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I was wonder if anyone knows a good way to spot your own tells. I have read many poker books including Mike Caros Book on Poker Tells. I can spot tells here and there are players I've played with for only a little bit, but last night my Girlfriend (Who is quite a good poker player herself) said she figured out a tell on me and proceeded to call fairly accuratly the strength of my hands and refuses to tell me. Being a Guy I cannot allow my girlfriend to beat me in poker, I want to see her win and do well against anyone else, but just not against me. Any Suggestions?

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Stake your girlfriend and let her play. (sw)Practice in front of the mirror and see how you bet when you have a monster and see how you bet when you have nothing(they should be the same). Actually put the cards in front of you like you're sitting at a table. Look for hand motion, what hand you use, your betting pattern, your eye movements, the tone of your voice(dont need a mirror for that). Everything. That's what the pros say to do.

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Practice in front of the mirror and see how you bet when you have a monster and see how you bet when you have nothing(they should be the same). Actually put the cards in front of you like you're sitting at a table. Look for hand motion, what hand you use, your betting pattern, your eye movements, the tone of your voice(dont need a mirror for that). Everything. That's what the pros say to do.
I really don't see how this helps at all. The process of observation changes what you're observing, which is made even more true when you're observing yourself. While you're watching yourself in a mirror, you are not in the situation where you would normally give tells, that being at a poker table. If there's a person alive who will act the same betting fake hands in front of a mirror as they do when firing a $500 bluff, they're lying. The best way to spot tells on yourself is to watch your opponents watching you. If you're betting with the nuts and all the players who know what a tell is are falling over themselves to fold, you're probably giving off some sort of tell. Finding the tell is more difficult, but if a player is staring you down, then suddenly seems to realize what to do, they've spotted something, so think about what you did right before they acted.
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Go Phil Laak Unabomber style on her ass. Then tell her to read you.In all seriousness, watch if your hands shake when u play...lots of time people's hands shake when they have the goods...some sort of release of energy. You might feel like a donk, but theres no shame in wearing a hat and sunglasses...better than losing money...but dont wear them at the 3-6 limit tables at a cardroom...i laugh at people who do that.

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you know what has worked for me, i set up a little video recorder and placed it watching me during some home games and when i am bored and or waiting on the waiting list to get on a table online i watch them and try to pick up tells on myself and figure out my hole cards based on my bets. It has helped.

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Stake your girlfriend and let her play. (sw)Practice in front of the mirror and see how you bet when you have a monster and see how you bet when you have nothing(they should be the same). Actually put the cards in front of you like you're sitting at a table. Look for hand motion, what hand you use, your betting pattern, your eye movements, the tone of your voice(dont need a mirror for that). Everything. That's what the pros say to do.
lol...ohhhh....man..
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you know what has worked for me, i set up a little video recorder and placed it watching me during some home games and when i am bored and or waiting on the waiting list to get on a table online i watch them and try to pick up tells on myself and figure out my hole cards based on my bets. It has helped.
This is a great tool to use if you frequently play in any live game. A good thing to do is set up a camera across the table from you, so that it focuses directly on you. Then as you play hands, write them down in a notebook or something. When you watch the video back, get a read on yourself and then check your notes to see how the hand matches up with your tells. Try to set the camera up so that it can see the board at all times. It is a lot of work, but it can be a great tool if you play in a regular live game at your own house (don't take the camera to someone else's house, you will look like a donk). Things like this will make you a great player, and since I am primarily a "feel" player, it is a great tool to pick up little things that no one else notices.Say you catch something on yourself that you never thought to look for. You can then look for that same thing in other people.I know this method is a little extreme, but if you are very serious about playing, it should work greatly.
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I was wonder if anyone knows a good way to spot your own tells. I have read many poker books including Mike Caros Book on Poker Tells. I can spot tells here and there are players I've played with for only a little bit, but last night my Girlfriend (Who is quite a good poker player herself) said she figured out a tell on me and proceeded to call fairly accuratly the strength of my hands and refuses to tell me. Being a Guy I cannot allow my girlfriend to beat me in poker, I want to see her win and do well against anyone else, but just not against me. Any Suggestions?
One of my friends who's a pretty good poker player brought his girlfriend to one of our homegames, and it was crazy.... They had the sickest reads on each other that I've ever seen. I called when she bluffed all in (after going into the tank for a minute or two) and he immediately said "good call", and she turned over her bluff. She called him with a high card on one of his bluffs. This went on all night long. I guess once you've slept with someone, they become easy to read...... well, I guess you haven't had the same luck.
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well, I guess you haven't had the same luck.Are you implying that he has never slept with himself?
No, my friend. The implication was that he doesn't have as good of a read on his girlfriend, as she has on him.
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If you're playing no-limit, the mistake is probably the amount you are betting. That is, by far, the biggest and best tell when playing against the same player constantly. Most people raise the same amount preflop to disguise their hands but they fail to continue this throughout the hand.Most players have a specific amount they bet when they want to get paid off on a made hand and a specific amount they bet when they are bluffing. This is such a great tell in no-limit and especially heads-up no limit. People who bet on draws also like to bet a specific amount and this too becomes obvious. Think about your play and ask yourself if you do this. I cannot understate how big this is. Also, dont talk during a hand...your girlfriend probably knows you well enough to know when you are lying/bluffing and telling the truth/value betting.Hope this helps!Adidas Freak

