Online Poker Tells: How to Read Your Opponents Through the Screen

Did you think the thrill of online poker is in the cards you are dealt and the uncertainty that surrounds it? Think again!

While we are not saying the uncertainty of the dealt cards is not thrilling, there’s something more – the excitement of successfully deciphering hidden information from opponents that they might try their best not to reveal. What makes this even more intriguing is doing it through the screen. Yes, online poker means you are not physically sitting across from your opponents where you can see the tells with your eyes – those nervous ticks or eye contact. Reading poker tells through the screen is difficult but not impossible, and today, we bring to you a compiled list of techniques and tips that will help you become an expert in reading opponents even when you are not face-to-face. Let’s go!

Study the betting patterns

One of the biggest tells in online poker is the player’s betting patterns. Keep an eye on the size and timing of his bets. Here’s how to read the music of their chip stacks:

Big bets, big hands (usually!): An unexpectedly large bet size, especially before the flop, is likely a strong hand. Caution is still in order, however. Experienced players will sometimes use this as a bluff. So, be careful!
Small bets, uncertain steps: Fast, small bets typically indicate a player who is unsure or has a weak hand. Players who continue to make these “nervous bets” against aggression are red flags.
Erratic bets, enigmatic players: The possibility of erratic betting behavior suggests that you are at the table with a player who has yet to learn to play.

Important Point: Always consider a large pre-flop raise normal when faced with a loose player, but a sudden and drastic rise when that is not characteristic of you usually should bring your attention since this can be a monster hand

Pay attention to timing tells

The timing of an online poker player’s action can be a goldmine. Watch out for the following:

Quick decisions: A person who is making quick decisions might feel pretty confident in their hand, but maybe it is impatience or a player who is going on autopilot.
Post-flop reactions: Pay attention to how players react to the flop, turn, and river. A sudden pause or increased bet size after a community card reveal could indicate a strong hand or a well-timed bluff.

Remember: You must be patient. Don’t base your decisions solely on one timing tell. Observe how the player behaves throughout the game to establish a baseline for their decision-making speed.

Don’t ignore the chat box!

While too much chat is annoying, the chat box might actually say something useful. Here is how:

Chatty Kathys and silent sphinxes: Regular players interested in playing the game would disable their chats. Players who tend to engage in lots of chatting, particularly in terms of expressing frustrations over bad beats, can be emotional players easily bluffed upon.
Trash talk tigers and bluffers: Don’t be fooled by talkers, that is, individuals who resort to excessive trash talk via the chat box. The same could be used as an intimidation tactic against you, but possibly to hide a weak hand.

Remember: Do not allow a chattering contest to distract you. Just rely more on what is happening with them in the game.

Try to create a comprehensive profile of your opponents

While online tells are helpful, you should not make decisions solely based on them. If you happen to join tables where you meet familiar opponents, seize this opportunity to study their playing styles and patterns to create a player profile. Here are a few more factors to keep in mind:

Positional awareness: Your table position affects your strategy and how you read tells. A late position gives you the opportunity to get more information before making a move.
Playing style analysis: Classify your opponents as tight, loose, or aggressive depending on their pre-flop raises, calls, and folds. From this, analyze how their playing style goes with their pattern of betting.
Game history: Track the past actions and decisions your opponents make at the table. This makes you predict their future moves more accurately.

Never stop practicing if you want to sharpen your poker sense

Developing your online poker tells skills takes time and effort. Here are a few of the tips to improve your talents:

Focus on a few tells at first: Don’t try to know too many tells at once. Start with one or two, like bet size or timing, and gradually add more as you become comfortable.
Adapt and evolve: The best online poker players evolve their strategies according to the tendencies of opponents. Do not be afraid to change your initial read if the game seems different.

Conclusion: Practical tips for improving your online poker tells

Watch & observe professional players: Study the strategy and tactics used by professional top poker players. Observe how they read their opponents and make decisions.
Play often: The more you play, the better you’ll become at reading your opponents. Consistent practice will sharpen your skills and intuition.
Review your hands: After each session, review your hands and identify any mistakes you made. Analyze your opponents’ actions and try to understand their thought processes.
Don’t overthink it: While reading your opponents is important, don’t let it paralyze you. Sometimes, the best play is the simplest one.

Are you ready to take your poker game to the next level? Do it!