Poker Articles

That's Why They Call It, Acting!

I'm here today to tell you about, well, "Tells." Those physical reactions that are voluntary or involuntary, and given off in reaction to the cards in your hand, or on the board. An involuntary Tell shows up in a physical reaction, either a facial tick, a jittery hand, an arched brow, or a sly smile, to name a few.

Voluntary Tells are more frequent, and where the acting comes in. Acting is one of the few professions around where you're actually paid to lie. The same could be said of poker. The art of deception occurs more frequently on your way to winning No Limit Hold 'Em tournaments.

So, how can you know when your opponent is bluffing? Most acting Tells can be boiled down to the following statement: Weak is Strong, and Strong is Weak. If he slams his chips into the pot, his hand is probably not that great. If he acts disinterested or relaxed, he may have the nuts. A stare down may occur when your opponent is attempting to psyche you out, as he doesn't believe his cards are good enough. If he looks away after he bets, chances are he likes his holdings.

Verbal cues are important as well. A chatty person that suddenly clams up after the flop, likes what he sees. Conversely, a quiet player that starts talking is attempting to cover something, most likely, a bluff. It may also be important to listen to what he or she is saying, as an abrupt subject change could be another indication of either a strong hand, or a cover up.

One should remember that not only he who hesitates is lost, but he who is lost, hesitates. Watch for betting patterns, and when they break. The way that someone stacks their chips may be significant. Do they keep nice even stacks? Or, are their chips stacked randomly, and without purpose? This would be an indication of a tight or loose player, respectively. Sometimes, a player will be nervous when they bet, and knock over a chip stack. This usually shows a surge of adrenaline in the body, indicating what they believe to be a strong hand. Be wary. Also, watch for players that fidget with their chips. Some will do the one handed chip stacking they just learned on tv. Although, this may be part of a routine the player has. Be observant of this tendency, and react accordingly.

Another type of betting Tell comes after a player loses a big pot. He may not be on tilt, however, he may be steaming; which is one step below full blown tilt. A steaming player will tend to loosen up his starting hand requirements, and start betting with everything an anything, in a futile attempt to win back the money he just lost in the big pot. These players are easy to spot, as well as the ones that continue betting after winning a big pot, falsely thinking they have achieved some momentum. It is at times like this you should remember that patience is a virtue, and there is no shame in waiting for a good starting hand.

Editor's note: Matches Malone has been writing for us for a couple years
now, and you can read his blog notes at @ PokerAllStar.com