Poker Tells

So I've read Caro's book on poker tells, figured after I read it I would be able to make most all-in decisions much easier by picking up a tell. Not so. The problem is that now most good players (and although I don't play with great players, they're definitely above average and have read some books) understand the concept that weak means strong and strong means weak.

Whenever I'm playing someone who's playing above their limit it's easy to pick up tells, but when people are practicing good BRM (which most are) and are playing with disposable money, I've found it almost impossible to pick up tells. No one I play uses the typical poker face, they just mix up what they do. But when I'm playing people who have read the same things about weak meaning strong and vice versa, they may be faking weak to make me think strong when they're really weak or vice versa. Or they could even think I'm thinking that so acting weak when they're strong.

Once in a while I'll see a true tremble of a hand when putting chips in the pot, or a quick unintentional twitch, but most of the time whether on a total bluff or holding the nuts most people can control their emotions and motions so that it's virtually impossible to get a read. Yet Caro mentions that he's able to pick up tells on the pros still. Am I just not being observant enough? Anyone else find this same thing? When I'm playing bad players they almost telegraph what they have, but then again I don't need tells on bad players, I need them on the good players, because they're the ones making the big plays, from overbetting the nuts or putting it all in with nothing. I've relied on betting patterns to this point mostly, and that always works, but I can't help but think that I'm missing something. Of course I realize that the popular image of poker is way off, tells are a small part of the game. But they should be a part of the game. Thoughts on this?

And thus starts the multi-level mind games with tells. I'd just say if you're playing with thinking players, hide your own tells, play your standard game and rely on betting patterns, and only when you really pick up a solid tell start basing your decisions on it.

I think that even the highest level pros give off tells, but they're just more subtle than those from someone who's never played before. Try watching HSP or something like that and you'll see that strength/weakness tell more often than you'd think.

Also, I think the more subconscious tells are more reliable, like looking at their chipstack when they plan to bet, or preparing to fold their hand out of turn etc.

your looking too hard..

pay attention to the way they move the chips and there face when you go to move your chips.. ask them how much they have left... look for the neck to twitch.. look how they are breathing.. are they sneaking the chips in the middle or letting everyone know for sure they are betting/raising... its all different from everyone but after about a good solid hour at a table i usually have everyone pegged