Spotting Online Poker Tells

If you have seen the movie, “Rounders” starring Matt Damon you may already know all about “tells” during poker games. The movie portrays a boss named Teddy KGB who reveals hand strength based on his interaction with Oreo cookies. If he opens the cookie and then proceeds to eat it he has a monster hand – if he puts it back in his cookie tray he has a weak hand. Tells are small non-verbal signals that opponents reveal during play about the strength of their hand. If you have played a live game of poker you might have even spotted tells yourself. When “Big Frank” shuffles his chips hes bluffing or the shakes “Timid Tim” gets when he is nervous with a monster hand. These types of signals give you a competitive advantage at the poker table. Have you ever considered the possibility of poker tells existing online as well? Most people would say, online tells don’t exist because you can’t actually see your opponent. However, this isn’t the case since online poker isn’t completely virtual. Here are some of the most basic tells to look out for when playing online poker.

Betting Patterns

People tend to bet similar amounts of money over the long term when holding certain cards. For example, many people at low stakes poker bet the same amount of money with premium holdings like aces and kings every time. People also tend to get cute with raises – instead of making it $3.00 they will make it $3.35 every time. These types of betting patterns may become trends and therefore reveal what premium cards they have. Here are some of the more frequent betting pattern tells you will find while playing online poker.

• Un-Even Betting Amounts (neutral strength):

Online poker players tend to think betting un-even amounts like $4.95 instead of an even $5.00 will trick opponents. This strategy rarely works or fools anyone. It isn’t necessarily a tell right away unless it becomes a pattern. In tournaments and cash games players will bet fractions of a dollar so that the poker software stacks more chips on the screen. This is likely done to try and intimidate players or induce folding. It is usually done when an opponent is weak and wants to reflect strength.

• Over Bets

Betting more than the pot is an interesting action in a poker game. Your opponent is either trying to make you overpay to see another card or trying to confuse you into calling. An overbet seems like weakness, but it usually  means strength. Sometimes over-bets are made as blocking bets when the better has the 2nd best possible hand. If an overbet is re-raised or pushed all in on the over-better will know they are beat. Other times, the over-bet is done to purposely reflect weakness or simulate a bluff. Over-bets are tough to read, but should usually be folded to. Over-betting occurs when a player bets more than the total size of the pot. For example, betting $50 into a total pot of just $10.

• Under Bets

Under-betting the pot is frequent in online poker. Players regularly bet a fraction of the pot to confuse opponents. They either have a monster hand and are hoping for a re-raise or simply believe the collective hand strength of the table is weak. Betting a tiny amount into a huge pot could also be a way to guarantee they get paid. Under-betting occurs when you people bet a tiny fraction of the total pot. For example, betting $2 into a pot of $25.

Unsolicited All-ins

People who go all in pre-flop without any action ahead of them are usually very strong. Many people use this method of play with one of three premium holdings – AA, KK or AK. This strategy can sometimes be effective if the table perceives the player going all in as a maniac. It can also work if the player has gone all in many times and shown weak holdings. Stay away from unsolicited all in plays unless you have one of the three premium hands mentioned above to call with.

Timing Action

Quick calls on the flop bet and turn bet are often signs of drawing hands – while quick folds on the river often confirm a missed draw. As in the examples above the length of time a player takes before acting in online poker usually reveals much about their hand. The length of time in relation to the final action they make reveals even more information. Study your opponents action timing while at the table. You might find some interesting patterns. Here are some popular timing tells you will find in online poker.

• Taking a long time, then betting or raising (very strong):

One of the most frequent online poker tells is taking a long time before acting and then betting or raising. By trying to take longer to act your opponent is actually giving off a tell. Your opponent thinks longer action means weakness, when it actually means possible strength. Weak hands are usually folded immediately on the river, while strong hands require thought on how much to call or re-raise. Any opponent who takes a long time to act on the river and then bets or re-raises is likely holding a strong hand.  Proceed with extreme caution, especially on a re-raise.

