Reading tells

Start with a baseline

A tell is a change from normal. Before you can read anyone, watch how they act in ordinary hands: how they stack chips, how fast they act, whether they talk. The famous principle from Mike Caro's work on tells is that players acting weak often hold strength, and players acting strong are often weak. Recreational players in particular tend to act the opposite of their hand.

Betting pattern tells (the most reliable)

• Bet size changes. Many players bet big with draws and small with monsters, hoping to be called.
• The sudden river bet from a player who has only called so far is usually strong at low stakes.
• The min-raise from a passive player is almost never a bluff.

Timing tells

• Instant calls usually mean a medium hand or a draw: good enough not to fold, not good enough to raise.
• A long pause followed by a check often signals weakness or a decision to give up.
• A long pause followed by a big bet can mean either; it is a classic act to look like a struggle with a strong hand.

Physical tells

• Glancing at chips right after seeing the flop often means a player liked it.
• Re-checking hole cards on a flush-possible board can mean they are checking for a suit, so they probably don't have the flush already.
• Relaxed, chatty behaviour after a big bet tends to indicate comfort and strength. Stiff stillness can mean a bluff.
• Shaking hands is frequently a release of adrenaline from a big hand, not fear.

Hiding your own tells

Do the same thing every time. Take a similar amount of time for every decision, use a consistent betting motion, and say as little as you can during a hand. Many professionals wear headphones or sunglasses not to look cool but to make their behaviour uniform.