Some Common Poker Tells

Written by Nigel

Here are some common poker tells that you would probably encounter during a game.  Though of course, generalizing might not always be a good thing, having an idea of what to expect will be of help.  Still, interpretation is always up to you.

Shaking hands.  One very common poker tell that is exhibited when players make bets.  This normally happens when the poker player sets his chips on the table.  What it means?  Almost always that he is excited because of a very good hand.

Checking out chips.  This would normally happen after the flop.  The player who has connected would take a quick look at his chips.  This might be quite subtle so acute observation skills are needed in order to catch this tell.  On the other hand, if a player merely stares at the flop intensely, it would mean that he is looking for something to make up a good hand.

Hole card peeking.  When the flop comes out and all are of the same suit, players who keep looking at their hole cards would mean that they do not have a suited hand.  They are checking their hold cards to check if one of the cards matches the suit of the flop.

What does rudeness tell you?  Most probably the player has a strong hand and he is trying to goad you into calling him.  On the other hand, an overly polite player may be bluffing with a not so good hand.

Of course, each person has his own tell so do not take all these at face value.