• Insta-Raise (very strong):

Players who raise immediately have either mis-clicked or hit and monster hand. When people raise so fast that its almost a reaction they have either hit the automatic raise all button or gotten excited about hitting a big hand. Maniacs occasionally try to bully other players by doing this, but most of the time this action is used by someone holding a nearly unbeatable hand that is sure of the outcome.

• Auto Check Button (weakness):

Although automatic action buttons in online poker speed up the game dramatically, they also reveal strength about hands. The auto check/fold button is another frequently used feature in online poker that indicates extremely weak holdings or folding hands. Although some players may try to get tricky and auto check re-raise, most are telling you straight forward that they want to fold. If you are in a pot with a limited amount of players who auto check consider making a bet to take down the pot right there.

• Snap Calls (weak or drawing hand):

Calling instantly or using the auto call feature is usually a sign of weakness. Most of the time this type of action is done on drawing boards with flush or straight possibilities. Players try to call quickly to appear strong and scare off continuation bets. As we know from poker psychology strong acts hint at weakness while weak acting is usually strength. By calling instantly, we know the players is weak or on a draw. If they really had a monster hand they wouldn’t be snap calling – instead they would take more time and consider re-raising.

Chat Box

You would be surprised at the amount of information you can pick up in the poker table chat box. This is especially true at lower stakes poker games where players might not know what a tell even is. People that use the chat box and then go all in are probably very strong. While people that make a huge river bet and then dare you to call in the chat box are probably weak. At the same time players that ask you what you had after the cards are mucked probably had the 2^nd nuts or something close to it. They wouldn’t waste their time typing in the question unless they had something decent to potentially call with. The chat box often reveals the mental state of poker players as well. Spewing off vulgar language in the chat box is a sign of weakness and could indicate the player is on tilt. You can gauge the emotional state of your opponents just by what they type in the chat box.

Always remember that strong opponents try to act weak, while weak opponents try to act strong. This is one of the most basic rules of tells and nonverbal cues in poker. Acting opposite of the type of hand you have is popularly found at lower level no limit poker games. Using all of the types of online tells to read your opponent could help you in making a key decision for a big pot. Always pay attention to table action, even when you aren’t in the hand. This means no distractions like television or talking on the phone. Spotting online poker tells may just make the difference between a winning or losing session.

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Invasion of the Poker Bots

One of the only major downfalls of online poker is the inability to look your opponent in the eye. This creates a playing environment where “tells” are virtually non existent. It also creates an situation where you never really know who you are playing against – or even if they are human. Poker bots have many online players worried about the integrity of online poker. In the age of sophisticated technology could bots be raking in the cash playing online poker? For many experienced poker players the answer is yes. Potential proof has recently been brought to the forefront by poker players all over the internet.

Many say bots are used widespread across poker rooms to flush out beginning or even average players. A concensus is building that poker bots do in fact exist. The next questions to be answered is, how good are they currently and how good can they become? Bots pose a serious threat to internet poker since advanced level bots will wash out weaker players – eliminating the profits of people who play poker for a their livlihood.

Do Poker Bots Pose a Threat?

Some people claim poker bots aren’t yet intelligent enough to pose any significant threat to the poker world. The complexity of poker with its various strategies ensure that bots will always be inadequate when compared to human players.  What about two or three bots playing together? Poker bot rings are also popping up across the internet where two or more bots play together again other players at the table.

Huge Bot Advantages

Poker bots can play 24 hours a day 365 days a year. They never get tired mis-click, or waiver from their programmed strategy. Bots are machines that use strict programming language, therefore they won’t go on tilt or backdown to aggression. Humans are oppositely very emotional and can be subject to “tilting” and fearful thoughts. Imagine the amount of rakeback a bot could generate, playing every hour of every day. It would only have to break-even in gameplay to win money via rakeback each month.

