Post deleted by Mat Sklansky

[golfinguy5]

[Ianco15]

The thing about tells is that they are very hard to trust. The same tells can mean different things with different people. For example, if one play scratches his nose it could mean he has a strong hand, but if another player scratches his nose it could mean he has a weak hand. Of course there's the possibilty that the player just had an itch on his nose.
The best advice I can give you is to study each player at the table and learn what sort of behavior they have when they show down something weak or something strong. Also, don't put too much trust in tells in general. Don't fold a strong hand into a big pot just because you think you spotted a tell on someone that says he has a monster.

[JohnnyHumongous]

I love this one: "You found your voice." This guy said it to me at a casino after I had been quiet all night but found myself with two pair, As and Qs on the turn. He asked me something and I responded talkatively... he said "You found your voice. Congrats on your AQ" and laid down. Interesting story, and a memorable one.

[tek]

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2) When they stare at you to intimidate you they most likely are bluffing

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Here's one--If they stare hard for a second and then lookaway, they have a great hand.

[bunky9590]

Concentrate on one person this next session (if you play with them so often) Concentrate on his betting patterns, reaching tells (does he telegraph his actions), does he tuck hs cards under his chips when he intends to play but doesnt otherwise? how does he put his chips out there on bluffs, vs good hands, doesn he go nuts with draws or call down. Get a pocket digital recorder. Make some mental notes, go to the bathroom and speak them into the recorder. End of the night, go home and review your notes. Rinse and repeat with another player next session.

In a couple months you will have detailed notes (not just tells) on every opponent in your game.

[Brainwalter]

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Up until recently I have only been playing my cards and not the other person and I realize that this is why I am not going out with the profits I would like.

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No offense meant-

but learning to play your cards better will do much more for your results than picking up tells from the other players.

And I'm suprised I'm the first to say it.

[Luv2DriveTT]

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Up until recently I have only been playing my cards and not the other person and I realize that this is why I am not going out with the profits I would like.

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No offense meant-

but learning to play your cards better will do much more for your results than picking up tells from the other players.

And I'm suprised I'm the first to say it.

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Thats only because you beat me to the punch. 90% of the tells you will see are actually in the form of betting patterns vs the cards on the table. Focus your attention on being a good player and learning how to read the board. Start determining the range of hands your opponent might play, that is a FAR more important tell than to know if someone's hand is trembling what it means.

For the record... my hand always trembles. I have nerve damage. I have won way more than I should have because someone thought my trembling was a tell. Too funny!

TT /images/graemlins/club.gif

[mostsmooth]

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Up until recently I have only been playing my cards and not the other person and I realize that this is why I am not going out with the profits I would like.

[/ QUOTE ]

No offense meant-

but learning to play your cards better will do much more for your results than picking up tells from the other players.

And I'm suprised I'm the first to say it.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thats only because you beat me to the punch. 90% of the tells you will see are actually in the form of betting patterns vs the cards on the table. Focus your attention on being a good player and learning how to read the board. Start determining the range of hands your opponent might play, that is a FAR more important tell than to know if someone's hand is trembling what it means.

For the record... my hand always trembles. I have nerve damage. I have won way more than I should have because someone thought my trembling was a tell. Too funny!

TT /images/graemlins/club.gif

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im assuming you won the money by being called, but conversly, caros book says trmebling hand is a sign of strength
good thing they dont read?

[mostsmooth]

heres one to remember, when the 3rd suited card comes up on the flop or turn, anybody peeking at their cards almost always has 1 or 0 of that suit.
thats in caros book as well, and ive found it to be solid

[Grindin']

The best tell is often the simplest, weak means strong. Strong means weak. It's far more effective to concentrate on betting patterns and especially paying attention to your opponents even when you're not involved in the pot. You have to be careful with tells because more experienced players will know what you're looking for and use it against you. /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[Luv2DriveTT]

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im assuming you won the money by being called, but conversly, caros book says trmebling hand is a sign of strength
good thing they dont read?

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I have seen people spot this "tell" and announce it to the table out loud, some have raised, some have called, some have folded. Different people use this false tell in different ways, its obvious that few people actually read books about poker let alone tells.

TT /images/graemlins/club.gif

[Grindin']

I'm naturally nervous, perhaps it's some undiagnosed anxiety of sorts, but my hands tremble even when I know I've got the best of it (nut straight, full house, etc.). It's definitely worked to my advantage. /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[ddss6_99]

I'm not big on tells, but I found these in a book I had so I figured I'd share.

* = You wont see it often, it has little value
** = Occurs often enough to help your hourly rate
*** = Common tell, well worth knowing, good value
**** = high frequency, very reliable, high value

