Nathan Williams, a highly respected poker pro, coach, and best-selling author, is the founder of BlackRain79.com and has built a large following on YouTube. Recently, he shared seven essential tips for reading your opponents in poker, as reading is one of the most essential skills in poker. These powerful insights can give you a significant edge over your competition.
1 – Try To Intimidate You
One of the biggest tells in poker is when someone stares you down, trying to look confident and intimidating. In reality, acting strong usually means the exact opposite—it’s a classic sign of weakness.
If a player is looking you directly in the eye after making a big bet, they’re often bluffing. They want to convince you they have the nuts when deep down, they’re just praying you fold! Don’t fall for the act—call their bluff and scoop up the pot!
2 – Hollywood Raise
One of the biggest red flags in poker is the classic “Hollywood raise” combined with a speech. When a player starts talking a lot and then suddenly makes a big raise, it’s almost always a monster hand. Don’t get fooled—just fold! For example, let’s say you have pocket Aces, and a tight-aggressive (TAG) player re-raises you on the river with a board of 6s-7d-5h-Jd-Ks.
This is almost never a bluff. More often than not, they’re slow-playing a super-strong hand like a straight with 8-9, a set of sixes, sevens, or fives, or even a sneaky set of Jacks. The best move here? Save your chips and fold.
3 – The story Doesn’t Make Sense
When someone bluffs, their story doesn’t make sense. If the hand they’re representing doesn’t match the range of hands they would typically play in that situation, you have a major clue that something is off. For example, say you raise with Ace-Jack of diamonds from the cutoff, and a loose-aggressive player calls you on the button.
The board runs out Js-7h-6h-Kd-Qs. You decide to check-call the entire way, knowing your opponent is capable of bluffing. When they turn over Ace-eight of hearts—complete air—you know you made the right read and ship the pot. This is why it’s crucial to pay attention to whether your opponent’s betting line makes sense. If their actions don’t match a logical hand, they might just be trying to push you off your hand with nothing.
4 – Larger Than Normal Bet
A larger-than-normal bet is often a classic sign of weakness. Many amateur players use this tactic in an attempt to scare you away from the pot. It’s the poker equivalent of a little dog with a big bark—they want to appear strong because their hand isn’t. Skilled players recognize this bluff for what it is and don’t fall for it. Instead of folding immediately, consider the context of the hand and whether their oversized bet makes sense. If it seems forced, it’s probably just a weak attempt to push you off your hand.
5 – Talking Too Much
Talking too much at the poker table is a classic tell that often signals weakness. When a player starts acting overly confident, chatting excessively, or even taunting you, it’s usually false bravado—they’re trying to convince you they have a strong hand when they really don’t.
This tell isn’t just limited to live poker; it can also apply online through chat or excessive table talk. On the flip side, the opposite is also true: when someone who was previously chatty suddenly goes silent, that’s a big red flag—they probably have a monster hand
6 – Fast Decision Making
Acting too quickly at the poker table is a major tell that someone isn’t strong. When a player instantly bets or raises without taking any time to think, it’s often a sign of weakness. This is a classic mistake made by recreational players.
Most players who actually flop a big hand, like 8h9h on a board of 7s-6d-5h, will take a moment to consider their options rather than snap-betting. So, when you see someone instantly betting or raising, it usually means they have a mediocre hand at best. Use this to your advantage and make better decisions.
7 – Check/Raising a Paired Board
Check-raising a paired flop is one of the most common and easy-to-read bluffs that amateur players make. Don’t fall for it! For example, let’s say you have pocket sevens in the middle position, and a recreational player calls you from the big blind. The flop comes 8c-8d-3h, and after you make a bet, they suddenly check-raise.
This is almost always a bluff, as they are representing a very narrow range of hands that actually have you beat. Against a typical recreational player, this is an easy call because they are likely just trying to push you off the pot without real strength.
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Source: BlackRain79Poker
