Online Poker Tells

When playing online poker your success or lack thereof is influence by your ability to ascertain what cards your opponent has. Sometimes you don’t have to be left wondering because they tell you.

Poker Tells are ways a player behave or acts which tends to indicate what cards they have and in the online poker rooms nothing is more valuable than a tell.

When you are playing poker face to face with someone you chave the benefit of traditional poker tells such as body language and the way they breathe, talk, hold their cards and touch their chips. While you don't have the ability to take advantage of poker tells, neither do your opponents so everything balances out.

When playing online poker you do not have the same tools at your disposal so you have to be more wary. Remember that most players are trying to send opposite signals as to what they really have so if a person looks very casual as if he doesn’t even care he may be trying to cover up his great hand.

With that, here are some online tells you should keep in mind:

Playing Speed - If a person bets or raises instantly it may tend to indicate they have good cards.

Auto responses - When playing online poker you have the ability to check the box of what you want to do before the play gets to you. If you see a player instantly check it may mean they don’t have anything and the will fold if you call. If a player raises straight away they may have something.

Talking - A player who talks a lot may want to create a reputation as a good player and thus bluffs a lot.

Ultimately though, your biggest online poker tell is to observe the way a player plays. Because players are creatures of habit, thus when a situation repeats itself and you remember what that player did last time you will know what he will do again.

William Atkins - Poker Stategist