Live Poker Tells: How to Read Hands from Your Opponent's Behavior

From bet sizing patterns and timing tells to body language — a practical guide to reading live poker tells at the table.

Extra Information in Live Poker

Online, you rely on HUD stats to make decisions. In live poker, the information comes from the behavior right in front of you.

Bet Sizing Tells

Pattern	Meaning (Most Recreational Players)
Sudden large bet (pot-sized or more)	Close to the nuts — strong hand (value)
Smaller bet than usual	Medium-strength hand — "just trying to find out where I'm at"
Exact pot-sized bet	Pre-planned bet → usually a strong hand
Awkward sizing (37, 73, etc.)	Random sizing from an inexperienced player

Timing Tells

Pattern	Meaning
Quick call	Medium-strength hand (draw or marginal made hand) — already decided
Long pause then bet	Usually strong — was thinking about sizing (not whether to bet)
Long pause then check	Weak — wanted to bet but gave up
Instant raise	Extreme — either very strong or a planned bluff

Body Language Tells

Pattern	Meaning
Glances at chips (after board cards)	Hit — thinking "how much should I bet?"
Sits up straight	Excited about a strong hand
Touches mouth/nose	Discomfort → often a bluff
Hands trembling	Strong hand (adrenaline, not nervousness)
Sighs then bets	Acting — pretending to be weak but actually strong
Throws chips aggressively	Acting — pretending to be strong but actually weak

Practical Checklist

Live Tells Checklist

Have you identified your opponent's normal behavior pattern first? (baseline)Are you using tells only as supplementary information to your range analysis?Are you avoiding over-relying on tells against experienced opponents?Are you managing your own tells? (maintaining consistent behavior)

Source: Upswing Poker, PokerCoaching