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There are many advantages to online poker. You can play whenever you want. You get to join a poker tournament from the comfort of your own home. There are more games to play, and more poker players to play against. Unfortunately, some things are lost when playing on line. By not being able to physically see the other players, you are loosing out on some obvious poker tells. Luckily, there are a few ways to spot a poker tell in an online poker room.

Pay Attention to that Chat Window

Most online poker websites have a chat room that sits in the sidebar of the website while you are playing poker. This chat room gives players a chance to interact with each other just like they would at a live poker table. It can also be one of your best shots at noticing the tell of another player. Make a note of how much someone is talking. If one player is taking quite a bit and then they suddenly stop, they may be focusing too hard on their hand. Typically, players who are focusing on their hand are doing so because they have a very good set of cards.

Pay Attention to the Speed of Other Players Actions

In a live casino, a player who is quick to raise his bet is often considered a weak player. Experienced poker players know that it takes time to consider your strategy and pick the best bet for your hand. The same is true of online casinos. If a player’s raise habitually comes across at blazing fast speeds, they are either playing too aggressively or not really studying their hand. You can use either of these to your advantage.

Pay Attention to the Auto Calls

Several online poker rooms have an auto call feature. These are a series of check boxes that allow a player to automatically complete certain actions, such as “raise any.” With the “raise any” check box, the player who checked the box automatically raises any bet made by another player. This is an obvious online poker room tell. If a player has checked a “raise any” automatic call it is highly likely he is holding a very good hand and will be hard to beat. Consider folding if your hand is less then stellar, but be careful as some players check these boxes out of inexperience or laziness.

Professional poker players have spent years learning their poker face. Unfortunately, most of us amateurs still have one or two “tells” that give us away at the poker table. The problem is, more experienced players know how to use these “tells” to their advantage. If you are acting out of character, it will be noticeable and it is unlikely that the betting will play out in your favor. Since it is incredibly difficult to overcome a poker tell, as it is typically a natural habit, the next best thing you can do is to learn how to hide it.

How to Spot and Hide Your Poker Tells

Nervous Movements

Some players have a nervous twitch, tapping their fingers on the table, blinking uncontrollably, or shifting in their seat to name a few. Players start their nervous movements for two reasons. Either their hand is very high and they are anticipating a big win, or more often, their hand is poor and they are trying to pull off a bluff.

An experienced poker player notices these movements right away and then uses them to their advantage by hedging their bets against the other player’s nervous twitch. When you hit a big hand, or want to bluff, keep your physical movements in mind the entire time you are playing the hand. You will be less likely to show them off this way. If you must move, try moving your feet around under the table, it is much less noticeable.

Acting Over Confident

When a player is trying to appear that they are not the fish at the table, or trying to pull off a bluff, they can sometimes start to exhibit some strange, overly confident behavior. For example, a player may be very loud at the table. Talk uncontrollably, or try to draw the attention off of himself by chatting with cocktail waitresses and other patrons. Outlandish behavior labels you immediately as an easy target. Keep your talking and behavior in check.

Not Making Eye Contact

Another obvious “tell” is a player who refuses to make eye contact with the dealer or their opponents. They will stare intently at their cards or look around the poker room. An experienced player will notice you are not looking directly at him right away. To curb this, practice making eye contact every time you are at the table. Look directly at the other players when they are speaking and make eye contact with the dealer.