Body language and tips

Hello,

Just wondering if anybody could provide some useful poker tips or common actions a person may make in certain situations at a table - offline poker tournaments!

E.g. a player may be bluffing if they lean back, or may have a hand if they lean forward!

Tips like that.. obviously they have to be taken in conjunction with a persons playing patterns and other signals! But they can help!

Thanks

Buy + read Mike Caro's book of poker tells. He pretty much covers everything.

I think the biggest thing I could tell you without ranting is that strong means weak, and weak means strong.

For example, someone who throws their chips in the middle kind of forceably usually wants you to see his 'big scary' bet and is probably hoping you're going to fold. Conversely someone who just slips their chips in doesn't want you to even notice they're in the pot, and is probably trying to lure you into the pot.

Someone who stares you in the eye intimidatingly is again acting stronger than he is, and is probably trying to scare you out of the pot. Someone who's not even paying attention to the table might suddenly call a big bet without showing any apparent interest in the pot probably has a monster and again is trying to lure you in.

etc etc.

Keep in mind that the tougher players will mix up his tells, though. He might bet really strong and stare you dead in the eye when he's actually got a monster, just to confuse you. Tells generally apply to the newer players who aren't aware of them yet.

This can be true, however, you'll want to be careful to distinguish between someone who is actively trying to intimidate you (weak, wants a fold), and someone who is simply willing to look at you because they are very comfortable because they are holding an unbeatable hand.

The look of "disinterest" is pretty reliable IF they have bet or raised (strong). If they are waiting for action to get to them a look of disinterest usually indicates a planned fold.

One interesting tell I have been trying to get some "stats" on to see if it is reliable is "the sidelong peak". I think that when a person sort of glances at you out of the corner of their eye while you are deciding your action, they are usually weak. But like I said I need more research on this one.

Get Caro's book, like Chuck said.

Also available on the subject of tells:
Ultimate Guide to Poker Tells by Randy Burgess, et. al.


and
Read 'Em and Reap: A Career FBI Agent's Guide to Decoding Poker Tells by Joe Navarro and Marvin Karlins

Caro's book is great, though you need to back it up with your own field research to get value from it

The one Chuck mentioned is my favourite and rarely is wrong. The person who stares at you is weaker than they would have you believe and the disinterested person is strong. However there are some people who do the exact opposite. Once you peg which they are this is extremely reliable and is why I stare at the table when I bet regardless at the casino.

The other is to watch for people reaching for their chips before their turn to bet (this is amazingly common).


Less common, I've a friend in my home game who once said "Yes" as the river gave him a beaut of a card for his gutshot straight. I folded a set and told him what he did when he showed his hand. He maintains he didn't say it and I read his mind.

lol that's amazing

I went to the casino and and was waiting to post my blind. Before the action got around to me two guys played a biggish pot. The one guy actually started counting out on his fingers before making his play. Straight draw anyone?

You bet. Open ender vs TPTK

I'll 2nd the Navarro and Caro books.

If your opponents have their eyes shut and are snoring, you are thinking too long.

I find this very reliable.