The Most Common Tells in Poker

Just like in job interviews and awkward Tinder dates, eye contact at the poker table speaks volumes. If you know how to listen with your eyeballs.

Players holding a strong hand? Oh, they’ll look right through you. Cool, calm, relaxed. Like a guy who just remembered he turned the oven off. That’s because strength brings confidence, and confidence brings the ability to hold a gaze without blinking like they’re being interrogated by the FBI.

Now, the bluffers? They tend to treat eye contact like it owes them money. They’ll glance away, check their chips, stare at the felt like it's going to whisper advice. Why? Because deep down, they think you’ve got x-ray vision and their face is broadcasting “TOTAL GARBAGE HAND” in blinking neon.

So next time you’re locked in a hand, meet their gaze. If they stare back like they're about to sell you life insurance, they’re probably holding. If they treat eye contact like a contagious disease? You just found their tell.

Timing tells: the subtle art of doing nothing at the perfect speed. They’re tricky to catch but oh-so-delicious when you do.

Here’s how it works: players with experience know how to disguise their thinking time, but even the best slip up. The pace at which they act, whether they're betting, calling, or folding, can expose more about their hand than a strip-search.

Long hesitation? That’s not always a bluff. Often, it means the player is holding something tasty and deciding whether it’s time to go for blood or play it safe. On the other hand, instant reaction, especially a lightning-fast call, can be the poker equivalent of panic-buying. It’s usually someone trying to act strong because their cards are about as threatening as a foam sword.

So when someone snap-calls you, don’t assume they’re fearless. Assume they’re desperately hoping you won’t look too closely. And then do exactly that.

Talking at the poker table isn’t just a social exercise. It’s also a goldmine for verbal tells, or what I like to call “accidental honesty.” The more someone runs their mouth mid-hand, the more likely they are to say something stupid. It's science.

Now, when someone suddenly gets chatty during a hand, it's suspicious. They might be excited because they've just flopped the nuts, or they could be spewing words to distract you from the stinking pile of garbage they’re holding. Either way, their mouth is trying to do what their chips can’t: win the pot.

The key here is context. If someone usually plays silently and suddenly turns into a podcast host during a hand, something’s up. Conversely, if they always yap during weak hands and now they’re giving you a TED Talk, well, you do the math.

And let’s not forget the classic reverse psychology nonsense: “Ugh, these cards again. What a joke.” Translation? They’re probably sitting on a monster hand and would love for you to underestimate them. It’s not subtle. It’s the poker version of "I'm not mad, I'm just disappointed."

Bottom line? If they're talking during a hand, they’re either bad at poker or trying to make you bad at poker. Probably both.

Let me introduce you to one of poker’s most ancient dark arts: the reverse sob story. Picture this: your opponent sighs, shrugs, moans about their luck, maybe even mutters something like, “I should just fold.” Naturally, you think they’ve got nothing but table scraps. So, what do you do? You raise, of course, like a good little mark.

Congratulations. You’ve just been bamboozled by the oldest trick in the book. Because guess what? That dramatic display of despair? It’s all theatre, and you just bought front-row tickets. The sad eyes, the defeated posture, the helpless groan. They’re all part of the act. And it’s usually a sign that they’re sitting on a hand strong enough to make the Pope swear.

This isn’t just verbal. The whole body joins in—slouching, tutting, a face like someone just canceled Christmas. It’s all designed to lull you into overconfidence so they can watch you build the pot they’re about to snatch.

So next time someone looks like they’re losing the will to live at the poker table, assume they’re about to take yours.

Ah, the mind games. Just when you think you’ve got this poker psychology thing nailed, “Oh, they’re acting confident, so they must be bluffing!”, you run into a player who’s actually not full of it. Revolutionary, right?

Here’s the truth: not every display of confidence is a bluff in disguise. Sometimes confidence is just that, pure, unfiltered smugness because they’re holding pocket rockets and they know you're about to donate your stack to their retirement fund.

While reverse tells (pretending to be weak when strong) are common, don’t fall into the trap of assuming every strong move is overcompensating. Some players are just legitimately comfortable because they’re in a position of power. Outright confidence alone? Not enough to scream “bluff.” But remember, visible disappointment? Now that is usually the Oscar-winning performance masking a monster hand.

So next time someone bets big with a grin, don’t go full Sherlock. Maybe they’re not bluffing. Maybe they’re just better than you.

Body language in poker is like subtitles for the socially oblivious. It’s always saying something, even when you wish it wouldn’t.

