Strength Tells-Part 1

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Strength Tells-Part 1

Introduction:

One of the most interesting aspects of playing Texas Hold Em is the element of being able to work out what kind of hand your opponent is holding. Clearly you do not want to be betting into monsters and obviously it is always good to fire chips at someone holding bottom pair.

But how do you work it out? I will show you in parts by giving you a whistle-stop tour of some of the most commonly encountered tells at the poker table.

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Strength Tells-Part 2

Shaking Hand:

Ever seen a guy with a hand shaking like the priest giving the last rights at the end of the exorcist? Well if you do, and you don’t have have a monster, then fold it quicker than a monkey as they most probably do have a monster! – This may look at first like they are worried about their hand; however this is a high level of adrenaline and excitement at having the nuts!

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Strength Tells-Part 3

Flaring Nostrils:

This is an instinct to take in oxygen to prepare the body for an action. This can quite often mean that someone is going to, for example, bet rather than fold. This is a better choice.

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Strength Tells-Part 4

Looking at the flop then looking away quickly:

1) When the flop comes down the last thing you should be looking at is the flop! If you watch around the table at the players who are in it (and those who aren’t) you can gain an amazing amount of info. The cards on the table are not going to change.

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Strength Tells-Part 5

Looking at the flop then looking away quickly:

2) Normally if someone looks at the flop and then quickly looks away they most probably have improved their hand. This is similar to when a guy looks at a girl he likes, he will quickly look away if she makes eye contact, as if to say “I’m not interested in you”, but we all know that he is.

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Strength Tells-Part 6

Looking at the flop then looking away quickly:

It’s also good to look at other players who are no longer in the hand. Let’s say that someone folded A3u after there was a raise but now the flop comes down A-A-7, he would have made trips and may well unconsciously tell you that he had an Ace. A disgusted look, closing the eyes, looking skyward, either way the tell will convey sheer dissapointment. This can then be a perfect bluffing opportunity as there is only one ace left in the deck and Mr Neon Sign has just announced that he had one of them! Be sure to pick up on the info of not only what players do have, and also info on what they threw away.