| |
| |
|
Casino & Gambling Information |
|
|
|
Texas Holdem Poker Tournament Strategy - Online Poker Tells
Are You Using These? Are They Being Used Against You? Let's have a closer look at online poker tells in online games like Texas Holdem. These online tells differ quite a bit from traditional ones, as we'll soon see. If you don't know about these particular poker secrets and you play online poker, then you're at a significant disadvantage vs. your competition. Chances are, experienced online players have been using these against you for quite some time without you ever even knowing it... What is a "tell"? A traditional poker tell is any habit, behavior, or physical reaction that gives other players more information about your hand. In offline poker, a shaking, nervous hand is often an indication of a player with a strong hand. Another common poker tell would be looking down at my chips when I first see my pocket cards or the flop - a sign that I'm thinking about betting and have a good hand, so I'm seeing how many chips I have to work with. Several of the poker tells listed here are useful for both online and offline poker. However, since we lack the ability to read opponents physical expressions and reactions when playing online, the number and type online poker tells actually available to us are much more limited, and so the ones we do have available become that much more important to be aware of and recognize. Caro's Book of Poker Tells is the classic treatise on the subject. Most of the poker tells that work in offline games rely upon physical observations of how a player reacts or behaves, so these kinds of tells don't help online since we can't observe the player physically. So when playing online, there are other telltale signals that we can watch for that give us an edge. According to a recent survey, the top three online poker tells are: * Quickness to respond, reported by 76% of respondents - a very fast check can indicate a weak hand, quick bets on the turn or river can often indicate a strong hand. * Slowness to respond, reported by 73% of respondents - a pause followed by a check can often indicate weakness, while a delay followed by a raise often indicates strength. * Automatic play, reported by 68% of respondents - a lazy approach to the auto buttons lets a player slip into a set pattern of play. Any breaks in this pattern are clear tells. So, what can we actually use as online tells? Using Check Boxes to Gain Information Online poker rooms offer the use of check boxes for actions such as "Fold", "Check/Fold", "Raise", or "Raise Any", etc. While convenient for those of us who lack the patience to focus on the game for extended periods of time, the use of checkboxes can be very damaging to your overall winnings. You can determine when a player has used a check box, because their action comes immediately after the player before them acts. You can use this knowledge to your advantage if a player consistently uses checkboxes. When a player has pre-selected "Check" or "Check/Fold", it should be obvious that he doesn't have a strong hand that he cares much about, and is likely on a draw or just waiting to fold, so you can determine the player likely has no hand or a weak hand. If their hand is immediately folded after the prior player acts, you know they are using checkboxes and can begin watching this more closely. When they don't use a checkbox, then they're taking more time to consider how to play a better hand... Similarly, a player who uses the "Call Any" check box is likely to be on a draw and not yet made a good enough hand to bet or raise with, but is definitely not ready to fold at this point. Poker tells are not 100% accurate, yet they often provide us with enough additional information to help us confirm what we may already suspect. Over time you can get a sense for how these players use checkboxes and begin to draw conclusions about your opponents hand strength and mode of operation as a result. If you detect that someone is on a draw, for example, you can often bet or raise the pot a bit and push them right out, since it'd be too expensive to continue with their draw without free cards or calling minimum bets. The fact that a player feels so strongly about a hand (good or bad) to make a decision before even seeing the how other players will bet or act is a poker tell about this person's inexperience with online play and often about their hand strength. If you use checkboxes, be highly self-aware of how they'll be perceived by the other players and use them to your advantage. If you have a good hand that you're wanting to slow-play, use a check-box to quickly "Check" or "Call" with, feigning weakness. If you have a weaker hand, are on a draw, avoid using the checkbox altogether and act like you're really thinking about how to play that hand. If you're bluffing, make a raise quickly and confidently (using a checkbox, if applicable), to signal confidence in your hand. Of course, it's always best to mix things up a bit so players can't predict your actions. The idea is to keep opponents