My wife is good friends with many of the players who play in my home game, so she often comes down to say hello. She says she can tell how strong my hand by observing my actions, and has pointed out to me multiple times that I often rock back and forth and move around a lot when I think I have a strong hand, because, as she puts it, "You clearly know you have the best hand and can't contain your excitement."
Thankfully, she has never pointed it out to the group and usually brings it up the next day. I'm certainly not aware that it's happening in the moment, but she has caught me doing it when I play other games with her (Settlers of Catan, cribbage, etc.) and she's been 100% right every time.
Is this a common tell? And if so, any advice on what I can do to get my ass to sit still when I've got a monster?
As a side note, my wife is an admittedly terrible poker player -- she has a great instinct for games and would likely be a force if she liked it, but it's just not her thing. That said, she's taken a seat in our home game a total of three times in the 11 years we've known each other, and each time she proceeded to take all my money then redistribute it to my friends.
No, most people learn darn fast not to do anything that obvious. Suggestions if you can't stop just by being more careful:
1. Make a point of doing the same thing from time to time when you don't have a good hand. That takes away from the value of the tell.
2. Advice for public speakers trying to stop fidgeting or rocking on their feet is: Secretly squeeze your thumb and middle finger together. Try doing this if you can't stop fidgeting during a poker game.
1) Very good proof that the more information (base line) you have the better you will be at reading someone's tells.
2) How to get rid of it? Take one night and really focus on your actions the whole night, even to the point that you narrow your range of hands in order to do so. Try to pick up on anything else you may be doing.
3) Try the 'rock and roll' move with some junker hands and see if the players react the same. Are you taking these pots down at showdown or before?
4) Hard to imagine in 11 years that one of your friends has failed to 'kid' you about this .. unless EVERYONE knows and isn't telling you. GL
A friend and I were sharing notes on live tells, and he mentioned this specific tell about a month ago. He described it as a kid swivveling in his chair because he is excited. Since then, I've noticed it about 10 times, and only once was it a bluff, but that could've been the player fidgeting because of anticipation. All other times it has been the stone cold nuts.
Yes, it's a common tell to feel more comfortable when you have a strong hand, and to talk less, move less, etc. when you are in a big pot with a weak hand.
Yes it is a common tell I call it the wiggle in casinos you ll see the side shift after a deep breathe when they are strong. Many players aren't as pronounced, but be aware when a player straightens his posture or squares his shoulders' or LEANS forward.
If a player is excited throughout the hand it can be a sign of strength. Watch when they bet or make an action. If they suddenly freeze while betting, then go back to fidgeting, they could be bluffing. This is also seen with people who like to tap their feet, they tap stronger and faster when they have a good hand. Then when bluffing, they will momentarily stop the while they bet, then begin tapping again. If you can't see their feet, you can still see observe the player's body or shirt shake.
