Poker Tells and Giveaways
In poker, you need the skill to read your opponents so you can play your cards accordingly. But aside from the information you can get from observing their actual card playing, there's another way to get an idea on your opponents' hands. And that's from poker 'tells' and information giveaways from card players.
A poker 'tell' is a mannerism or a physical manifestation that can give away information on a card player's hand. 'Tells' include facial expressions, eye movements, body postures, and many more. You can read these 'tells' and giveaways to your benefit but your opponent can read yours as well to your disadvantage.
Let's take facial expressions for example. If you've been watching poker tournaments on TV, you'll see professional players wearing caps on more than one occasion. The reason is that they want to conceal their facial expressions from other players on the table. That's how important facial expressions are in poker playing.
See, one needs to really observe facial expressions to get a clear reading on how one reacts to their hand. Some may unknowingly put a frown on when they get bad cards or their face may show a nervous tic when one is intending to bluff. So if you haven't mastered your poker face just yet, put a cap on or put your head down, just in case.
Eye movements are especially interesting because it's pretty hard to lie through one's eyes. One may take a quick peek at their hole cards when they intend to fold. Or maybe stare at them a little longer when they're about to raise the bets. And even a player's look at one's chips is a giveaway when they're making that decisive play.
Body postures, on the other hand, give away information when they change depending on the strength or weakness of a hand. A player may sit up straight when one's cards are strong or a player may slump one's shoulders when the hand is weak.
Poker 'tells' and giveaways send out information on a player's hand to other players on the table who can actually read and study them. Facial expressions, eye movements and body postures are among the many telling signs that players study on their opponents. Now, it's unavoidable to manifest these changes as a novice but later on, beginners will know how to change their own 'tells' and even remember their opponents' 'tells' as well.