Find Those Online Poker Tells
Back in the early 1990s when Mike Caro declared that online poker would one day eclipse live poker, people thought he was crazy. He wasn't. In case you don't know, Mike Caro is the author of the Book of Poker Tells, considered by all as the Bible of poker tells. In his classic work, Caro guides you through words and pictures, through all kinds of poker tells you will see in a live poker table.
Now why would Caro, the master of live tells, be so confident about the success of online poker? As everyone knows, you can't see your opponents in online poker. How can there be tells? And without tells, why would serious players care for online poker?
The answer is, there ARE online poker tells! You just have to be extra sharp to find them. Here is what you should look for.
Online Poker Tells 1 - Speed of Betting Acts
Poker rooms have a time limit for each player. If you don't act within that time, you are either out of the game (folded) or all-in with your money. How much time a player takes to bet often gives us a clue about the hand they are holding as well as the type of game they play. We bar connection problems of course.
Take note of how long it takes for a player to act. Then later if there is a showdown, see what hand they had. Note down the hand and how they played it - fast or slow? This will give you help you later on.
Some betting acts are obvious. A quick check after seeing new cards often means they missed their hand. A check followed by a quick check-raise is a sign of strength. Frequent and fast betting is a sign of a bully.
To avoid being read yourself, endeavor to use the same number of seconds per bet each time. This will make you hard to read and also wear out the patience of the other players.
Online Poker Tells 2 - Automated Acts
Poker software lets us automate our betting acts. For example, you will probably see a checkbox there for "check" or "raise." When you notice that someone makes a decision in a millisecond, you can surmise they have that act automated. What does that say about their hand? Obviously if they have a raise automated, they have a very strong hand; they feel unbeatable. If the check is on, then you can bet they have a so-so hand.
Avoid using this option yourself.
Online Poker Tells 3 - Fold Percentage
What hands you play and don't play say a great deal about you in online poker. Keep track of how many times an opponent folds. If there are many players in the online poker table, then get some poker analysis software to do it for you. When they do play a hand, see what it is at the showdown and take note. A good player will only play about one-fourth of the time or less.
Online Poker Tells 4- Wait for the Big Blind
If a new player waits for the big blind position to come to them, they are a patient and experienced player. One who does not wait is impatient and/or inexperienced. They are easier to play against.
There are online poker tells after all, aren't there? Keep your eyes and ears open; the screen does tell on the players!