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Online Tells And How To Spot Them
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You will hear this complaint made by a lot of people: they don't like online poker because they cannot see their opponents, and hence they're missing out on all those physiological tells that they would otherwise capitalize on. These people, interestingly enough, all assume that poker players are easy to read in live games; that all poker players have "tells" or involuntary mannerisms, acts, and gestures that give away the true nature of their hand; and that they would be able to spot and correctly interpret those tells to their advantage. Tells are hugely overrated, and have mythical status because films about poker always fall back on them for dramatic effect.
We'll let you in on a little secret - simply by following betting patterns in general, and the betting patterns in the current hand you're playing in particular, you have far more reliable information upon which to base a course of action then say observing that your live game opponent's left nostril is seen to be twitching spasmodically (itchy, a permanent tic, a deliberate ruse, irrelevant, are all options for that twitch in addition to the involuntary action which still could easily mean either excitement over a good hand or nervousness in the face of a bad hand).
The good news is that betting patterns are easier to follow online. Online tells are usually related to the speed, or lack thereof, with which an opponent places his bet. If a player makes an instant call following your bet it means one of two things generally: either the opponent has a weak calling hand and does not want you to bet into him again, or he has a drawing hand and has checked the "call any" button. It is a sign of current weakness either way.
If a player takes a long time to act and then checks it is usually a sign of weakness just as it would be in a live game. One caveat here is that the player might have a slow or unstable connection and could always take a long time to act, in which case this information is less useful. A number of online players also tend to like to play on multiple screens simultaneously, which can slow down their reaction time. We wouldn't set too much store by the delayed check or delayed raise tell.
If a player checks and then calls on the flop and comes out betting on the turn it is usually a sign of weakness, in online and live game poker. If a player immediately bets or raises on the river it is usually a sign of strength. He might want you to think he is bluffing and the bet is meant to show nervousness, but it has to be respected and treated with suitable caution.
If a player checks and calls on the flop when it is obvious you were helped by that flop say by flopping an A (a so-called scary card), checks and calls on the turn, and the river brings a third suited card or the last component of a straight you should be aware that your opponent is almost certainly now holding a made hand. Thus, if he checks again you should be prepared to check as well. If he places a large bet you should consider folding.
Related Poker Articles And News Items:
> How To Read Hands In Poker
> Playing Suited Connectors In No-Limit Hold'em
> How To Deal With Maniacs At Your Table
> The Value Of Deception In Poker
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