Live Poker

Reading Your Opponents: Live Poker Tells

What tells actually work, which are myths, and how to hide your own. Based on Mike Caro, Zachary Elwood, and scientific research.

The Truth About Tells

Poker tells are supplementary information, not primary decision-making tools. Most money in poker is made through solid fundamental strategy - ranges, position, bet sizing, pot odds - not from reading tells.

"In most cases tells are contradictory and inconsistent. Good poker players are only infrequently basing decisions on poker tells, as their importance is quite exaggerated in the public's understanding." — Zachary Elwood, Reading Poker Tells

The Fundamental Principle: Weak = Strong, Strong = Weak

Mike Caro, author of Caro's Book of Poker Tells, coined the foundational principle that governs most observable tells:

Acting Weak = Strong Hand

Sighing, shrugging, looking disinterested, commenting "I probably shouldn't call..." These theatrical displays of weakness often hide monster hands.

Acting Strong = Weak Hand

Staring down opponents, forcefully throwing chips, projecting confidence, talking aggressively. These displays of strength often mask bluffs.

Caveat: This applies to "Level 2" players who know they're being watched. Complete beginners may not act, and sophisticated players may reverse it deliberately.

Reliable Tell Categories (With Caveats)

1. Timing Tells — Most Reliable

Available in every hand and more consistent than physical tells.

Quick Calls = Weakness

Instant calls indicate capped strength - the player has instantly ruled out raising. Strong hands consider maximizing value. Quick calls typically mean draws, weak pairs, or medium holdings.

Hesitation Before Betting = Strength

When a player pauses before making a significant bet, strong hands become more likely. Bluffers tend to bet straightforwardly without pauses.

2. The Trembling Hands Tell

Mike Caro's most famous discovery - and most misunderstood.

The Tell: When a previously steady player suddenly trembles while betting, they almost always have a very strong hand.

Why it works: Bluffers deliberately control their movements because they fear scrutiny. When players make the nuts, tension releases and their hands shake involuntarily - from relief and excitement, not fear.

"When you see a player who was previously steady suddenly bet with a trembling hand, don't call unless you have a huge hand also." — Mike Caro

3. Bet Sizing Patterns

More reliable than physical tells because they're harder to fake consistently.

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Unusual/precise bet sizes (like $8.88 into $10) are often value bets - player has thought about extracting maximum.

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Small bets after big bets (same or less on turn vs flop) often indicate weakness.

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Track patterns over time - some players size differently for value vs bluffs.

4. Verbal Tells

From Zachary Elwood's Verbal Poker Tells:

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Talking freely = usually strength. Relaxed players with strong hands talk openly. Bluffers sound insecure or avoid talking.

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Goading comments = strength. Players who are bluffing don't want to upset opponents into calling.

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"I'm probably behind" while betting = classic "weak means strong."

5. Eye Contact Patterns

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Prolonged staring after betting = usually bluffing (feigning confidence).

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Quick glance at chips after cards = interest in the hand.

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Avoiding eye contact is less reliable - could be genuine nervousness or deliberate misdirection.

Establishing Baselines — The Critical First Step

You cannot identify deviations without first understanding what is normal for each player.

How to Establish Baselines

1. Observe players when NOT in hands (their natural relaxed state)
2. Watch how they handle chips, cards, and betting across multiple hands
3. Note typical speech patterns, posture, eye movement
4. Pay attention to showdowns - correlate observed behavior with actual hand strength
5. Look for idiosyncratic tells unique to specific players

Unreliable Tells & Myths to Ignore

"Looking left means lying"

Pop psychology not specific to poker. No reliable correlation.

"Touching face = bluffing"

Too generic. People touch their faces for countless reasons.

"Nervous = bluffing"

Often backwards. Nervousness (trembling) frequently indicates strength.

Any single tell in isolation

Human behavior is complex. Context and patterns matter.

Hollywood "soul reads"

Mostly fiction. Televised poker is heavily edited and lacks context.

"Hollywood is largely to blame for this myth. While reading someone's hand based on the way they eat their Oreos may make for compelling cinema, it's still mostly fiction."

Reverse Tells & Leveling

Reverse tells are deliberate actions designed to mislead. Instead of involuntarily revealing emotions, players purposefully act strong when weak or weak when strong.

When to Expect Reverse Tells

• Against sophisticated opponents who know you're watching
• When a tell seems too obvious or theatrical
• When behavior dramatically changes from baseline

"The first tell is often genuine, while the shortest tell is the most reliable. Generally speaking, most long and drawn-out tells are false."

Hiding Your Own Tells

"No one can play poker without giving away at least a few tells - everyone has them, even the pros."

Consistency is Key

Be the same in all situations. Examine hole cards the same way. Bet with the same motion. The more uniform your acts, the harder you are to read.

Control Timing

Always pause before acting. Don't check quickly when you miss. Consider taking the same time for all decisions.

Limit Communication

"Avoid conversation and say a few polite words only." The less you speak, the less information you leak.

Emotional Distance

Work on becoming emotionally distant during hands. Avoid reacting to bad beats or big wins at the table.

The Hierarchy of Information

When making decisions, prioritize in this order:

Mathematical Fundamentals

Pot odds, equity, expected value

Betting Patterns

Sizing, timing, frequency across multiple hands

Position & Range

What hands can opponent have in this spot?

Physical/Verbal Tells

Supplementary information only

Tells are real, but they're the icing on the cake, not the cake itself. Master fundamentals first, then use tells as a tiebreaker in marginal spots.

Frequently Asked Questions

›What is the most reliable poker tell?

Timing tells are the most consistent and available in every hand. Quick calls usually indicate weak to medium strength (they've ruled out raising). Hesitations before betting often indicate strength (considering how to extract value).

›Is the 'shaky hands' tell real?

Yes, but it's often misinterpreted. Mike Caro's research shows trembling hands from a normally steady player indicate STRENGTH, not nervousness. Bluffers control their movements carefully; players with the nuts relax and sometimes shake from relief/excitement.

›What poker tells are myths?

'Looking left means lying' and 'touching face means bluffing' are generic pop psychology, not poker-specific. Most 'obvious' tells are unreliable. Betting patterns are far more reliable than physical tells.

›How do I establish a baseline on opponents?

Observe players when they're NOT in hands to see their relaxed state. Watch how they handle chips, cards, and betting across multiple hands. Note typical speech and posture. Pay attention to showdowns to correlate behavior with actual hand strength.

›What's more important - tells or fundamentals?

Fundamentals by far. Betting patterns > timing tells > physical tells. Most money is made through solid strategy (ranges, position, math), not reading tells. Use tells as a tiebreaker in marginal spots, not a primary decision tool.