Timing tells?

I've seen a bunch of different threads where people are talking about timing tells. What exactly can you tell from the amount of time a player takes?


Instant bet could either be a confident player with a monster hand, or it could be a confident player with a bluff. What else could instant bet mean?

Instant check should mean they're on some time of draw right? Or they could be setting a trap.

Running the clock out for me usually means they either want to bluff, or they are deciding how much to bet/whether to bet at all.


I'm just speculating here, so what timing tells do most of you profitable players use? Timing doesn't really ever mean anything does it? It could go either way at any time, and there are many other factors like players running calculations, running time out of purpose, running 8 tables, momentarily distracted, etc..

Like any tells, physical or otherwise, they aren't always reliable, and they can be expressed in different ways by different players.

Some players don't give off timing tells, i.e. they take variable or random amounts of time every time, or the exact same amount of time every time.

For it to really mean something requires some history with the player, just like with most physical tells. Do they always snap call with a bluff? Do they always take their time with the nuts? Being observant, you can note these details. This is why it is often recommended that you never check the pre-fold/pre-call checkboxes, because it makes it obvious when you've made an "easy" decision well before each hand, versus waiting on the action to get to you to decide. This pegs you either as a beginner or a nit, and observant players can exploit that. I try to always mix up my timing patterns, sometimes tanking on an obvious fold, sometimes snap folding, sometimes tanking before a shove to look uncertain, and sometimes snap-shoving, etc.

But without some history, you can't put a lot of stock in them in general, because of the variety of reasons why people take the time they take. Like you said, they could be pot odds nits who want a precise calculation on every hand. Or they could be watching TV, on the phone, or just trying to tilt the table. Or in fact trying to project a false tell by snap overbetting to sell the nuts as a bluff. Or, as some anti-multitable whiners like to continuously point out, they could be playing too many tables or involved in a big hand on one table, while running out the clock at yours.

As you have mentioned there are many reasons why players will take a longer than usual amount of time before making a decision, and for this reason I do not really consider this when making decisions of my own.

Although, when someone is checking back at me almost instantly, I sometimes get the feeling they are not interested in the hand and that any bet I make here will win me the pot. However, some players may use this as a trapping technique and this is a further reason why I won't make a decision based on the timings of a player's actions.

I use the instant check on the bb when I get a free look. Sometimes I flop two pair or I have a pair and hit a set. Invariably someone makes a stab at a messy pot with two overs and I clean up.

This is highly dependent on where in the tournament we are. I would probably never do this in a ring game.

More importantly, I never use timing tells to guess a bluff or not... they could be just slow or be multi-tabling or taking a wiz. Too many factors.

At low stakes you sometimes see the old fashioned slow play. That's fun but imdo not very effective.

I don't use timing as a definitive tell but on a cash game I do look to see
who is playing Multiple Tables.
Many times they are the easiest to steal from.

If they are REALLY playing tight, then a decent raise (with some outs to back it up)
can usually win you a pot.
Especially on a limp pre flop.

It also depends on how many tables they are playing.
2-3 tables allows them time to actually decide what to do
4-8 tables makes it harder for them to watch the action and they tend to respond
to bet sizes versus hand strength or possible draws.
Anything higher than 8 tables and I try to steal with any hand I hit on the flop.

Timing tells only work if you have been playing one player for longtime and know what they are doing, and at any point they can use the timing tells to get your chips.
Don't use them unless you got a good read. something from Mike Caro
http://www.poker1.com/archives/10272

I would agree with morris.There are many variables but one thing is certain.Great players mix it up and make it very difficult to get a read.Nothing is set in stone in online poker.

I pretty much figured timing doesn't mean anything unless you're familiar with the enemy. Also this made me realize that I never think about trying to mix it up to confuse opponents. I need to remember to take a few seconds and chill before I make moves.

If a player calls quickly, he is on a draw. If the needs some more seconds for his bet, he is valuebetting and looking for the optimal bet size. Or he is multitabling. (use player search) Fast bets are often bluffs. If the BB checks instantly (pot is not raised), he doesn´t have a strong hand or is simply sitting out ...

I think it would be very difficult to make a decision due to a timing read online. There are too many variables. The player might just have a distraction.