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GENERAL POKER STRATEGY - CHIP STRATEGY
Tells are probably the most disputed topic of poker theory. Many noted experts and authors of poker tactics believe that poker tells are such an important part of the winning play that they devote complete books to the subject. Other, equally repected Poker writers, believe tells add little value to poker earnings. We tend to fall somewhere in between. We will acknowledge that tells have a place in Poker and at times can be valuable against certain players; however, not all players give off tells and those that do are often hard to interpret correctly. Naturally, as you play higher and higher levels you become more adapt at reading tells; unfortunately, as you play better players, they will give off less tells or even give off missleading tells. Nevertheless, we will give you a few tells we have observed in a broad range of players and that seem to have been somewhat dependable.
1. Hole Cards: Watch how a player handles his hole cards as, most of the time, it tends to reflect how he feel about the cards. If they are quality cards most players will treat them with respect in accordance with their value. They will shield them carefully with their hands when looking at them and promptly place a chip or object on them to protect them from the dealer mucking them by mistake.
If, on the other hand, the hole cards are rubbish, many players may tilt the cards perpendicular to the table to look at them openly. If the player taps the table with the cards the player normally will soon fold.
2. General Attitude: This can be a good tell with some players. Do you think the player is generally happy with his cards? Sometimes, it is far easier for a player to give off specific tells by trying to misslead you than it is for him to convincingly seem confident and happy about his cards, if he doesn't have them.
3. Humor: When a player places a significant bet and, while waiting for you to act, says something truly funny enough to make even you laugh, our observances are that they are not bluffing. Very few players are able to be convincingly humorous while bluffing.
4. Aggression: If a player tends to look agressively at you after making a bet and waiting for you to act, they are often bluffing and trying to intimidate you enough so that you will not call the bet.
5. Chip Handling: Watch how a player places his chips upon making a big bet. If he handles them with excess force, he is often bluffing. If on the other hand he slides them in as inconspicously as possible, he is often trying to make a big bet without being noticed and normally has a very good hand. He is hoping you won't even notice the unusually large bet.
Many top players bet the same for all bets, good cards and bluffs alike by betting in a solid confident manner and with the same force when pushing in their chips. Naturally, this gives little or no read on them, which is of course what they intend. We recommend you practice this method of betting as it provides the least information to your opponents.
Senior Poker Columnist
Janice Carroll
www.headsuppokerchampion.com