The information gained from tells can be invaluable while playing No-limit Texas Hold’em at online poker sites, but only if used properly. When used improperly, it can cause your game to become overrun with confusion, and cause you to start second guessing your own strategy. You should always be observing your opponents, even when you are not in a hand, in the hopes of picking up on patterns in their play. Here we will discuss what to look for and what to ignore when playing No-limit texas Hold’em.

Basics of Tells: Live No-limit hold em games.

Typically, you will not see blatant tells like Teddy KGB’s Oreo cookie tell from the movie Rounders. If you spend time looking for these type of Hollywood style tells, you are wasting your energy. Here are a few different types of tells you can look for when playing No-limit Hold’em, whether in a casino or a home game.

Weak Means Strong: Often when a player is holding a strong hand, they will deliberately act weak, trying to deceive you. If your opponent is attempting to appear weak, be wary; he may actually have a very strong hand.

Watch Your Opponents When They Look at Their Cards: Your opponent’s initial reaction when seeing his/her hole cards for the first time will most likely be genuine. Carefully observe your opponents as they receive and look at their hole cards. Wait until it is your turn to act before looking at your own cards.

Staring at the Flop: When a player misses the flop, he/she often will stare at the board, as if hoping to conjure up new cards to their liking. This might tell you that they are willing to fold to any bet. Be careful though, if the player knows you are looking for this, they may do it intentionally to deceive you. This is known as giving off a “false tell”.

There are many tells that you can pick out if you are observant enough, and a great many books have been written about spotting tells. If you are interested in learning more, you might want to pick up a copy of what many consider the greatest book on this subject: Caro’s Book of Poker Tells: The Psychology and Body Language of Poker by Mike Caro. Widely regarded as a must-own for serious poker players, this book should be a great help during your journey into the world of tells.

Basics of Tells: Online No-limit Texas Hold’em Game

Tells play a much lesser role in online poker since you are unable to physically see your opponents and because they are not tethered to their chair, such as in live poker. This means your opponents could be watching TV, surfing the web, talking on the phone, using the bathroom, or any number of other things you are able to do in the privacy of your own home. The level of reliability you give to online tells should be adjusted to take this into account.

Nevertheless, here are two tells you should be aware of while playing online No-limit Texas Hold’em

Instant Check: If a player has no intention of continuing with a hand, sometimes they will click the check/fold box. This makes the player check instantly when it’s their turn to act. This can be an indication that a player has no interest in fighting for the pot, and it could be an easy opportunity for you to bet and take it down.

Constantly Timing Out: Occasionally you will have a player at your table that is consistently timing out. This can be an indication that the player is distracted by something or playing multiple tables, either of which would most likely mean that he is playing a very tight game. Be aware of this, as it could mean they are more likely to have a big hand when they get involved. Of course, consistent timing out could also mean that their internet connection is having trouble staying up, and have nothing to do with their level of attention.

Now that you have the information, go find one of the best online poker rooms to play.