The Pulsating Vein Tell

[UATrewqaz]

The ability to stay calm even when in a very stressful situation (such as a huge bluff) is a poker skill.

When I'm playing live and my heart begins to race I'm VERY aware of it. I try my hardest to control my motions/breathing and hope my opponents don't notice.

Heck the ability to protect your hole cards properly is also a poker "skill" when you think about it.

If your opponent holds his cards so poorly you can see them over and over, then I don't find taking advantage of that wrong either.*

*Note: This is different from you ACTIVELY trying to see his cards.

[obss]

Whew! Doyle Brunson states in Supersystem that the pulsating vein is a tell for bluffing. I didn't agree at all and am relieved now for finding the opposite opinion from a reliable source.

I would agree to "ignore" this tell if the guy would agree to give me back my money if I loose.

[Johnny Hughes]

I wear a high-collar, button-down shirt, which partially covers this tell. I do not see this as much as breath rate. With all due respect to the master, I think it is the mark of an expert to pick up any tell they can. Some newer players get excited in any big pot with a big hand or a bluff.

I would tell players if their hand shows. However, that creates a dilema I used to face in bridge tournaments playing against old ladies who held their hands out where you could see their cards. The other experts would look and gain enough to beat you. I watch people sort their hand in bridge and gin rummy and get a count on their hand that way. Some would consider that taking an edge.

I can watch the shuffle and maybe track a card that started out on the bottom. It is rare for anyone to be able to do that. That may be considered taking an edge. I am looking for an edge that is not cheating.

[Theodore Donald Kiravatsos]

[ QUOTE ]
I wear a high-collar, button-down shirt, which partially covers this tell.

[/ QUOTE ]

To cover the vein in your temple with a shirt, you would have to fix the top button across the bridge of your nose, and then turn your collar up. I'm not sure that would work even then.

[Johnny Hughes]

I have more tells than Marcel Marceau...all on purpose. I'm always acting a little bit. Take the classic situation. You have the nuts and you move in. What do you do then?

I bet with a bit of a micro shake in my hand. I bet strong, pulling the chips way out there. I swallow and put my hand over my mouth and refuse to make eye contact, at first. Then, if my opponent picks up his cards or looks as if he is about to fold, I may say, "Let me have this one and I will let you have the next one." I honestly don't know why this exact phrase seems to work. If they want to talk now, I am ready. My behavior during their decision process keeps changing until they find one near their house. Did I ever tell you about people who chew gum? Back to the Masters original query, is all this world-class coffee housing ethical??

[metsandfinsfan]

i dont see how anyone can consider this cheating

[drunkencowboy]

They need to add a pulsating vein to avatars on full tilt.

[Butcho22]

I decide to come check out this forum for the first time in a long time and this is what I find.

See you in a couple months I guess.

[MisterJed]

[ QUOTE ]
If you take advantage of it you are beating him based on something very similar to ...
... you can see his cards because he can't protect them very well.

[/ QUOTE ]

You lose me here.

I think "looking at a person's cards" is a serious line that exists between cheating and not cheating. Especially since we haven't evolved into a mind-reading species.

Maybe I'm misunderstanding, but in my mind the vein tell is definitely a routine tell detection.

[Mr Rick]

[ QUOTE ]
His pulsating vein is NOT a tell by the normal definition of "tell". Because it is not something he is aware of or something that he can change.

[/ QUOTE ]
The word "tell" as used in poker derives from "tell-tale sign". A tell-tale sign has nothing whatsoever to do with whether or not someone can physically control a revealing behavior.

If I had a pulsating vein tell, and I found out about it, I would try to hide, control, or use it to my advantage. If I could do none of those things, I would stop playing poker live - assuming that others who saw it, understood what it meant, thus making it a huge financial liability. At no time would I expect others to disregard this "tell".