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Virtual Tells
(September 01, 2006)
Every experienced poker player relies on the ability to identify an opposing player’s true thoughts and feelings. The audible or visual cues a player makes which reveal the content of his hand – called tells – are a vital aspect of competitive poker. In order to correctly guess what opposing players are trying to do and how they feel about their cards, a seasoned player will study their every movement in the hope of gleaning some valuable information. 
Many of these tells are involuntary movements of the body, which can be concealed or at least minimized. For example, when a player gets a much-needed card on the turn or the river, his/her eyes will suddenly widen just a fraction of an inch. Consequently, this is why a lot of competitive players wear sunglasses while they play. Of course this type of precaution isn’t necessary in online poker, where the visual cues are nonexistent.
Although different in many areas, there is a misconception about online poker which states that there is no aspect of “reading” other players. Ask any regular online poker player if he believes this to be true and you will hear a resounding “No”! Just because you are not sitting face-to-face with your opponents, it does not mean that it is impossible for you to read them and vice-versa.
Do you have a Virtual Tell?
Identifying your own virtual tell is extremely important and will save you a significant amount of money. Consider the following points to determine if you are telling your opponents more information about your hand than you should be.
1. The online form of poker is geared towards a fast-moving and easy-to-play format, and therefore, it is easy to fall into a rhythm of sorts. The cards are dealt and mucked automatically, there are preset buttons for folding, raising, and calling, and each player is expected to react quickly. Clearly this benefits the online card rooms, as the more hands being played per hour, the bigger their rake. However you shouldn’t let these conditions dictate your style of play, because by falling into any particular rhythm you may be developing a virtual tell.
2. The key thing to remember for concealing your inner thoughts is to play at an irregular pace. You shouldn’t rely on the automatic features for they say a lot about how you view your own hand, which of course is something you would like to keep to yourself. Your betting pattern should be erratic and inconsistent if you wish to keep your opponents guessing. You are given a certain amount which you may utilize. Don’t listen to other pushy players who demand that you play quicker.
3. Remember that all good poker players are effective at reading their opponents. You want to eliminate any tells that you may have unwittingly picked up in the online version, and you also want to develop your skills at spotting these virtual tells. If you can spot someone else’s betting pattern and identify their rhythm, you will have a huge advantage at the online casino and in online poker room(s).
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