Is it true that in poker, players can actually provide information about their hand without saying a word or using their body language to show tell? Yes. You might say, “Well, how is this possible? I think that telling is usually given by body language or by the player’s speech?” This is not always the case. The timing of your bets, calls and raises can give you more information than you think.
The time you take to bet, call or raise at poker can be considered a send. Most players know this and try to use it to their advantage. For example, if a player is in a situation where they are really strong or even have the nuts they will sometimes put on an academy winning performance award as if to say, “Oh wow, you got me!” They will usually take a long period of time to decide their next move when in fact, they know they have the best hand or have their opponents beat.
Timing can also work in reverse when a player represents a better hand than they actually have. For example, someone may bet, raise or re-raise an opponent and seconds after that the opponent will act as if they are strong by calling or maybe even going all out.
This type of poker drama is a classic example of the old poker adage, when someone is weak they act strong and if someone is strong they will act weak. More often than not, if you are playing with experienced players they will catch this type of tell and use it to destroy you at the right moment!
Well there is a solution and if used properly you will push your opponent against the wall!
When it’s your turn to act (bet, raise, call or fold) it takes exactly the same amount of time to make your decision.
It’s almost impossible to read someone who does the same thing every time they get their cards. Think about it, if you were sitting across from someone who took the same amount of time to look at their cards, to bet, to fold or to raise what kind of correct reading can you get from them? Not a very good one.
So here are some tips to hide your informs and not give out important information:
Tip 1:
Only view your card once. This may take some practice for novice players but will be well worth it when you get the hang of it.
Tip 2:
Take your time in every decision you make and make sure it is an equal amount of time. It works great in a serious tournament. If you are into weekly games or cash games for fun you may not want the game to slow down by using this tip.
Tip 3:
Once you’ve decided to bet, call, raise or re-raise, pick an area to stare at and keep really still. There is no need to answer an opponent’s question or to smile or grin at a joke.
