Poker tells and live table craft, for games on camera

A friendly guide for video poker nights. 18+ · play money only.

Most online poker is faceless. On No Folds Given you can see and hear the people you're playing with, so the old live-poker skills are back: reading the table, keeping your own poker face, and being good company. This page covers all three. One warning before you start: a tell is a clue, not proof. Use what you see to tip a close decision, never to override what the betting is telling you.

1. Baseline first, then look for changes

The single most useful habit is learning how each player looks when nothing is at stake. Watch them in hands they've already folded, or while they wait for cards: how they sit, how much they talk, how long they take to act, where they look. A tell is a change from that baseline. A player who always fidgets isn't telling you anything by fidgeting; a chatty player who suddenly goes silent is.

2. Timing: the most reliable tell online

Every action at the table runs on the same clock, so timing is easy to compare and hard to fake for long. Common patterns at friendly tables, each with plenty of exceptions:

Instant calls often mean a decent hand or a draw that didn't need thinking about. With a monster, most people pause to consider a raise.
Instant checks often mean the player has already given up on the hand.
A long think followed by a small bet is often a medium hand looking for a cheap showdown.
A long think followed by a big bet or all-in splits both ways, so check it against how that player usually behaves.

Video always runs a fraction of a second behind the cards, so judge timing by when the action lands on the table, not by when someone's hand moves on screen.

3. What the camera shows you

A webcam usually shows head and shoulders, which is where many of the classic tells live anyway:

Engagement. Leaning in, sitting up or a sudden burst of attention when the flop lands often means the board helped them. Slumping, leaning back or looking away often means it missed.
Glancing at the chips. A quick look at their own stack right after a card comes out often means they're already planning a bet.
Stillness. Many players freeze when they bluff: less movement, shallower breathing, a fixed stare. The same players are often loose and chatty with a strong hand.
Hands near the face. Covering the mouth or touching the face can show discomfort, but it's also just a habit for some people. That's why the baseline matters.
Smiles. A real smile reaches the eyes. A tight, mouth-only smile after a big bet is more often nerves than joy.
Camera behaviour. Someone who turns their camera off, looks off screen or reaches for another device right before a big decision is worth noting.

Small video tiles hide detail. To study one player during a hand, switch the table camera to Player, or leave it on Auto to follow the action for you.

4. Voice and table talk

Hearing each other is half the fun, and talk gives away a lot:

Acting is usually backwards. A player who sighs, shrugs or says "I guess I'll call" is often strong; one who loudly announces a bet with a big show is often weak. People tend to act the opposite of what they hold.
Relaxed talk is usually real. Easy, natural chat during a hand usually means comfort. Bluffers tend to go quiet or give short, clipped answers.
Over-explaining. A long, unprompted story about why they bet often means they're trying to sell you something.
Voice changes. A higher pitch, a dry throat or a pause before answering can show stress. Compare it with how they sounded an hour ago.

Asking an opponent a friendly question during a hand ("Do you want a call?") is a classic way to probe. Keep it light and good-natured, and stop if the table doesn't enjoy it.

5. Betting patterns beat body language

The strongest "tells" at most tables are in the chips. Look for:

Bet sizes that change with hand strength. One size for bluffs and another for value is the most common leak at home games.
The minimum raise. At friendly tables it's often a strong hand trying not to scare anyone away.
A sudden check after betting every street. It often means the last card hurt them, or they're setting a trap. Check which is more like that player.
The showdown. Whenever cards are shown, connect them to how that player acted during the hand. That's how you learn their tells for next time.

Our GTO strategy guide covers sizing and ranges in more depth.

6. Fake tells and levelling

Once your friends read this page, some of them will start acting on purpose. That's fine; it's part of the game. Fake tells are usually too obvious and too well timed. A real tell is small and happens before the player has had time to think. If a "tell" looks like a performance, trust the betting instead.

7. Hiding your own tells on camera

Have a routine. Take roughly the same time for every decision, easy or hard, and act the same way each time.
Watch the players when the flop comes, not the cards. The board stays on screen; their first reaction doesn't.
Hold one posture and one place to look. Pick a comfortable position and a fixed spot on screen, and return to them after every action.
Talk the same way whatever you hold, or don't talk at all while you're in a hand.
Don't celebrate early. React after the hand is finished, not when the river card lands.
Use the tools. Your camera is always optional: choose Avatar in Your look if you'd rather play behind your character, and mute your mic between hands if you tend to sigh.

8. Live table etiquette, livestream edition

Good manners matter as much on video as they do at a real table:

Act in turn and don't hold up the table. Use the timer as a limit, not a target.
Don't slow-roll. If you have the winning hand at showdown, show it.
One player to a hand. If you've folded, don't comment on a hand that's still being played, and never hint at what you folded.
No angle shooting. Don't fake actions or try to trick people with the interface.
Respect the host's rules on cameras, coaching, chat and buy-ins.
Keep it clean. No nudity, no hate, no harassment, no filming or screenshotting other players without their consent. If a friend wouldn't want it on a stream, don't put it on yours.
Win and lose well. Say "nice hand", take bad beats with a laugh, and remember it's play money.

9. Set up for a good poker face

Light in front of you, not behind. A window or lamp behind you turns you into a silhouette.
Camera at eye level, about an arm's length away, showing head and shoulders.
Headphones stop echo, and stop the table hearing itself through your speakers.
A steady connection keeps your video sharp. Close downloads and other video apps, and use a wired connection or sit near your router if you can.
On a phone, use a stand. A hand-held phone shakes on every big decision, which is a tell in itself.
Picture quality adjusts to your device and connection automatically, up to 1080p. A sharp, steady picture makes the game better for everyone.

10. Honest limits

Tells are probabilities, not mind-reading. Most of them are weak on their own, they vary from person to person, and video compression and small tiles hide a lot of detail. The players who get the most from tells use them as a tie-breaker in close spots, after the maths and the betting. Play-money games also play differently from real-money ones: people bluff more, call more and care less, so read the table you're at.

11. A practice plan

Each session, pick one player and one thing to watch, such as their timing or what they do after the flop.
After showdowns, ask yourself what you saw before the cards came out.
Afterwards, review your hand history and look for spots where a read would have changed your decision.
Swap notes with your friends after the game. Telling each other your tells is a great way to get better together.

← Back to the felt: create a free table and put this into practice