How Can I Tell If I Have a Tell?

[syncmaster]

I found a bunch of this information usefull, great reading for a B&M newbe..

I also used to look at my cards when it was my turn to act. That was untill my 3rd trip ever I had Kings facing a raise. I looked up to see every person at the table staring me down. It made it so much harder to control my actions. I found out later the first raiser had QQ and got away after looking at me for about 15 seconds.

Now I sneek a peek whenever I think no one is looking. If I'm UTG I try to look quick (maybe 1 at a time) while the hands getting dealt out. Someone is probley stacking chips from the last pot, others are checking their own hands, small talk, ect.

[ReidDeCardes]

Bav, I think that this is good advice about getting the cards ready and when you have a moment look at your cards. Also you do bring up a good point about tells when people look at you as you check your cards.

But the main complaint here seems to be about people who hold up the game by taking a lot of time to make their pre-flop decision. Plus if they are slow to make an obvious muck then they are just being jerks. If you are quick with that then there should not be a time issue even if you do what I am saying I do. I honestly cannot believe that the time difference would be that great, if there was any at all. I really don't think I am taking up a lot of time by spending 1 to 3 seconds on a pre-flop hand. Most of these would be 1 second folds anyway. If it is raised before me my decision is even quicker most of the time. I know it is raised because I was watching as the guy raised, even if it was a non-verbal raise. I also know how many people have entered the pot so I am ready to decide if this hand should be a fold, a call or a raise.

I really believe the problem is people who are slow at this decision. In GSIHE Miller says to look at your cards when it is your turn, but if you are new to the game and take too long at that decision then you should look ahead of time so that you can think.

By the way Angus, I'm sure I have way more tells then I am aware of. But I am also sure that I am not holding up the game and frustrating 9 people.

[bav]

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If you are quick with that then there should not be a time issue even if you do what I am saying I do. I honestly cannot believe that the time difference would be that great, if there was any at all.

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Someday you'll be seated at a tourney table where 7 of the 9 players do this. You will go insane as your table gets out 20 hands per hour. One person doing it adds a few seconds to each hand. When 7 people do it, it adds a very annoyingly measurable delay to every hand.

[PantsOnFire]

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I've posted this multiple times here, but I'll say it again. I think waiting to look at your cards is TERRIBLE advice. It seems to be one of those old poker wisdom gems that just keeps getting passed around.

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Of course you are right here. People who look early and are prepared to fold when it gets to them is the single most reliable tell I use in live games. Some people are so obvious that they'll put a chip on their cards if they are going to play them. Others hold them in a firing position for folding. Others pay attention to the action if they are interested in their hand and others chat with their neighbor if they plan to fold. I have even encounted players who have the BB counted out, ready to limp in. I suppose it is unwise to give advice to change that.

Personally, I am going to stick to waiting for my turn to check my cards. I always look left to see who is looking at their cards. I was in a tourney in Vegas last month wher the two guys to my left held their cards above the felt for insta folding. The button was virtually mine for three hands in a row every orbit.

As well, I can act very quickly since I am ranging my hand compared to my position and action thus far (and the guys behind me who looked early). As well, I don't have fireworks go off when I see AA. Instead I'm already thinking about the various hands that are going to crack them.

I honestly didn't think this particular topic would generate so much controversy so I humbly strike it from my original response.

[pfapfap]

I plan to videotape myself at my home game one of these days.

Something I do is pay attention to what I do when I'm bluffing and then duplicate that at other times. A lot easier to deliberately do something than stop an involuntary response. Something I started doing when I bet big, I try to think of the opposite of how I feel. If I want a call, I worry I won't get one, and then try to hide that.

[GiantBuddha]

Personally, I don't look at my cards until the action reaches me. But by that point I've already decided which hands to play and how to play them. Usually I'll have my raising chips ready already and if I pick up a hand in my range, I'll fire them in.

If you haven't played a lot of hands in your life, then yes, you're going to slow the game down. But if you're aware of your position, stack size, other players in the hand, your preflop decision should take less than a second.

As far as speed of game goes, it is infuriating when players squeeeze out their hole cards. Like, the suspense is killing them. When you're UTG, though, there's no reason your cards shouldn't hit (create) the muck before the last card is dealt, unless you think you'll F up the deal.

[wonderwes]

All good posts. These are my tips. Please realize they are tips and nothing else [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

One thing I always like to do, when I look at my cards, remember what they are. Sounds simple enough. I usually put a chip on my cards and then put them in front of my stack. I feel any slight tell can be given off just by the way you hold your cards or look back at them.

2nd, shades always limit tells. That won't solve everything, but people just can't read as much off you if they can't see your eyes. You'll just likely be the only person on with shades.

3rd, post flop, esp in late position, I just try to watch the players react to the flop and not look at the flop. Then if there is action I can quickly glance at it. This is not a great tatic, but people can't read you if you have never seen the board

[tyler_cracker]

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A telling way to tell you have some glaring tells is to have a friend watch and tell you about your tells. But there's no telling if this is the best way to catch tells. Another way to minimize tells is to tell yourself to bet in the same manner and same speed. This should reduce your tells signifcantly and , I'll tell ya, tells are overrated.

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this post has not gotten enough love. nh sir.

[SirFelixCat]

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All good posts. These are my tips. Please realize they are tips and nothing else [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

One thing I always like to do, when I look at my cards, remember what they are. Sounds simple enough. I usually put a chip on my cards and then put them in front of my stack. I feel any slight tell can be given off just by the way you hold your cards or look back at them.

2nd, shades always limit tells. That won't solve everything, but people just can't read as much off you if they can't see your eyes. You'll just likely be the only person on with shades.

3rd, post flop, esp in late position, I just try to watch the players react to the flop and not look at the flop. Then if there is action I can quickly glance at it. This is not a great tatic, but people can't read you if you have never seen the board

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While I'm really "meh" about #2, if I haven't played live in a while, sometimes wearing sunglasses (lightly tinted ones), helps me relax a little as I feel like I can "hide" a little better. YMMV.

As for #1 & #3, I do these exact things as well. I find that they both work well, the first to keep from giving off anything obvious and the last one in picking up how well or not a player likes the flop.

Also, as someone had said earlier, if you're UTG and you're gonna muck, you should do so before the last card is dealt. It really should be that easy.

[Siegmund]

One way to remove any tells you may have (well - some tells you may have) is to consciously construct a ritual for yourself, to displace whatever you are doing unconsciously. The "pick a spot and stare" tip above is one example of that.

If you're like me and many of the other posters who think waiting to peek isn't a good idea, you can still make sure you don't give too much away. Choose a way of placing your card protector on your cards, choose a place to put your hands while you wait your turn, and MAKE yourself do it that way EVERY time. Eventually it will become a habit, and prevent you from the "I'm taking aim to turbomuck" or "I can't wait to shove these chips in" tells.

As far as acting ... one simple word of advice... don't. If you aren't a professional actor you aren't any good at it. Being your natural self is better than really clumsy bad acting, and showing no reactions at all is better than being your natural self.

Likewise for during-the-hand table chat. Don't. Easy rule to follow, only chat when you're out of a hand. Keeps you from having any "glib remarks when you're nervous" or "clams up with a big hand" tells.

As soon as you've trained yourself to keep your hands and lips still, you'll be free to concentrate on enjoying the show around you of all the other folks who haven't bothered.