Poker Rooms Fight Back

Poker sites unanimously deny the presense of bots at their poker rooms. Nobody wants to admit that bots are abundant in online poker for fear of player loss. Most cardrooms won’t even talk about the potential of poker bots existing, denying interviews and press releases regarding the subject. Obviously, bots exist though since poker rooms explicitly state rules prohibiting the use of bots in their terms of service. Why create a rule against bots if they don’t exist? Rooms also monitor gameplay for unusual poker activity. Two screen names playing together frequently or suspicious hand play are two red flags that identify bots.  Human players are the main watchdog, flagging and reporting potential bots they play against.

One thing is for sure – wherever there is money to be made people with financial motives will be found.  Programmers and other poker players will be ruthlessly programming poker bots for commercial reasons. Just like the super computer chess bot, a poker bot could soon become equally intelligent to the likes of human poker players. If poker super bots aren’t yet playing among us, they can’t be too far off. Poker rooms will have to increase their watchful eye if they intend to keep human players happy – if there are any left.

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Poker Player Earnings History

Have you ever been at a table and heard someone brag about how much they make playing poker? Chances are if you haven’t yet you will very soon. Online poker games are filled with people who boast about winning at poker. Hiding behind the anonymity of the internet and a screen name poker players tend to exaggerate about their win rate and profitability – perhaps even lie all together. Up until a few years ago they could get away with relentless bragging. Many websites now track earnings of players in tournaments and sit n go games. You can go on to these sites free of charge and search any players earnings.

Several search databases exist, but we have combed through the majority of database sites and come up with a few good ones. These poker earnings history databases track profitability in a few types of games like tournaments and sit n’ gos. For cash games you will have to rely on pokertracker and other data mining services. Each of these services tracks and ranks various players across different poker sites. You are usually allowed three basic searches per day free of charge. For additional features and searches you must have a premium membership. For serious poker players who rely on poker for income these databases may be a necessity. Here are a few reasons you may want to utilize poker player earnings history databases.

• Measuring an Opponent’s Skill
• Finding Loose Games
• Disproving Statements Made By Opponents
• Tracking Your Own Performance

Pocket Fives

Pocket Fives is a members only database that ranks various players across all poker sites. The best part about the site is its lack of charge. After signing up for a free membership you can search for other members of the site. The only downside to this feature is your opponents can do the same for you. Pocket Fives is strictly for tournament play rankings and player biography information. The website is well respected among the poker community and even ranks players specifically by world, country, state and city. This site can tell you what players are good in your home town, even if it is small and unknown.

Sharkscope

If you have ever played a sit and go you will want to know what players at your table  are profitable. This will help you attack the weak players and stay away from the strong ones. Sharkscope is a earnings history database designed specifically for sit n go tournaments.  The service is so useful that some major poker rooms have contemplated banning poker players from using it. General visitors get five free searches per day with additional services and information costing a fee. Using the premium service is great for serious sit n go players. You can search for the weakest tables to play at  before buying in to a sit n go. As you already know table selection is important since you want to play against the weakest players possible.

Official Poker Rankings

If you want to know the collective career earnings of any of your opponents Official Poker Rankings is the site to visit. It organizes players by card room and ranks them out of the total player pool. The it provides interesting and useful stats like return on investment (ROI) and in the money (ITM) percentages. If you ever make it deep into a tournament this service can help you figure out what kind of tournament poker player you are up against. This service is provided free for a limited amount of searches. Visitors get three free searches per day before they are prompted to sign up for a premium service.

*Updated: OPR no longer carries Full Tilt Poker statistics.

The Poker DB

The Poker DB is under new ownership by Bluff Magazine. The site offers an unlimited amount of “basic” player searches. For detailed information on players you must subscribe for a premium membership. This provides detailed access to all datapoints. While free searches aren’t nearly as detailed, they are unlimited. Furthermore, ThePokerDB.com covers all poker sites including Full Tilt Poker.