1. Impatience: **: A player who is in a hurry to play a hand usually has a decent hand. It wont be a great hand though because a player holding AA or KK will usually wait until it’s his turn to act to let anything be known about his hand.
2. Mannerism Changes: **: Players who suddenly sit up in their chairs, put out their ciggarretts, quickly finish their drinks, abruptly end conversations, or summarily dismiss any spectators usually have very good hands. You don’t have to do any of these things if you intend to fold when it’s your turn.
3. Showing a hand to a spectator: **: A player who shows his hand to a non-player when play begins, usually has a good starting hand. A player who shows his hand to a non-player at the end of the hand particularly when all of the cards are out and he is awaiting a call from a lone opponent usually has a bad hand. Showing it is an effort to convince the other player that he’s proud of his hand. When you see this tell, the bettor is usually betting as a stone cold bluff.
4. First play by a good player: ***: Good players like to win the first hand they voluntarity enter the pot with, so they can play with your money instead of theirs. Keep an eye on the player who usually doesn’t play when he’s in the small blind. If he does call in the small blind, he has a very good hand.
5. Staring at the flop: ****: Players who continue to stare at the flop after the dealer turns it up usually didn’t flop anything. There’s nothing there for them and it takes a couple seconds for them to double check and make sure.
6. Seeing the flop quickly and looking away: ****: If you hold 66 and the flop is AK10, the flop is easy to read even if it takes you an extra second or two to make sure you’ve read it correctly. If you hold AA however, and the flop is 9 A 3, it will look like this to you, 9 A 3. When you see this, you’ll know instantly that you’re going to bet. You’ll quickly glance at your chips to make sure they’re still there and then you’ll look away from the table, feigning total disintrest in the hand.
7. Covering ones mouth: **: A player who covers his mouth after betting is usually bluffing. What your seeing is a conflict between the external physical action of betting and the internal knowledge of knowing you’re lying.
8. Betting in a flamboyant style: **: A player who throws his chips into the pot in a forceful or obviously exagerated manner is usually bluffing. At the very least he’s trying to intimidate you into checking to him on the next round.
9. Making directed bets: ***: A player who calls a bet by throwing his chips in a particular direction of another player (usually the person who bet) is trying to intimidate the bettor into checking on the next round.
10. Staring at other players: ***: This tell occurs most often after the river card has come and a player has missed a big draw. He will often noticably raise his head from looking down at the flop, turn it to the left or right to face his sole opponent squarely, and then stare right at him. In poker language, this move means “ I just missed my flush draw. I’m entitled to win this hand, but I can’t call a bet. Don’t you dare bet into me.”
11. Calling your bet immediately: ***: A player who calls your bet and has his chips in the pot almost before you do has a weak calling hand. He’d rather you hadn’t bet. Since you did, he wants his quick and apparently easy call to cause you to have second thoughts about betting on the next round.
12. Reaching for chips to call your bet before you make it: *** ½ : In poker language, this move means “Of course I’m going to call your bet! It’s such an easy decision for me that I don’t even have to think about it. If you’re betting to eliminate me, you can save that bet because you can see that I’m going to call.”
13. Delaying in calling your bet: ** ½: A player who genuinly couldn’t decide between folding or calling when you bet the flop is more likely to fold if he does call and you bet again on the turn. He usually is looking for one miracle card, took one shot at it, and is willing to fold the turn if he misses. (Which will happen most of the time)
14. Flashing one hole card: ** ½: A player who makes sure you “accidently” see one of his hole cards is bluffing. He almost never has what he wants you to think he has.
15. Behavior on fabulous looking flops: **: Whenever a flop contains a high pair, 3 straight flush cards, or even 3 of a king, You should pause a second before acting on your hand. A player who threw away a card that would have fit well with the flop will often let it be known. How? Well he might curse, moan, pound the table, slap his forehead, elbow his neighbor, or actually announce what card he folded before the flop. You wait to give him a second to do one of these things. This is a very reliable tell because a player not in the hand has no reason to influence it’s play or outcome.
16. Unnecesarily showing the nuts at the end: * ½: A player who does this just might be bragging, but sometimes it’s because he intends on bluffing you in the near future and he wants you to remember that he only plays the nuts.
17. Coaxing along an opponents end decision: *: Let’s say a player bets into you and you’re slowly and reluctantly about to fold. It’s apparent that you’re about to exit the hand, and your opponent says something to help you confirm that you’re making the “right” decision, He’s bluffing. He wants you to hurry up and fold before you take a second to think about what you’re doing.
18. Showing visible disappointment: ****: In a very big pot, if a player is on a draw to the nuts and misses in the end, he will often let you know about it. Again, the secret is you have to wait a second and let him do it. He might exhale deeply, look down in his chair, curse, look sad, turn his cards face up in a gesture of folding, throw his cards into the muck out of turn, hit the table, or tell you what hand he missed.
19. Rabbit hunting: ***: Rabbit hunting is the term for “Can I see the next card please?” after the hand is over. It seems like bad players like to do that and good players don’t.
20. Neat and conservative players: ** ½: A person’s style of doing one this is also usually his style of doing other things. A player who dresses and acts conservativly usually plays conservativly.
21. Players in wheelchairs and walkers: **: Players who are wheelchair-bound, or have other physical trouble getting around usually like to stay put once they get in a game. They usually play conservativly, but not excellently. They’re generally tight/passive players.

[smartalecc5]

this one works for my home game extremely well!

When it is your turn to act and you reach for your chips, look at your opponent, if he starts to grab his cards - bet. Its almost like they're telling you that they are going to fold.

[David04]

If someone has their hand on their chips like they are going to bet, they are going to check behind(assuming that you check, which is what they want you to do) 90% of the time. A hand on the chips is usually trying to induce a check.

[SA125]

Since you're just starting out, try to pick up tells when you're not in the pot. When you're in the pot, instead of looking for tells, focus on what your opponent thinks about your image and what he's seen you do. Then you'll get an idea of what he expects you to do.

You'll be trying to think on a higher level during the hand and, because you play against the same group regularly, you'll eventually get a feel for how he reacts to your plays.