guessing or throw them off in the wrong direction so you can profit from their mistake - that's how winners operate, through carefully orchestrated deception and mixing things up constantly. Speed of Play Online poker rooms limt the amount of time each player has to take action. Often, the speed at which a player responds can be a good poker tell. Generally, a quick bet is a sign of weakness. A delayed bet or action can be a sign of strength since the player is spending time calculating how best to play what is perceived to be a good or strong hand, how much to bet, etc. Keep an eye on how much time it takes players to make their decision and take action and remember it at the end of a hand. Then, when you get a chance to see their cards in a showdown, verify what kinds of hands they act on slowly and what kinds of hands they act quickly upon. Speed of play is the most common and easiest online poker tell to spot. The instant call after you bet: Most players who call your bet immediately have a weak calling hand. These players want you to believe they have a stronger hand and hope that you will not bet into them again. The delayed check: Most players who take longer than normal before checking to you do not want you to bet. They are attempting to display strength because they want to see the next card for free. The delayed bet: When an opponent thinks for a long time and then bets, they will usually be holding a strong hand. The instant bet/raise on the river: The player who utilizes this move will usually be holding a very strong hand, often times it'll be trips. By raising or betting so quickly, they are trying to make you think they are bluffing. This move can also be used on the turn and generally, though not as frequently, denotes strength. The bet into on the turn: When a player has checked and called on the flop and then bets into you on the turn, it can indicate weakness or that they've made their hand. This type of bet often means that they picked up their draw or that they are semi-bluffing with a draw they picked up on the flop. Strongly consider raising if you have a decent hand. What about your online play style? Do you exhibit these kinds of online poker tell play behaviors and patterns? If so, be aware of it and deliberately mix things up so that you're decision-making processes aren't so easy to spot and lock onto, or simply take a similar amount of time for each action you make, preventing people from drawing any kind of conclusions at all based upon timing. Opponents Starting Hand Fold-to-Flop Ratio Keep an eye on whether or not a player folds a lot of garbage starting hands (a 'tight' player) or is playing at just about every pot that comes along - a 'loose' player. This information can be used to help determine the strength of a players overall game. If the players folds most of the time, beware since this player is pretty tight or solid and only plays good hands. If the opponent plays most every hand, then you can probably take advantage of this and win if you play good cards consistently against such a player. These kinds of loose players like to gamble, and sometimes they'll get lucky and pick up some cards. It's best to just remain patient and wait for your opportunity. You're better off just playing the odds and good hands in order to take advantage of this player's aggressive, loose style when you land a good, solid hand. Chatting Just like in offline games, the "chattiness" of a player can be used as a tell. Generally, a player who is highly chatty that suddenly goes quiet is now busy thinking about playing some good cards, figuring out how best to play the hand. Alternatively, a player who suddently becomes antagonistic may be bluffing and hoping this demonstration of exhuberance will add to the strength of his bluff and cause you to fold. When you recognize a tell, generally do the opposite of what you think the player is trying to cause you to do. Self-Awareness It's important for you to remain aware of your play style and table image at all times. It's best to keep everyone off balance by mixing things up. Become suddenly aggressive and play looser (and risk the minimum amount you can, usually early in the game before blinds go up if it's a tournament), then become tight again. Keep everyone guessing. Being aware of how you use check-boxes, the timing of your decision-making and action-taking, and controlling your play style deliberately instead of going into "auto-pilot" repeatitive mode will help you avoid providing others with the advantages of the tells discussed here. I hope these insights into online poker tells have been helpful. Keep them in mind as you play in your next online game or tournament. Until next time - - - Good luck! Rick Rick Braddy is an avid writer, Texas Holdem player and professional software developer and marketer for over 25 years. His websites and Texas Holdem poker software helps people become better Texas Holdem players. If you're a poker player, be sure to visit his Texas Holdem poker poker today and learn how you can play better Texas Holdem poker, too.
