker pros are famous for. They may try to study your face for nervousness (detecting a weak hand), or even look for repetitive characteristics like a body "tic". You may have obvious unhappiness in your face when your hand is weak, and conversely, you may show a contrasting show of confidence when your hand is strong. Weak is Strong/Strong is Weak

In its most simplistic form, this usually applies to novice players but frequently applies to pros as well. Basically, players like to be actors, and when they have a monster hand they tend to look disinterested. eg. "Oh, is it my turn to act" or "Oh I guess I will play these cards". Alternatively, a player increasing the level of his voice while raising the pot, and trying to look intimidating. may be running a bluff.

Anxiety
Anxiety typically occurs in people when they are confronted, or anticipating confrontation. Psychologists call this the "Fight or Flight" stimulus response, which links back to the days when we were cavemen/cave women. Physical changes happen including flexing of muscles, eye pupil dilation, palpitating heart rate, dry throat. In poker, when someone has a big hand they are typically ready for confrontation and can exhibit some of these characteristics. You may see the chest expanding abnormally, or you may notice the players voice become slightly higher as he makes a comment. Some of the top players in the game will stare at the vein on the top-side of your face for blood pressure changes. During a bluff, the player may demonstrate anxiety, but if he knows he will fold the hand if re-raised (non-confrontational end) may look quite comfortable.

Trembling Hands
Also, a byproduct of anxiety, beware of a player whose hands are shaking, this nervousness can represent a big hand.

Glance at Chips
Again, relating to the eyes. It is common for players to quickly glance at their chips if they connect with the board after a Flop for example. This may be a subconscious reaction, but the player is already planning his attack.

Peeking Hole Cards on Flop
Some players will take another look at their hole cards when, for example, the board is showing a potential 3 card flush draw. Typically, the player is looking to see if one of his cards is connecting, because he remembers only that the two cards are different suits.

Repetitive Betting Patterns
Usually the most revealing tells are based on the way a player habitually bets during particular situations. For example, maybe the player always checks when he has made the nuts, or a player may regularly fold after being re-raised.

Body Posture/Attitude
Some players show obvious changes in their posture based on their attitude/hand strength. For instance, you may notice their shoulders drop/slump when they are not confident (weak hand). Conversely, you may notice the player is very attentive and sitting in an erect position when he has strength. You may also notice that a player who bluffs a lot, leans forward in a confrontational way... remember Strong is Weak!

Chip Stacking
When you first sit down at a table, study the way the players stack their chips. Although it is a generalization, loose aggressive players typically maintain unorganized/sloppy stacks, while tight conservative players keep well organized/neat stacks.

August 30, 2005

A lot of people seem to think that poker is all luck or mostly luck, which simply isn't true in the large scheme of things. It's true that you cannot control what cards are going to come your way, but you can control how you play the cards that do come your way.

It's also true that you should expect to have about the same amount of so called luck in poker as everyone else after so many thousands of hands. Since you can expect to have about the same luck and same cards as everyone else in the long run, the difference is in how you play your cards.

The more skilled players will win more and lose less with the same cards as a lessor skilled poker player. You have the option of when you want to put more money in the pot and when you want to not put any or anymore in the pot and that is one place where the difference can be made, and is what will make some people win at poker and some lose at poker in the long run.

Since you should expect about the same distribution of cards as anyone else in the long run, the difference lies in the decisions that you make. There are many things you can do to gain an edge on your opponents and make better decisions than they do.

If you flipped coins with someone it would be silly to think that he would get substantially more heads or tails than you after thousands of flips, assuming the coin weighed evenly and that no measures were taken to influence how the coin landed. It's the same with poker. It's silly to think someone else will end up getting a much better run of cards than you do in the long run.

You can expect you cards to even out the same way you can expect the flip of a coin to even out to about half heads and half tails over time. The casinos operates on smaller edges than you will often have in poker, yet they are always coming ahead. Is that luck ? No of course not.

They know that they have an advantage in the long run. When I play poker it's often a lot like me being the house and most of the other players being people that come to play at my private casino.I should also point out that after the last card has been dealt to everyone that chance is no longer involved at all and now it comes down to how well you know your opponents and your wits and experience and being able to fill in all the missing information.