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Poker show and tell

A long time ago, I read a story in a poker book that I have never forgotten. Unfortunately, I have forgotten the book I read it in – so if you have read the book, please post so everyone will know. Anyway, the story went like this: A med school professor got up in front of the class with a beaker filled with urine. He told the class that in the olden days, doctors had to rely on personal observation, taste and smell to make a diagnosis. He was afraid they were relying on technology too much and that in order to pass his class; each person would have to place their finger in the jar of urine and taste it. If it is sweet, this could indicate diabetes. He went first and demonstrated. Slowly, each person came up and followed suit; many becoming sick after. At the end, the professor asked for their observations. Some students said it tasted sweet, others complained it made them sick and most were just thoroughly grossed out and glad they were practicing medicine in the 21^st century. He told them they all failed the observation portion. He explained that although he placed his middle finger into the beaker, he tasted his ring finger. They all missed this critical distinction. How many times do we miss critical observations at the poker table?

            Most players give away some information in the form of a “tell” at the poker table. There are physical tells, verbal tells and action tells. Sometimes it is important to watch a player for a little while to decipher the meaning of their particular tell. The more consistent the tell, the more accurate it will be.

            PHYSICAL TELLS: These include conscious and unconscious body movements. It is important to pay attention to the eyes. We cannot control if our eyes dilate. They do this instinctually when we see something we like; many players wear dark sunglasses to mask this tell. Some people shake when they have a good hand, others when they are bluffing, while others just have a nervous tic. It is important to observe a player and look for consistency.

            VERBAL TELLS: From what you say to how you say, everything can be a “tell.” Some poker books suggest that you never verbalize anything while in a hand. However, I personally like to verbalize my bets. You can also pick up clues from other verbal actions: a very chatty person may be trying to give the impression of confidence, or a player asking obvious questions like “How much can I bet?” may be trying to look weak.

            ACTION TELLS: Action tells involve betting and folding acts. A quick or “insta” call may indicate a very strong hand, folding out of turn may indicate a weak or new player and splashing the pot with chips may be an aggressive move trying to cover a bluff.

Be careful to not read too much into an action the first time you see it. Remember, consistency breads accuracy. See you at the tables…even if you show me your…tells; I won’t show you mine.