MORE RESOURCES:
Casino-Gambling - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Viva Las Vegas Buffets Please correct me if I am wrong but aren't Las Vegas Buffets just the best in the world! Ok there are a few ones that are a bit how's your father (an Australian term for so so) but I am yet to go to a buffet that I havn't enjoyed. This is probably why I have a Vegas Buffet waist line. A Crazy Night in Vegas It was a Sunday afternoon. My friend Kurt and I met for lunch. American Gambling Basics Casinos have always been a destination for the wealthy and the famous, however, these days they are hoping to be a regular stopover. But the gambling cannot be confined to one spot. Would You Bet on Your Brand? - Three Strategies for Winning at Brand Poker It seems you can't turn on the TV without seeing some sort of World Series of Poker contest. Poker, especially, Texas Hold 'Em, has become extremely popular. How to Manage Your Won Money at Gambling and Sports Betting from Busting It Up at Online Sportsbook Have you heard stories about people hitting big jackpots, winning high staked all-in Texas Hold'Em poker or going on hot streaks in sports betting ???Of course you have.And what happened with most of these (short time to get large amount of money) people ???Simple answer -- they got a complex of being unbeatable and lost all the money they got in these short time and even went busting their entire bankroll in trying to get back on hot streak. A Teenagers Vegas Vacation This, a true story about a Vegas vacation involving casino gambling and.. Amazing Lottery Secrets - Just the Facts! When it comes to Lottery Secrets, we've discovered amazing and powerful information, that we feel anyone who plays their respective lottery should be aware of. Did you know that the greatest percentage of lottery players choose to "quick pick" their numbers?If you knew this bit of information you might want to reconsider. Your Lottery Odds and The Fastest, No Cost Way To Radically Improve Them If I had a lottery ticket for every time I've heard "well I play the Mega Millions lottery because the jackpot is so much bigger".. Slot Machine Basics The first slot machine came into being in 1895. Since then, they have witnessed not much of evolution. Online Blackjack Basics Online blackjack or "21", as it is commonly known, is by far the most popular card game offered in virtual casino establishments. This page will tell you what you need to know to get started. Free Online Card Games -- Getting Ready for Las Vegas Free online card games that can be played over the Internet are great for practice to increase your skills or to just have fun with. Being able to take advantage of playing free card games on your computer like poker and video poker can even prepare you for making cash in the future. Top 5 Things to Look for when Buying Quality Poker Table When one is ready to buy a quality poker table that will last for years, there are some things to consider; like what size, what style, quality vs. price, purchasing chairs with the table, and of course where to buy your table. Oh the Thrill and Despair of Gambling I do not know of many people who LIKE to work hard and just receive a salary at the end of the month. There is a dream in most of us that somewhere along the line, Lady luck will be in our favour and we will receivea small windfall a big jackpot the national lotto. Halftime Wagering Part 2 Examples of pre-game research are to see how the teams play in the first half compared to the second half. Look at their stats and points scored for each half and make charts for when they are behind and in front at halftime. No Limit Texas Hold'em Poker Most online casinos offer three different types on Texas Hold'em Poker, namely No Limit Texas Holdem poker , Limit holdem Poker and Pot Limit holdem poker.The only differences in these three types of poker are the restrictions placed on betting. How to Win a Million Dollars Without Spending a Lot of Money I love Major Millions. And realistically speaking, there's not really a "strategy" for playing any slot machine game. The Bingo Renaissance Little old ladies in slippers, playing for pennies and cents in a converted community hall is no longer the reality of bingo. The game has in recent years and now more than ever undergone a rebirth in its popularity and status and now looks set to boom in the coming years. World Series of Poker Mania The popularity of the World Series of Poker gained tremendousmomentum from The Travel Channel's World Poker Tour showings. Although the event had been showing for a number of years on ESPN, when new technologies such as the table camera were used,television watchers began getting involved in the hands as they were being played. Simple Jacks or Better Strategy Tutorial Statistical Arbitrage strategy applied to Video PokerIntroductionJacks or Better is a popular video poker game available at many online casinos. When collecting casino matched deposit bonuses, it counts towards wagering requirements for most online casinos, has a high payout, and a large jackpot. 2005 World Series of Poker -- Final Tournament Report Now that the 2005 World Series of Poker has finished, we can tell you what took place in Events #23 through #45. But most importantly we can announce what happened in the Main Event and who won the $7,500,000 top prize and became the 2005 champion.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2008 |
