How to Read Body Language in Poker

The object of poker is to know what cards your opponents are holding, while doing your best to conceal your hand to them. The best and often only way to figure out what your opponents have is to pick up on tells---the information opponents inadvertently give away to other players. Reading body language is a great way to pick up on tells. But what should you look for?

Instructions

What does body language tell you?

1. Size up your opponents. When you first sit down, get a read on the other players at the table---and quickly, since time is money. Your first impression of your players should tell you who the aggressive players are and who the passive players are. It's important to keep in mind, though, that these reads are based on when the cards are being shuffled, not during hands. Aggressive players usually sit forward in their chairs or speak loudly, while passive players may be hunched over in themselves or not make eye contact with others between hands.

2. During hands, the oldest adage in poker---especially for weaker or amateur players---is that a player acts weak when he has a good hand, and acts strong when he has a bad hand. When in a hand, look for players acting weak, such as appearing disinterested, wondering aloud why they should even be in this hand and betting reluctantly.

3. Conversely, look for strong, aggressive body language when in a hand with an opponent. Chances are that player is weak, and there's a very strong chance he is bluffing. Ways of acting strong include staring down another player, throwing or pushing chips forcefully in the pot, and literally puffing his chest out.

4. Check the breathing, patterns of speech and notice where the eyes go. Rapid breathing usually means that a player holds a strong hand. If a player is talking to others or about something other than the hand, she probably is holding a strong hand. If you're playing a poker game with community cards, like Texas Hold'em, and a player looks at her chips right after the flop, she probably is holding a good hand, subconsciously thinking about how much she can win. If a player stares at the flop, she probably missed the flop or is nervous about something.

5. Keep in mind, though, that experienced players may give off false tells like the ones detailed above to throw you off and confuse you. Most players above the amateur level work hard to conceal their tells. But even they are not immune to giving away information based on their body language, however subtle it may be.

Tips & Warnings

• Only use body language as one part of the information to size up your opponents. Study betting patterns and personalities to get the most accurate read you can.

References

• Poker tells and body language