Getting the most out of Reading Tells

Applying general rules to player tendencies can get you into trouble, as no two players behave exactly alike. That said, the lower the average skill level of the players at your table, the more reliably you can stereotype their behavior.

Even so, no tell is 100% accurate. While I'm going to give you some very reliable online poker tells in this article, you'll get much more value out of spotting poker tells that are specific to individual players. This can be difficult in the online environment, but if you play often enough you'll run across some of the same players from time to time. Most online poker rooms offer a tool that allows you to take notes on individual players. Take advantage of this feature, and give greater weight to player tendencies that you've observed over multiple games.

Unreliable online poker tells

Before we get too deep into discussing the best online poker tells, let's take a look at some unreliable tells that can get you into trouble. Punch "online tells" into an internet search system, and I guarantee that some of the following will appear:

Delayed bet: A lot of articles assert that a delayed bet is an attempt by an opponent to indicate weakness through hesitation when he actually has a strong hand. While this is true in some cases, it's usually not reliable enough to act upon. A delayed bet can just as easily mean that a player is busy surfing the net, has a slow internet connection or is playing more than one table at once.

Delayed check: The common wisdom on delayed checks is that they're evidence of your opponent trying to fool you into thinking that he has a stronger hand than he does by pretending that he's considering making a bet. Maybe, maybe not. A delayed check can also mean that a player actually does have a strong hand, but is unsure of how to play it. Don't read too much into delayed checks.

Instant bet: An instant bet can signify anything from a weak hand trying to bluff, to an impatient player who's holding a great hand. Instant bets tend to indicate strength when they come on the river; but before conceding, be sure that your opponent isn't using it to bluff his way out of a weak hand that he's mistakenly committed himself to.

Online poker tells you can profit from

Ok, enough with the negativity. You came for the good stuff, right? Here are the best online poker tells in terms of reliability and exploitability.

Instant call: An instant call on the flop generally means that your opponent has a weak drawing hand. Continue to bet at him on the next street with ½ to ¾ pot sized bets in order to make his drawing odds unprofitable. If he makes one or two instant calls, then re-raises your bet after the next card indicates that he could have made a straight or flush, then you should probably fold.

Instant check: This is a reliable tell that your opponent has missed the flop, particularly when it comes after a player has acted before him. If you are last to act in a multi-way pot where all opponents instantly check, go ahead and make a stab at the pot. You'll take it down without resistance often enough to make it a profitable play.

Table chatter: You know who chats? Losing players; generally, the bigger the mouth, the worse the player - especially at the lower stakes tables. Talkers also tend to be loose, show-offy types who think that making big bluffs is the way to play winning poker. Exploit these numbskulls by betting right into them with your premium hands.

Using tells correctly

The most profitable poker tells are those that you can both observe and exploit. For this to occur, you have to be reasonably certain that a particular behavior means what you think it does. The better you know a player, the more weight you should give to his tells. Every player has individual patterns and habits. A break in these patterns is generally a significant event - you just have to determine what it means.

Whether playing online or at a brick and mortar establishment, always pay close attention to other players. The more you practice detecting patterns, the better you'll become at noticing discrepancies.

Use your tells in conjunction with the other clues you're receiving at the table - things like betting amounts, hand history, and the texture of the flop all should be considered when making any decision.

Put these items together and build a "story" that points to the most likely scenario. If what you have observed supports the story, then you can proceed with greater confidence. If not, you have misread something. Place your emphasis on the strongest evidence before you, and don't be afraid to act contrary to what you've observed if something else is giving you stronger signals.