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If you're playing no-limit, the mistake is probably the amount you are betting. That is, by far, the biggest and best tell when playing against the same player constantly. Most people raise the same amount preflop to disguise their hands but they fail to continue this throughout the hand.Most players have a specific amount they bet when they want to get paid off on a made hand and a specific amount they bet when they are bluffing. This is such a great tell in no-limit and especially heads-up no limit. People who bet on draws also like to bet a specific amount and this too becomes obvious. Think about your play and ask yourself if you do this. I cannot understate how big this is. Also, dont talk during a hand...your girlfriend probably knows you well enough to know when you are lying/bluffing and telling the truth/value betting.Hope this helps!Adidas Freak

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I was wonder if anyone knows a good way to spot your own tells. I have read many poker books including Mike Caros Book on Poker Tells. I can spot tells here and there are players I've played with for only a little bit, but last night my Girlfriend (Who is quite a good poker player herself) said she figured out a tell on me and proceeded to call fairly accuratly the strength of my hands and refuses to tell me. Being a Guy I cannot allow my girlfriend to beat me in poker, I want to see her win and do well against anyone else, but just not against me. Any Suggestions?
I know it's lame, but in the past I would practice while playing online. Whenever I came into a pot, I would try to pretend like I was sitting at a table full of people and what I would do. It's really just a matter of keen observation. There are things that you probably know you do whenever you have a strong hand and whenever you are bluffing. Really pay attention to try and become aware of those things, then start looking for those same attributes in other people.
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Thx for the Replys, I was thinknig before about setting up a camera because I know it's not one of normal tells, i.e shaking hands, betting differntly, leaning back, holding my breath. I've made sure I don't do any of those. So heres a second part, what are some of your tells, that are more complicated then just betting pattern or shaking of your hands?(adidas freak, Send me a Msg of your name. Cause I live in Corona, Ca. Maybe I know you and if not.... I need more money :club: )

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I think you should be able to beat low limit hold'em games even if your opponents knew your exact two hole cards.Fish: Oh, so you've got AA. That means my J9s has lots of outs.

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Stake your girlfriend and let her play. (sw)Practice in front of the mirror and see how you bet when you have a monster and see how you bet when you have nothing(they should be the same). Actually put the cards in front of you like you're sitting at a table. Look for hand motion, what hand you use, your betting pattern, your eye movements, the tone of your voice(dont need a mirror for that). Everything. That's what the pros say to do.
I see where you are going with this advice, so I'm not making fun of you, but...I am picturing some guy sitting in front of a mirror trying to catch his eye movements. The cards are dealt...the eyes move...then the eyes immediately swing back to the mirror to see where they are looking. But if they are looking at the mirror they can't see where they are looking. This goes on for hours until said guy has a siezure from all the sudden eye movements. The siezure cuts off all his ability to move his facial muscles, so he becomes a poker champion due to his lack of any facial tells. Unfortunately, his girlfriend still beats him every time (but that's because she has secretly been cheating the whole time).No, I'm not an idiot. I know that you can tell where your eyes moved without looking at the mirror. I still found it funny.
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don't believe her. My girl likes to screw with my head, by every time i bluff she calls and she brags on how she always know when i'm lying. Shes just a call station though. Your prbably tilitng cause off it too. Anyway, do everything the extact same every time... cross your arms and stare at the pot, concentrate on your breathing. When in doubt, innundate her with info by doing everything, talking, standing, laughing, touch your face every hand, any tell you had will be mixed with about 20 false tells.

