Online Poker Tells – Reading Hands Online
“A tell” or “tells” are body language which has the potential to reveal information concerning the opponent’s hand. Keeping a good eye open for it is a fun challenge and something you should learn to do. It may decide the outcome of the game like nothing else and it keeps you from fidgeting. When your opponent vigorously tosses their chips during a live game, or fidgets with their chips, licks their dry lips, glances aside, or scratches behind the ear you may earn cash with systematic observation which may lead to valuable insight. Such a technique to the uninitiated may seem like black magic, but it is heavily replied upon by many professionals.
Things look differently online however. At first glance all that represents a player may be a blank, a photograph (not necessarily of the player) or an image of anything else. So is “reading” even possible online?
You must realize that online your own hand is likewise readable, even if your online image is Homer Simpson with a hand of pink glazed donuts. The speed with which a player makes his bets is the primary tell online. Clicking the appropriate box to raise, call, or pass when it’s a player’s turn is the most basic available way to bet. The box can also be marked beforehand (bet/raise, etc.) so that the move is made instantly and automatically when it is your turn.
Online “pondering” may mean a weak hand: when a player takes a long time to “think” and then says “check”, they are probably trying to convince you they have good cards when they don’t in reality. It’s as if they were considering investing a significant sum. Actually, they hope you will check as well, so they can have the next card for free. When a person really intends a “check/raise”, they will normally say check after a natural pause and then make a raise equal to the last bet. A bet after prolonged pondering implies strength: making an aggressive bet, the player suggests weakness by “wavering” for a while, enticing you to “call.”
Many of those who make immediate bets or raises are likely to have a strong hand. Deliberate aggressiveness may suggest weakness, but in many cases the situation is the reverse: the player hopes that you will be bullied into believing that he would never have raised so “rashly” if he really had worthwhile cards. It’s a trick of “reverse psychology,” a show usually meant to intimidate you into an unnecessary call.
Playing what is probably a very strong hand with deceptive gradualness, some players use the “check/raise” button. It entices you to make an aggressive move when what seems like a hurried check if followed by a raise. The opponent’s hand is probably much stronger that you thought it was, the check was likely a trap, so beware!
These mere tips may give you some idea of how to observe your online opponent’s habits and mannerisms. Take the time to observe players carefully, they probably betray other more individualized tells, especially those with whom you have been playing for a while. Some players may also try to make it impossible to guess their hands by deliberately timing their response or by persistently taking equal time to respond in all cases. For you to learn to do the same may be a good idea.
The author has played poker full time since 2005 and makes the majority of his income from online poker. He currently plays poker online and gets RakeBack at Absolute Poker.
No comments yet.