Tell-Time

It seems that most low and mid-level poker players spend an inordinate amount of time thinking about tells. They search internet poker forums for clues on how to definitively read their opposition. They've spent large portions of their poker bankroll on poker books, magazines, and instructional videos based on the fact that they think they'll provide exacting information on physical tells. At the tables, they scan each player intently as they attempt to interpret every scratch of the nose, every eye moment, and every deep breath. At some point, this player usually reaches a frustration point when he/she comes to realize that human behavior is never universal. This leads to a certain level of disenchantment about the game and about poker psychology. I find that much of the fault in this line of thinking falls in the expectation of tells.

You see, most individuals have a simple linier connection with tells. For instance, some want to think in the following simplistic terms:

Deep breath inward after glancing at the flop = hole cards hit for a monster

The reality is that poker is not that simple, just as human behaviors and motivations are not that simple. What we must remember is that tells are just clues. They are pieces of the overall puzzle that add (or detract) from our instincts and initial reads. The best players have a keen understanding on how to compile all of the incoming information to make a decision.

In other words, looking for tells as a primary factor in decision making is a detriment rather than a helper. Good poker players think of physical tells as only an additional factor. Before the tell is ever exuded by the opposition, a good poker player is already well on his/her way toward knowing the correct move. The thought process of a successful poker player is much more complex than the over-simplified example above. Instead, it may often track in a pattern similar to:

Initial instinct/read, then evaluation of position, blinds, and chip stacks + opposition's previous plays and perceived style + opening bets + pot odds and known cards + deep breath inward by opponent after glancing at the flop = decision

Note that the "deep breath tell" in this example holds no more weight than any other factors. In each hand, the player must evaluate the relative importance of each of the puzzle pieces. In some hands, pot odds may be a large factor in determining whether to fold, call, or raise. In other hands, an obvious tell may indeed play a big factor. I've highlighted initial instinct/read in the above sample thought pattern, as I contend that instincts should always be a focal factor in decision making. Great players identify their "gut instincts" about a hand, and then they carefully inspect all of the information that may support or refute that initial hunch.

So never get into the mindset of thinking that certain tells "tell" everything. A novice stares at his opponent thinking, "If his vein in his neck starts to pump he has pocket Aces!" A proven player thinks more deeply and intuitively: "My opponent has played tight-aggressive poker through the first 3 levels. Now that the blinds have increased, I think he might have loosened up while trying to make a blind steal from late position. My hunch is that his hand is weak. Now, what is his body position, movements, etc. telling me about his comfort level?"

The tell may be one of the least understood concepts in poker. It is a part of our internal psychology and self-talk as much as it is about reading others. Your mind has to be trained and set to accurately filter what you've seen. Before you watch your next instructional video that tries to tell you that a certain eye movement means a bluff, work to better understand yourself. Work to better hone your instincts. Work to more accurately calculate the pot odds in the heat of the moment. Work to better identify the playing styles of your opposition in a quick manner. Once these steps are achieved, you will be much more prepared to use the information provided in a tell.

In addition to being a poker columnist and lecturer, John is a National Certified Counselor (NCC). He has a Master of Arts degree in Counseling from West Virginia University, and a Bachelor's degree in Psychology with a minor in Sociology from Lock Haven University. You can find out more about the psychology of poker by emailing carlisle14@hotmail.com.

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