If you haven’t already heard of these services visit the sites right now and look up your own poker earnings. If you are playing in a tournament or sit n go right now check out the other people at your table. Using these services during play is a big advantage. You will instantly know who the good and bad players are without much effort. It may be the difference between a big cash and barely making the money. Perhaps a few free uses will convince you to go premium for a small monthly fee. Whether you use the services for dirt on your opponents or for a competitive advantage, the value is unmistakable – statistics don’t lie.

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Wealth of Online Poker Rooms

Imagine running a business with huge margins, low labor costs and limited equipment needs. Even better is running that business nearly twenty-four hours a day, three-hundred sixty days per year. From an accounting perspective this seems like a fairy-tale. However, several online poker rooms experience these business characteristics everyday. The online poker industry is a multi-billion dollar industry with the top players taking the biggest piece of the pie. The industry is still growing with emerging countries starting to add to the player base. With recent legislative pressures finally in check, online poker is once again on the rise. If poker rooms can continue to successfully build or even maintain player base during this soft period, they can expect huge profits in the future. Here are some of the methods and ideas poker sites use in marketing campaigns to build their player base and build their brand.

Wealth Projection

Let’s first take a look at growth statistics in the online gaming industry. Online gaming has exploded in the last decade with poker becoming the industry leader. Gaming revenues have now reached in the billions of dollars and are still growing. Some projections call for an increase of twenty percent or more in the next year alone. Christiansen Capital Advisors stated that online poker revenues grew from $82.7 million in 2001 to $2.4 billion in 2005. This demonstrates the explosive growth in the industry. Industry giant, Party Poker announced in 2008 that it had revenues of $473 million and net income of $70 million. Had it not been for recent prohibitive legislature by the United States government, Party Poker would already be generating well over a billion dollars in revenue. Keep a watch on United States legislature regarding online gaming and poker. Should the federal government decide to let poker sites back into the American gaming market, you could see an immediate and dramatic rise in poker revenue.

Player Endorsements

One of the biggest hurdles for startup poker rooms is building a safe and secure image. New players only want to play at safe poker rooms projecting safety and integrity. Professional poker players endorse online poker sites. Full Tilt poker is home to the most professional poker player endorsements. Coincidentally, they are also in the top three poker rooms in terms of traffic. Pro players help project a honest and trustworthy image to potential players. New players conclude that professionals wouldn’t endorse any poker site that was a scam or unfair. While poker rooms like PokerStars, Ultimate Bet and Full Tilt pay large premiums for celebrity and professional endorsements, they reap the benefits many times over. The return on investment for worthy endorsees is phenomenal to say the least. Putting well-known faces with popular poker sites gives that room the much needed “rock solid” image they are after.

Software Enhancements

Ease of use and clarity are two of the main criteria used by beginning poker players when selecting a site to play on. Nobody wants complicated software with long learning curves and errors while playing. Poker rooms that keep their software simple and easy often become more popular than those with complicated study intensive sites. Enhancements like customer loyalty, free rolls, and custom filters also help attract players. Any type of software enhancement that lessons the burden of finding a game to play in improves user experience. Organization and transparency play big parts in separating successful poker sites from failing ones.

Affiliate Network

With online and television advertising becoming expensive for poker sites, managers have turned to affiliate networking to cover their advertising needs. Instead of paying for overpriced television ads, poker rooms have created an incentive based system for anyone who wishes to participate. Refer-a-friend and revenue sharing programs have become very popular with players and bloggers alike. Tracking links and bonus codes identify new poker players to a given affiliate account and credit accordingly. Anyone can become an online poker affiliate, regardless of experience. Websites are not required either since bonus codes can track player referrals. Whether you intend to open up a website or just refer friends by word of mouth, anyone can make money as a poker affiliate. All successful poker rooms have extensive affiliate networks with managers and customer service.