Let’s start with the upright, alert players, the ones who suddenly look like they’ve just remembered how chairs work. That posture shift usually means their cards just got interesting. Maybe not full-blown greatness yet, but there’s potential brewing, and they're bracing for impact. Especially watch out if they’re suddenly impatient to move things along. That’s not caffeine. It’s confidence barely hiding its tail feathers.

On the flip side, we have the squirmers. You know the type. Fidgeting like they’re auditioning for a seat on a broken washing machine. If someone’s shifting around, scratching their face, rubbing their arm, or touching themselves like it’s open-mic night at the Anxiety Café, chances are they’re bluffing hard and praying you don’t call.

In short: confident posture usually signals danger. Fidgeting is your cue to pounce. So straighten up, take note, and remember, your opponent’s spine might just be the biggest tell at the table.

Let’s get one thing straight: players who actually know what they’re doing don’t yeet a mountain of chips into the pot like they’re trying to win a strongman competition. Nope. If someone has a decent hand, they’ll usually bet with a bit of finesse, slow-cooking the pot, coaxing others along, and then springing the trap like a smug little wizard.

And the bluffers? The good ones? Same strategy. They sell you the dream, keep it chill, and pray you fold before their bluff collapses like a flan in a cupboard.

Then there’s the other kind. The Chip-Happy Maniacs. You’ve seen them, launching chips into the middle like they’re reenacting the Bellagio Casino heist. And what does it mean? Either they’re trying to convince you they’ve got a monster hand when they’re holding garbage, or they do have the goods and they’re shouting it from the rooftops. Subtlety? Never met her.

The only way to know for sure is to watch for patterns. If they go full WWE with chips every time they’re bluffing, there’s your answer. If they do it with value hands too, well... they’re just tactically tone-deaf. Either way, play it right, and you’ll be stacking their chips by the next break.

If you’re looking for a poker tell that’s so obvious it might as well be wearing a neon sign, start with bet sizing. It’s the one tell even online players can pick up on; no webcams, facial twitches, or trench coats required.

See, inexperienced players tend to bet with all the grace and subtlety of a toddler playing Monopoly. They follow a painfully predictable formula: bad hand = small bet, good hand = “look at me I found aces!” bomb-sized bet. And they’ll do it hand after hand, oblivious to the fact that they’re practically broadcasting their hole cards via morse code.

If you notice a player’s bet sizes correlate directly to the strength of their hand every single time, congratulations, you’ve unlocked their personal cheat sheet. You don’t need to be a mind reader. You just need to be semi-conscious and able to recognize patterns.

So go ahead, exploit that sweet, sweet lack of nuance. And while you’re at it, maybe send them a thank-you card for funding your next buy-in.

Here’s a fun poker truth: if your opponent suddenly transforms into a wax figure after placing a bet, there’s a good chance they’re bluffing so hard they’ve forgotten how motor skills work.

Freezing is one of the juiciest physical poker tells around, especially from less experienced players who think any twitch or blink will blow their cover. So instead, they sit there silent, still, and more rigid than a corpse in a fridge. They think they’re playing it cool. In reality, they’re broadcasting “I’M FULL OF IT” in high-definition.

The irony? This robotic stillness is the tell. A player who’s usually relaxed and suddenly goes into statue mode is basically screaming, “Please fold, please fold, I have nothing but lint and prayer.” Watch for it. Clock it. And then call them with the righteous fury of a thousand cracked aces.

Poker face? More like panic mannequin.

Ah yes, the age-old rookie move: the Big Blind Peek. You’d think players would’ve figured this one out by now, but no. Every table has at least one, usually hunched over their cards like they’re decoding the Rosetta Stone, sneaking a glance the second they’re dealt in.

This isn’t some slick ninja tactic. It’s a dead giveaway. Most of the time, it’s either wide-eyed optimism at seeing paint, or a micro-flinch that screams, “Yikes, 7-2 offsuit again.”

Your job? Watch the reaction, quietly. No dramatic stares, no Sherlock Holmes cosplay. Just file away what you saw and wait for the betting round. Because that knee-jerk eye dart and subtle sigh might just tell you more than their entire betting line ever will.

And whatever you do, don’t let them know you’ve noticed. Once they realize you’re watching, they’ll start performing harder than a washed-up actor in a community theatre Hamlet. Keep the observation secret. Use it when it matters. And when you call down their bluff with nothing but a hunch and a smirk, don’t forget to wink.