In general, “tells” at the poker table are very overrated. Hollywood movies would have you believe that if a guy eats an Oreo it means he’s bluffing or that people’s pinkie fingers will twitch when they’ve got the nuts. For the most part, this is hogwash. However, there are still a few very reliable tells that you can look for to give you an extra advantage in a live poker tournament.
Looking at Chips
When a player looks at their chips immediately after a card is dealt, they almost always like their hand a lot. This is a very reliable tell which makes it worthwhile to watch a person’s face when the cards come out. If they immediately glance at their chips but then decide to check, you should probably check as well as they’re probably trying to trap you.
Staring at Communal Cards
This is sort of the opposite of the “looking at chips” tell. If a player just stares at the communal cards once they’ve been dealt, they are probably pretty weak. Players will stare while trying to make sense of the hand or possibly muster the courage to bluff. When an opponent stares at the community cards for several seconds, it’s probably safe to try to buy the pot with a bet.
Leaning Back in Chair
When a player leans back in their chair or does anything else which signifies that they’re feeling very comfortable, then it’s because they’re feeling very comfortable! If a player bets all-in and then leans back and relaxes in their chair, you should probably give them credit for having a pretty big hand. Usually a player who bluffs all-in will not be able to relax enough to lean back in their chair and might even start to lean forward and sit up straighter.
Chatter
A talkative player is a confident player. If a player bets all-in and you’re having a hard time deciding whether or not to call, start talking to them. If they say nothing, that doesn’t necessarily mean they have a bad hand, but if they start talking back at you, it could very well mean they have a strong hand. Then again, it can also mean they have a very weak hand. The point is, they know where they stand in the hand: they’re either ahead or behind and it’s unlikely that they’re not certain which one it is.
Looking Around
A reliable tell for a player who had a very strong hand is when they look around the room after making a bet. This is a subconscious response of trying to appear innocuous. “Look at me, I’m looking around the room not even paying attention to the hand, how dangerous could I be?” In fact, the opposite is usually true.