There are a lot of popular poker tells circulating among today's poker enthusiasts. Some of them are quite useful, while others are simply wishful thinking. There is also a great difference between live poker tells and online poker tells. Although the game remains the same, the conditions in which players play are obviously totally different. Naturally, there is quite a difference between playing poker in an actual poker room having your opponents seated opposite you, and playing poker in a virtual poker room which only keeps you guessing how other game participants look.

Although live poker play is not less exciting and challenging than its Internet counterpart, in this article we prefer to focus on online poker tells. Collecting information on virtual opponents is certainly not an easy task. The usual body language-related tells easily detectable in offline play, such as 'check out if your opponents' hand are trembling' or 'pay attention to your opponents' chip stack' simply do not work in an online environment. So, what's an online poker gambler to do?

Well, here goes a tell that is very likely to help. Keep close track of your opponents' betting speed because it's a great indication of his general status. A player's betting speed can tell you a lot about his pocket and his potential failure or success in relation to the turn, flop and river. For example, our vast poker experience has taught us that if a player is quick to check, his hand is probably marginal. The equation is very simple: the quicker the check comes the poorer the hand is. Another indication of weakness is a quick bet. While a player with a strong hand will think twice before acting, a player with a weak one will do anything to throw his opponents off guard as rapidly as possible.

Pocket strength has its manifestations as well. For instance, when a player waits and then bets it is a clear sign of him holding a strong hand. Such a player tries to read his opponent's behavior and only after completing the overall analysis does he act. Being confident of his hand, he is in no hurry to act. He is already sure of his success. Another sign of a strong hand is when a player calls instantly. An instant caller is a player who is not afraid to face his opponents. It's like saying 'bring it on,' because 'I'm not going to be the loser here.'

However, no tell, whether in live poker games or online one, is 100% proof. It's a good idea to take into account other considerations before you make your move. Use any and all information that you have (your own hand and the table) to make up your mind regarding your actions. The smartest decisions are the ones you take your time making!