The thing that separates good poker players from bad ones isn’t just their ability to study their opponents. It’s also how well they can keep other players from getting a read on them by hiding their poker tells effectively. As the name implies, the tells refer to each individual’s mannerisms that can potentially give away their thoughts or feelings at a moment’s notice. This is especially important in poker because they’re an effective way of having some control in the game, regardless of the variant you’re playing.
While more common in live sessions, many clues can enable you to decode a player’s actions online through websites like casino.netbet.co.uk for example. Even if some are specific only to certain games, there are ample ways to identify what players are likely to be thinking during a poker session. In this piece, we’ll discuss how you can keep your tells as hidden as possible so that your opponents won’t be able to anticipate your moves.
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Hiding your tells from your opponents
Tellings may vary depending on the person, but there are universal indicators that will give you an edge over the competition in poker if you can recognise and spot them. At the same time, learning how to conceal these natural reactions and behaviours will allow you to play with a lot more confidence than you otherwise would have, significantly improving your game as a result. In other words, hiding your emotions can be advantageous in poker. With that said, here are some tells that you’ll want to hide from your opponents at all costs.
- Checking your cards frequently. When players check their cards constantly, it’s usually an indicator that they’re looking to make a draw or have a weak hand with the potential of turning into a decent one. So, make sure you avoid doing this if your cards aren’t good. You’ll hide the fact that they’re mediocre and keep your opponents guessing in doing so.
- Repeatedly checking your chips. Players who continuously check their chips are likely looking to determine just how much they’ll bet because they’ve got a fairly strong hand. If you’ve got good cards, avoid this so that you can draw opponents into your bluff and surprise them with the hand.
- Shaking your hands. Whenever players are excited or nervous, their hands tend to shake from the adrenaline rush. Keep yours from trembling as you’re waiting for the other players or are betting on a specific round, or you’ll give away the fact that you’ve got a great hand.
- Your betting patterns. Watching their betting patterns is an excellent way to determine what players are feeling or thinking. More often than not, the range of bets people will commit to is relatively small. Therefore, anything outside of it will be considered a red flag by experienced players. So, try to mix things up when you can. It’ll confuse them and keep your following actions hidden.
Conclusion
When it comes to poker, your ability to keep your thoughts and emotions hidden is just as important, if not more so, than reading your opponents. If you don’t want other players to stay ahead of you, avoid showing them the aforementioned tells. Hiding your intentions will give you an edge in any poker game since your opponents won’t get a read on you, allowing you to stay ahead of them in the process.
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