Reading Hands Online - Online Poker Tells

“A tell” or “tells” are body language which has the potential to reveal information concerning the opponent’s hand. Keeping a good eye open for it is a fun challenge and something you should learn to do. It may decide the outcome of the game like nothing else and it keeps you from fidgeting. When your opponent vigorously tosses their chips during a live game, or fidgets with their chips, licks their dry lips, glances aside, or scratches behind the ear you may earn cash with systematic observation which may lead to valuable insight. Such a technique to the uninitiated may seem like black magic, but it is heavily replied upon by many professionals.

Things look differently online however. At first glance all that represents a player may be a blank, a photograph (not necessarily of the player) or an image of anything else. So is “reading” even possible online?

The first thing to realize is that your own hand is likewise readable online, even if it’s Homer Simpson with a hand of pink glazed doughnuts that you have uploaded as the online image of yourself. Online tells are primarily the speed with which a player makes his bets. The most basic available way to bet, raise, call, or pass in an online game is by clicking the appropriate button when it is the player’s turn. The other possibility is to mark the box of the action beforehand (bet/raise, etc), so that when it is your turn, the move is made instantly and automatically.

Online “pondering” may mean a weak hand: when a player takes a long time to “think” and then says “check”, they are probably trying to convince you they have good cards when they don’t in reality. It’s as if they were considering investing a significant sum. Actually, they hope you will check as well, so they can have the next card for free. When a person really intends a “check/raise”, they will normally say check after a natural pause and then make a raise equal to the last bet. A bet after prolonged pondering implies strength: making an aggressive bet, the player suggests weakness by “wavering” for a while, enticing you to “call.”

Those likely to have a strong hand are those who immediately make bets or raises. Weakness may be suggested by deliberate aggressiveness but in many cases the situation is reversed. The player hopes to bully you into believing that he would have never raised so rashly if he had worthwhile cards. “Reverse psychology” is the trick, a show to intimidate you into an unnecessary call.

Playing what is probably a very strong hand with deceptive gradualness, some players use the “check/raise” button. It entices you to make an aggressive move when what seems like a hurried check if followed by a raise. The opponent’s hand is probably much stronger that you thought it was, the check was likely a trap, so beware!

To give you an idea of how to observe the mannerism and habits of invisible online opponents, these are mere tips. Observe players carefully, especially those you have been playing with long-term as they probably display more individual tells. Responding at a persistently equal time with timed responses may be done deliberately by some players to make it impossible to guess their hands. Learning to do the same may be a good idea for you.