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Nervousness
Genuine nervousness is hard to fake. Usually you should interpret it for what it means. Fine, but what does it mean? If a poker player seems nervous, is it because he has a strong hand or because he’s bluffing?
Many people suspect that players show more nervousness when they’re bluffing. After all, there’s a great deal of strain involved when you’re bluffing and you know everyone’s attention is focused on you. Some players are so scared when they bluff that they scarcely breathe.
So, are players with weak hands more likely to show nervousness than players with strong hands? Usually not! And especially not in limit poker. In no-limit games where the strain of bluffing into a large pot can bring genuine nervousness to the surface, you could argue that players are more likely to remain calm when they have a big hand than when they’re bluffing.
Not true. Even in no-limit poker, there’s an overwhelming tendency for players to appear calm when they’re bluffing. In a sense, But disguising nervousness by conveying calm is not always a conscious act. Often it’s something a player who’s bluffing does instinctively out of fear of being discovered.
Misinterpreting nervousness can be an extremely expensive poker mistake. That’s why I want you to profit by understanding what makes a player shake, what makes him jittery and what makes him impatient. Find texas holdem at the top online casino and play whenever you wish!
When a player makes a very big hand, he may begin to shake noticeably. In general, this is a release of tension and should not be interpreted as concern over his fate. Many millions of dollars (and that’s no exaggeration) are lost every year by calling players who suddenly begin to tremble.
Here’s something even more important. If a player has a big hand, has already bet and is waiting for your call, he may tap his finger rhythmically on the table. He is usually unaware he’s performing this impatient act. Among many players, even some world-class players, you’ll see this (usually in a limit game) only when they are already pretty certain of winning the pot and the only remaining suspense is whether or not you’ll call. If this is their habit and once in a while they bet but do not tap a finger, you can be almost 100 % sure they’re either bluffing or they feel the hand is vulnerable.
Remember, most players show obvious outward nervousness only when they’re in very little danger. If they’re in great jeopardy, they struggle to control their nervousness until their fate is decided. Yes, they’re nervous, but they won’t let you know it if they can help it. One nervous clue to bluffing is very shallow breathing or even the holding of breath.
Additionally, players may be afraid to look at you or the pot. On the other hand, they may have read somewhere that players who won’t look you in the eye are apt to be bluffing, so they’ll compensate by staring at you blatantly. Make sure your opponent isn’t trying to fool you, lest you make an erroneous conclusion about his behavior. If you’re bound and determined to interpret eye contact, then the most common sign that an opponent is bluffing is if he’ll look at you very briefly, offer a semi-smile and then glance away quickly. That’s an attempt to look you in the eye and act unafraid. The action is cut short because the player can’t maintain the act under great pressure. In that case, call.
Keep in mind that players who are bluffing genuinely bolster themselves and keep their movements reserved (except for any conscious acts they may try to convey). This means if a player has bet and his knee is jittering beneath the table (you can usually see, feel or sense this), then it is extremely unlikely that he’s bluffing. If he normally jerks his knee up and down between and during hands, expect him to stop if ever he bluffs. This is a very important tell. Its Value Per Hour is much greater than most unaware tells, more than $3 in a typical $10 limit game.
