Do you have a
VIRTUAL TELL?
Careful…how
you click that mouse, you may be giving your hand
away. Just because you’re not sitting next to other
players at the table doesn’t mean you cannot read
them and they cannot read you. A common misconception
of online poker is that it removes the aspect of
reading your opponents and looking for clues to
determine what they hold.
When
playing online, it is very easy to fall into a rhythm.
Think about it, the
game is set up to move as quickly as possible. There
are preset buttons to fold, call or raise. The cards
come flying out of the dealer’s hand and each player
is expected to act fast. But when you’re playing
online this fast past rhythm could be doing more than
keeping the game moving smoothly. Fall into too much
of a pattern and you just may develop a VIRTUAL
TELL.
A VIRTUAL
TELL is just like any other tell. A subconscious
action that you perform in a given situation that
gives other players at the table clues to what
you’re holding. Do you constantly use the automatic
raise feature with a strong hand or always take longer
to call with a weaker hand? If so, you may be giving
your hand away to a sharp player looking to exploit
your weakness.
The
ways you can give your hand away online are as
numerous as tells in a live poker room. It could be
something as obvious as overusing the automatic
features. Or a more subtle tell such as being overly
anxious to bet a strong hand. Constantly quick to
click the bet key when you have a good hand? If so,
you may be costing yourself money. Players will pick
up on your betting rhythms and learn to fold when you
come out quickly firing bets or raises.
The
key to successfully avoiding a VIRTUAL TELL is
to keep a constant broken rhythm to your play. Be
aware that you should sometimes wait to call, utilize
all the time given to you by the game. Other times,
call quickly, but be sure to mix it up in order to
ensure no one gets a read on your hand by your betting
pattern.
Remember
poker is a constant game of cat and mouse. Playing
online is no different. In order to be successful
you’ll need to keep your opponents guessing and try
your best not to fall into a rhythm with your play. Be
aware of the VIRTUAL TELLS outlined in this
article as well as any other patterns you think you
may fall into. Don’t just try to avoid these traps
for yourself, actively look for others who may have a
betting pattern. If you can spot someone else’s VIRTUAL
TELL you will have a valuable advantage and will
tremendously increase your overall profits.
Interested in reading more poker strategy articles?
ThePokerSource recommends the following poker strategy reads:
The Theorem of Poker
Bluffing in Poker
Avoid Going on Tilt
Playing Short Handed
Player Profiles
The Worst Hand in Poker
Poker by Numbers
Poker Position
Pocket Pairs
Slow Playing
Common Holdem Mistakes
Basic Betting Strategy
Omaha Poker Strategy
Changing Pace in Poker
Big Suited Connectors
Unsuited Connectors
Limits in No Limit Holdem
Playing Past the Flop
Free Cards
