Simple Online Poker Tells

By Joshua Heilpern

Until you become a consistent winning online poker player, your main priority should be developing a strong set of starting hand standards and learning how to play those cards properly. Once you reach the next level of poker game you should begin to look beyond own cards and try to find other methods of collecting the most profit out of your opponents. When playing online poker, its not the same as picking up physical tells, but there are a few simple online poker tells that you can pick up on if you know what to look for.

The first, and most obvious, online poker tell is the use of pre-selected actions in the poker software. These usually exist in the form of "check/fold", "check any", "call any", "call/raise any", and "raise any". Some software programs have more options than others but the check/fold button is universal. Watch for players that use this - especially out of the big blind. You'll know when a player uses it by seeing an instant check when it gets to their turn. This usually indicates a very weak hand.

Since the big blind had to put it money regardless of his hand, he'll usually be holding trash.

If you see an instant check preflop and a quick check on the flop, go ahead and bet out regardless of the board.
Much more often than not you'll pick up the small pot right there. This works especially well when there's a face card on the board. You can manipulate this by occasionally clicking the "check any" from the big blind when you have a strong hand. Your opponents will believe that you clicked "check/fold" and you can set them up for a check-raise on the flop.

You might occasionally see someone put in an immediate raise - often in limit hold'em. You should be wary, it usually indicates a strong hand or it can be used as a bluff if you don't overdo it.
Some of your opponents are also savvy enough to use this as a bluff so think about fighting back if you see this move from a frequent bluffer.

Another tell in online poker is the time it takes for your opponent to take action. If the opponent always acts quickly on his turn and then suddenly hesitates when you bet into him he's giving you a huge tell. He's letting you know that he doesn't have a simple decision. Use this information along with any notes you have taken on the player. A long pause and then a check usually indicates weakness whereas a long pause and then a bet/raise usually indicates strength. My favorite way to manipulate this is by hesitating and then just calling when I'm in position on the flop or turn. This conveys that I'm probably on a draw and usually elicits another bet when they think that I missed or still drawing. At this point, you can throw in a raise -  but be aware better opponents might do the same.

You can also find out if your opponents are playing at multiple tables. If your particular poker room software doesn't have a Find Player feature, look around at tables of similar limits. If you find them at 3 or 4 other games, this can affect your strategy. Multi-table players are usually more distracted and don't have time to make sophisticated plays. They play more of a straightforward game so you can get a fairly quick read on their style. Remember to take notes and try playing more aggressively against them to take advantage of their distraction.

The chat box may also give you insights on your opponents. If a player is constantly chatting it up he probably isn't paying as much attention to his game. Another common occurrence you'll see is a player steaming about a bad beat, swearing, and being an overall nuisance so you can obviously peg him for being on tilt. Opponents who like to downplay the strength of their hand are usually holding a strong hand. Don't  try to fool the table using the chat since it's just downright childish and players can easily mute your commentary. On a side note, disabling the chat altogether helps cut the annoyance factor in half.

Finally, the least credible tell you can pick up, is the player name/avatar chosen by an opponent. Players with the word "TILT", a picture of a fish, a wacky face, or similarly loose-seeming characteristics are often tight and conservative players. This isn't completely reliable but these tend to somehow dig their way into poor players' subconscious. You can elicit that extra call or two when you have the nuts just by portraying a loose style visually.

In online poker, psychology doesn't factor in nearly as much as at a brick and mortar poker room but there are certain tells you can still pick up on and manipulate. Instantaneous check usually means weakness so try it sometime when you've got pocket Aces. Watch betting time such as the slow check (weak) and slow raise (strong). Keep an eye out for multi-tables, and go for the throat on chat box tilters. "Fishy Fred" could be a better screen name choice if you want the occasional extra call. Remember, master your online poker game first and then take your game to the next level by spotting weaknesses and tells around the online table.