Online Poker Tells

A very important skill, no matter what type of poker game you are playing, is being able to put your opponent on a hand in a given situation. One way you do this is observing and exploiting players tells. In online poker, it can be a little tougher than live, however here are some good examples of major tells you will see online.

Your Opponents Betting Patterns

Something that's extremely important to watch at all times, and can often be used to pick up a read, is your opponents betting patterns. Your goal should be to calculate how much your opponents are betting with their made hands, and how they are acting when on a bluff, etc. . Most players find it fairly easy to find betting patterns that you can get a read off of; when you see a player make a big raise, followed by a small bet it's usually an indication that he did not hit the flop. Be sure that you observe things like the difference in how a player plays pocket kings versus how he plays pocket jacks.

Your Opponent betting Extremely Quickly

When a player makes an immediate bet, the goal is usually to try get you off your hand. Facing an opponent who bets out very quickly will force you to make a decision as to whether he's bluffing at you or playing his hand with legitimate strength.

Your Opponent Waits And Then Bets

If your opponent's taking his time before placing his bet, this usually means that he's holding a pretty strong hand, and thinking about how to get the most value out of it with his bet, or check. Often times a player will sit and wait, then check in hopes that you feel that they have a strong hand, however if you see this happen several times and the player is not making his hand till the turn or river when you see it at show down, then don't be afraid to take a shot at the pot because he could be just trying to trick you into giving him a free card. You'll often find yourself raking it in.

Your Opponent Checks Very Quickly

One of the most obvious tells in online poker, and certainly one of the easiest pick up on is when a player checks quickly. Often times a player checks quickly because he or she has the auto check set for that hand. This means as soon as he saw his cards he was planning on checking, and usually if you bet out after this player makes his quick check you can take down the pot. Be aware of experienced players possibly using this as a reverse tell to throw you off, though it is much more likely that the players just holding a week hand.

Your Opponent Tells You His Or Her Hand

A poker strategy that has become popular in recent years as a player telling you exactly what they have, or supposedly what they have. Experienced players have said that when he tells you this without even probing him, he is usually telling a lie. This is a mental tactic to try get inside your head, and fold the best hand. Again this is a situation where you need to be able to get a read on the players at the table.

A vast majority of poker players are completely unaware that they are giving off tells, and you can exploit that. When you are looking at online tells, always be aware of the exact situation and what the player's personal history is. Tells are not to be the all and end all of getting a read on the player, and they won't work every single time but if you follow the general rules given here you'll be able to pick up a lot of information at the table.