Poker is a skill game that requires you to be strategic when it comes to moving against your enemy. Remember that you are playing to get the pot, and the only way to do so is to beat your opponents or drive them away. Basically, poker is a battle among the players on the table. It is how you play manoeuvre to play against your enemy. Nevertheless, there are many clues or "poker tells" that will help you read your opponents.
Poker tells are the different signs that can give away the situation of your opponents. Hence, there are some gestures, uncontrollable movements and different signs that can give you information about the hand your opponent is holding.
Poker tells can be detected through a player's way of speaking on the table. Those who can participate in conversations smoothly and comfortably are the ones who are confident with their cards. Also, they can be pretty chatty and keep on acting as if they're not paying attention. They keep on asking how much the bet was, or pretending not to notice that it's their turn. This is shows that the player is trying to "turn down" his or her excitement.
One of the poker tells that indicate if the player has a good hand is uncontrollable shaking. Uncontrollable shaking is caused by excitement and extreme enthusiasm. The player is usually impatient to build up the pot, and is very willing to lay down the chips. So whenever a player's hand is shaking as he puts the chips on the pot, chances are, he just can't wait to win the pot.
Poker tells can also be spotted with a player's betting system. For example, watch it when a player calls $10and uses ten $1 chips. He folds after a large raise. Another betting round begins and he calls the $10 bet by using a ten-dollar chip. He raises the bet by using $1 chips. You see that he has a good hand right after the showdown. You therefore know how that player manoeuvres: He uses big denominations with a good hand and smaller ones with a bad hand.
Lastly, when players stare at their chips, it indicates a good hand. Staring at the chips before each betting rounds indicates that they are interested in betting more.
All of these poker tells signify a good hand. Hence, the best way for you to do is to act the opposite way whenever you are in a favourable position. For example, try to act sloppy or uneasy to "show" that you have a bad hand.
Poker tells are an amazing way to act against your opponent. The poker table is a battlefield, and to conquer the pot, you have to know how your enemies work.