Reliability& Integrity

Game fairness and integrity have everything to do with the success of an online poker room. Even whispers of unfair game play or financial transactions can cause a “hiccup” in poker room traffic. In 2008 Ultimate Bet and Absolute poker had a scandal involving a “super-user” account. The scam was revealed based on examination of hand history on the suspected account. Business at each of these two rooms was decimated, and has still not fully recovered over a year later. Keeping a squeaky clean image is the main goal of every card room. Doing otherwise often results in a room being virtually shut down overnight. Small discrepancies over hands and financial problems are often handled with compensation like extended bonus offers. Having a reliable and honest poker site image is crucial to long term success.

Obstacles Overcome

Many obstacles arise for poker rooms over time. For starters, laws like the Internet Port Act have threatened the very existence of online poker. Although they didn’t directly ban online poker, they put a stop to the methods of funding for poker room accounts. This made it difficult for poker players to both deposit and cash-out winnings. The law was added to the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act under the Bush administration. Recent court rulings have been made regarding online poker. Several courts have ruled that poker is in fact a skill game and not a game of chance. While poker players have known this all along, the courts have finally figured it out.

Online poker has been around for a while now with some even saying that the industry is temporarily saturated. Despite the gaming industry experiencing “softness” experts believe it will only grow in the future. With recent court rulings finding in favor of poker as a skill game, this softness could be alleviated in 2010. The poker sites most resilient to industry softness and government actions will be the winners in the long run. A recent downturn in the global economy has also hurt the prospects for online gaming. When the overall world economy begins strengthening online poker could resume growth once again. Untapped countries like China could also enter the market soon as countries may support online gaming to generate tax revenue. Despite the current negativity in the poker market, huge margins and fairly reasonable overhead costs will allow poker sites to be profitable. This period we are currently in is as bad as it gets. Those poker rooms that can made it now will be the winners for years to come. Expect big things for online poker by the end of 2010.

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Bankroll Management Rules

Bankroll management is essential in poker because of the large swings where players experience volatile runs of cards. This is what makes poker an emotionally taxing grind of ups and downs. When things are at their worst proper bankroll management can be the only thing you have going for you. You need to play your best when things are at their worst. Maintaining bankroll requirements for the level you are playing enables you to accomplish this. No matter how bad things get, you must always keep the bigger picture in mind – playing for the long term.

Just how big of a bankroll do you need? The answer can depend on a variety of factors and will be unique to each player. Bankroll management is a strategy involving playing poker at limits you can handle by managing variance. The overall goal is to avoid going broke by taking on too much risk. The amount of risk will change with each person since people have unique mindsets and financial situations.

Some people can play on a relatively short bankroll while others need more cushioning to play at their best. They get peace of mind knowing they have a lot of cash left behind, allowing them to play without fear. Poker players need to recognize their own goals and comfort level. If you are constantly playing scared you probably won’t win, and chances are that you might be playing beyond your means. For the majority of players , conservative bankroll rules are most appropriate.

Common Bankroll Management Rules:

• Never buy into a cash game or sit & go for more than 5% of your total bankroll.
• Never buy into a multi-table tournament for more than 2% of your total bankroll.

Popular Full Tilt Poker professional Chris “Jesus” Ferguson recommends a minimum of 100 buy-ins for tournament play. He also advises never playing at cash tables with more than 5% of your bankroll at one time. Considered the most frugal and calculating poker player today, it certainly pays to listen to Chris Ferguson. He recently completed a bankroll challenge, turning 0$ into $10,000 in less than 2 years. He accomplished this feat by starting at the bottom by playing free-roll tournaments and obeying strict bankroll management rules.

Obviously, it takes a winning player for bankroll management to work properly. A poker player with a losing expectation will always lose, despite even the most disciplined bankroll management. Managing your poker bankroll is a means of coping with variance inherently found in poker. As you already know, you can get the money in good and it is still possible to lose. Bankroll management is a protective mechanism preventing you from going broke after poor runs of cards. The requirements you choose should reflect your mental state, experience and level of competition. Proper bankroll management will help winning players take on the correct amount of risk and help ensure long term prosperity at the tables.

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