Texas Hold'Em Tips - Reading Poker Tells

Playing Texas Holdem can be challenging. Reading the reactions that other players have to different events can give you an edge. A poker tell is a habit, physical reaction or behavior that gives other players clues about the hand that their opponent is holding. Heres a breakdown of poker tells that you should be aware of.

The eyes tell a lot. Watch your opponents eye. Many professional Texas Holdem players wear sunglasses or visors when playing, because they know that the eyes can be a gateway to whats going on in the brain. Many players will stare at big hole cards. If a player is looking to steal the pot, he may glance to his left to see if remaining players are likely to fold their cards. A player may ask questions about your hand, knowing that if you look them straight in the eye they can see if youre deceptive.

Facial expressions are often disguised by looking downward. Facial expressions often express happiness when a hand is strong, and unhappiness when a hand is weak. Pro players may look disinterested when they have a really strong hand, and likewise seem confident when they have a weak hand as a method to foil their opponents.

Anxiety in anticipation of confrontation is known as the fight or flight response, and its built into all humans. Look for players who have strong hands to have an abnormally expanding chest, or a change in voice. Professional players stare at the vein on the top of your face to see if your blood pressure changes. A player with trembling hands is a dead giveaway to either a strong or weak hand, so its hard to tell until youve played with someone who exhibits trembling hands.

If a player continually glances at their chips, they may be anticipating an attack. Peeking at the hole cards on the flop may mean a weak hand as the player has already forgotten what he has.