Recognizing tells...

[Metalhead3201]

You guys all sound very knowledgeable about this game and I'm sure you all understand reading tells. What do you guys look for when playing with new faces? Are there any things that you would say many people do that you would consider a giveaway of their hand? I guess I've been looking through some books and I haven't found any that talk about reading tells. I know it's sort of a raw subject and you can't really define or teach it, I'm just looking for some ideas about how to be able to get good at reading other players.

[BatsShadow]

Caro's Book of Poker Tells.

Also, checkout the article on this subject in the February 2+2 Magazine.

[Mike]

How do you know when someone is lying to you, or a woman has no interest in you? Same concept, we all all do similar things even though we like to think we do not. Tells are no different.

[Macedon]

Batshadow pointed you in the right direction. Let me just add this:

Reading players is NOT as easy as Caro's book makes it seem. Players are rarely so obvious in their tells. So, if you are going to add this aspect of the game to your repertoire, you should avoid beer, conversations with chatty players, and emotional energy brooding over previous hands.

Once you do that, you should be able to catch the occasional (common) tell---shaking hands (a monster), rolling of the eyes or look of disgust (reverse tell indicating big hand), fast bet (indicating bluff), fast all-in bet pre-flop (I find it often indicates AK), and fast all-in bet on the 2 suited flop (often indicates flush draw).*

*These our my observations. You need to make your own.

[Gbob]

Well, everytime I get a full house I get a giant erection that bumps the poker table. It's a bit of a tell, but not as bad as when I get a straight flush and wet myself while screaming "woot!" and running around the table before betting.

That being said, I can tell you one of my favorites. the hands. If someone touches their cards it means they're not sure of their hand and will fold to a good size push. Obviously, this isn't true for everyone, but often enough that helps to get a read on a new player at the table.

[Mbuna]

Pick up Caro's book of tells. It's a little outdated but the concepts are still the same.

[JRegs]

The one and only tell you need to know: players staring you down. They'll make a big bet, then give you an intense look without moving. It's a bluff 99.9% of the time.

I find it insulting. What, I'm such a weak and scared player that you'll frighten me into folding by giving me a glare?

Along the same lines, if someone who hasn't been doing chip tricks suddenly starts when he makes a bet, it's probably a bluff. The logic here seems to be that I'll fold upon realizing that I am up against a great poker player, because only the best of the best can spin/shuffle chips.

[PokerGoblin]

the best tell I know of is if you are at a table with a tight player, when he limps or raises and then is suddenly alert you can figure he has a hand.
Another one is if a dude bets and then acts disinterested, that is usually false weakness and he has a hand.

CBOT is probably the best source of into in the subject.

PG

[tek]

[ QUOTE ]
The one and only tell you need to know: players staring you down. They'll make a big bet, then give you an intense look without moving. It's a bluff 99.9% of the time.


[/ QUOTE ]

But I've noticed that if they give you a quick har dstare and then look away they have a big hand. It's as if they catch themselves staring and then say to themselves "doh, look away so he can call..."