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I was wonder if anyone knows a good way to spot your own tells. I have read many poker books including Mike Caros Book on Poker Tells. I can spot tells here and there are players I've played with for only a little bit, but last night my Girlfriend (Who is quite a good poker player herself) said she figured out a tell on me and proceeded to call fairly accuratly the strength of my hands and refuses to tell me. Being a Guy I cannot allow my girlfriend to beat me in poker, I want to see her win and do well against anyone else, but just not against me. Any Suggestions?
Heres a few tips.. first, become a better player, and start pickin up tells onher., When you can pick tellsup on her, and get her off her game, she wont be able to pick up as many on you.2nd., try some caro tips since u readhis books., Dont look at flops., look at her, when the cards are being delt. Smile., dont try to hide a strong hand., or a bluff., let out some emotion at times, and smile., or talk smack.and last.. Think about her naked.. oh wait.. thats what i'm doin.. hahahah
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Thx for the Replys, I was thinknig before about setting up a camera because I know it's not one of normal tells, i.e shaking hands, betting differntly, leaning back, holding my breath. I've made sure I don't do any of those. So heres a second part, what are some of your tells, that are more complicated then just betting pattern or shaking of your hands?(adidas freak, Send me a Msg of your name. Cause I live in Corona, Ca. Maybe I know you and if not.... I need more money :club: )
I have a habit of clenching my jaw when i have a tough decision. It took me 1 1/2 years to figure out i do this.
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Guest Anonymous
Practice in front of the mirror and see how you bet when you have a monster and see how you bet when you have nothing(they should be the same). Actually put the cards in front of you like you're sitting at a table. Look for hand motion, what hand you use, your betting pattern, your eye movements, the tone of your voice(dont need a mirror for that). Everything. That's what the pros say to do.
LMAO
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If you're playing no-limit, the mistake is probably the amount you are betting. That is, by far, the biggest and best tell when playing against the same player constantly. Most people raise the same amount preflop to disguise their hands but they fail to continue this throughout the hand.Most players have a specific amount they bet when they want to get paid off on a made hand and a specific amount they bet when they are bluffing. This is such a great tell in no-limit and especially heads-up no limit. People who bet on draws also like to bet a specific amount and this too becomes obvious. Think about your play and ask yourself if you do this. I cannot understate how big this is. Also, dont talk during a hand...your girlfriend probably knows you well enough to know when you are lying/bluffing and telling the truth/value betting.Hope this helps!Adidas Freak
The OP would do well to take this advice to heart. Most people use the term "betting patterns". IMO, the ability to pick up on betting patterns is more important than the ability to spot a physical tell on your opponent.
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Anyway, do everything the extact same every time... cross your arms and stare at the pot, concentrate on your breathing. When in doubt, innundate her with info by doing everything, talking, standing, laughing, touch your face every hand, any tell you had will be mixed with about 20 false tells.
If I was ever in a homegame and someone did that on a regular basis, i'd pepper spray them
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I smile when I hit a draw and frown when I miss it.Think anyone can spot that ;-)Seriously, don't try to figure it out. You'll go nuts.Instead try to change the way you do things. If you are right handed, try betting with your left. Pick up and count as many chips as you need, set them all out at once, left handed and then don't straighten or touch them again. Focus on being consistent - not eliminating tells. Also if you suspect a player has a tell on you, start watching them. Seeing when they look at you is a great way to narrow down what it is. Esp if they aren't in the hand, other than confirming their tell, there is little reason to watch you. (Well, lots of reason but most players are WAY too lazy.)

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