An observant person can gain insight into their opponents by observing “tells,” which are subconscious actions by a player. This article is the second of a four-part series on Poker Tells.

Conversational Tells

The easiest way to tell if a poker player is lying is to see if his lips are moving. – Pokerism

Pay attention to what your opponents are saying. Be careful of players who say, “I am only in this hand because I want to go home,” because what they actually want is to stay right where they are, stacking your chips in front of them. Most players that say, “I feel like gambling” do not like to gamble at all, since they often feel they have the winning hand.

When an opponent complains, “You beat me every time we go heads up,” be afraid, be very afraid. This is a common verbal tell to bring you into the hand when your opponent has the superior cards. Do not listen to an opponent who says “save your money,” because they do not mean it. If they wanted you to save your money, they would not have made the bet. This is another variation of Mike Caro’s “Strong is weak, weak is strong” philosophy. Be wary though, because a few crafty players say it just to create an opposite image.

Another easily noticeable tell is when a talkative player suddenly goes silent, for it often means they have a strong hand. Mike “The Mouth” Matasow is often guilty of this flaw in his game.

These are all examples of observing your opponents constantly and only using tells in context. Do not try to pull off a bluff against an obviously strong hand after determining an opponents’ playing patterns, It is also prudent to fold marginal hands if you spot the types of tells that show strength.

False Tells

Faking obvious tells to get what you want is often possible. Doing the reverse of any of the described tells tends to throw off an observant opponent. Changing gears does not just have to do with your table image, but is important in your own body language and actions at the table. There is a Latin phrase “consu consulto,” which means “accidentally on purpose.” This explains false tells perfectly.

When you have a strong hand, do not be afraid to appear to agonize over the call or raise, taking your time or showing an indecisive attitude. A well-placed sigh can give the impression you are staying in with a weak hand. Your opponent may think you are weak and bet accordingly.

Another example of gaining an advantage by using false tells is to hesitate slightly before making a check when you have a weak hand. This may induce the other players to check as well, giving your weak hand a free chance to improve.

If you have decided to make a bluff, do so quickly. Players are more likely to fold a marginal hand to a quick, decisive bet than a protracted one. The ability to distinguish and take advantage of another player’s tells is a very powerful tool. While their proper use should take your game to the next level, you should view tells as a supplement to the solid fundamental game. Use the information you learn from tells to make tough or marginal decisions easier and your game more profitable.

Give Information to Get Information

Overt tells are not the only way to gain information at the table. Any time anyone shows cards, it is beneficial. If there is a large raise in front and you are last to act, instead of simply mucking, flash a weak hand that you have just folded. You have gained information for use in later hands, and you are not giving anything to your opponents, if they reciprocate by showing their cards.

It is not normally a sound philosophy to show your hand while mucking. Occasionally showing winning hands or bluffs can often help portray an image, especially a false one. When trying to portray a loose image, showing a bluff early, even if unsuccessful, may assist in forming a loose image. The next time you have a monster hand, bet it the same way as the bluff, and the other players may see it as another bluff attempt, allowing you to collect extra bets. The same is true when showing a monster hand early, even if everyone folds. If you have successfully built a tight image, this can set up the other players to fold to a bluff or semi-bluff later.

It is important to gather information from other players to use against them later. It is equally as important to give information to others that you can then use against them later.

About the author: Daniel L. Cox is the editor of Poker Insider Magazine, an e-zine dedicated to poker. He is also the award-winning author of “Winning Blue-Collar Hold’em: How to Play Low-limit Ring Games and Small Buy-in Tournaments” and four upcoming books on poker. He can be found on Twitter at PokerInsiderMag, where he gives you a daily poker quote or pokerism.