When playing online, it is very easy to fall into a rhythm. The game is set up to move as quickly as possible. There are preset buttons to fold, call or raise. The cards come hurling from the dealers hand and each player is expected to act fast. The fast pace of playing online 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.
Be careful how fast you click your 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.
A virtual tell is just like any other tell. It is 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? Do you 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 as subtle as being overly anxious to bet a strong hand. Are you 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 and utilize the time that is given to you. Other times call quickly. Be sure to mix it up in order to ensure that no one gets a read on your hand by your betting pattern.
Remember that poker is a constant game of cat and mouse. Playing online is no different. In order to be successful you will need to keep your opponents guessing. 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 another player’s virtual tell you will have a valuable advantage and will tremendously increase your overall profits.
