From the internet to live play -- Giving off tells?

[plaid]

getting out of your seat and screaming daaah! after sucking out on an opponent is a pretty strong tell, IMHO.

seriously:
Caro's quick glance down at one's chips. I've seen that one a few times indicating a lot of strength (and the likelihood of a large bet or reraise). In a few instances, I have saved money by not bluffing because of that tell.

while we're at it...you should be looking for tells yourself. Try to make it a rule that you don't look at your cards until it's time to act pre-flop...post-flop, look at you opponents' reaction to the flop rather than the flop itself. Sounds easy, but I've found this to be a very hard thing to maintain. You're looking for any type of adrenaline rush (eg: breath, chest thump, veins in neck throbbing, eyes opening wide, etc...) flowing through the person as they see AA in their hand, or as they flop a set. It's damn hard to keep these routines going...you might want to play a few more of those $50 B&M tourneys, just to practice pulling your attention away from your own cards, and focusing on what the other guy has.

Basically, always keep your eyes and head up...only look down when you have to...and watch for that quick glance at one's own chips, while at the same time not doing it yourself (of course, this could be a false tell that someone is putting on you). Or as was said earlier, buy some sun glasses [img]/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

GL, Frank

[MegaBet]

I guess my biggest flaw in live tourneys is fidgeting when I hit a big hand unexpectedly on the flop. Like completing the SB with J10 and the flop coming J J 10. Thank god the guy didn't read me on that one! haha

[TaoTe]

The chip glance is a tell I've found in many players. Staring at the flop for a prolonged period of time is another. I've done that myself when trying to figure out what two running cards can give me a straight or some other ridiculous draw I have because the flopped missed my hand.

I usually don't go out of my way to look for tells, as one may mean a monster hand for one person and stone cold bluff for another. I just try to recognize betting patterns and the type of player I'm up against: loose, tight, rock, insane, etc.

Oh yes, one very important tell you want to avoid. Don't talk during a hand. I never answer any questions except if asked how many chips you have left. I'm not sure of the rule, but does anyone know if you must answer this question, or can you have the dealer or floor person do it?

[billyjex]

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Oh yes, one very important tell you want to avoid. Don't talk during a hand. I never answer any questions except if asked how many chips you have left. I'm not sure of the rule, but does anyone know if you must answer this question, or can you have the dealer or floor person do it?

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Thanks for the advice everyone. I really need to get some more live experience.

As to if you have to say your chip count, ont he WPT last night (Reno World Poker Challenge) Ivey was in a big hand with an amatuer and asked him to count his chips -- he wouldn't and asked the tournament director too, which was fine.

[A_Junglen]

Acting fast was my flaw at first. Take time on each and every decision.

[Tilt]

The pace at which you act after looking at your cards is a huge tell. Some hands are easy decisions, so you act quick, others require thought for the given the circumstances. A good player will deduce your range of hands just by thinking about the kind of hands you would struggle with/act readily with. So keep you pace constant.

[Temp Hutter]

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I guess I'm wondering, especially to you guys who have been playing/played in the WSOP this year and previous years, are there any tells that I should concern myself about? Obviously I will try to sit still and motionless while I play a hand, but I'm wondering if some of those pros can pick up things not even I'm aware of..

[/ QUOTE ]

Fake tells are more fun. If you are a total unknown and you are up against a solid pro, I recommend giving them a few false tells. For instance, if you are looking for a call, act like you are bluffing and sit up in your chair and stare the guy down like you are trying to intimidate him into folding. You will be surprised how many very good players assume that you are a total schmuck and pay you off. Poker can be so much fun.

On a related note, the best advise I have is to not play scared. Good luck.

Temp

[MLG]

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Obviously I will try to sit still and motionless while I play a hand

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This isnt really the best idea. Instead, find a rythym or routine that your comfortable with and make sure you repeat it every hand. I find there are two crucial times. 1 is looking at your cards (I like to look right when I get them unless im the BB then I wait). The 2nd is when you are getting stared down. If its not natural for you to sit still then trying to do that will result in you giving something away. Focus on picking a spot to look at, and picking ang angle to sit at, the little things that are easily repeatable.

[smoore]

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Focus on picking a spot to look at, and picking ang angle to sit at, the little things that are easily repeatable.

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That's a great point. I think that's why I adopted the elbows on rail/slightly hunched posture. I like to stare at the dealer's hands during these uncomfortable moments.

[DireWolf]

Off topic question:

say someone is staring you down? what are they looking for. In the few times i have had this happen to me, i have gotten kind of nervous whether i have a hand or not. and i would think it would differ for people?