TV poker: good for something after all
Last night I had a chance to finally watch Monday's WPT event on GSN. It was the Mandalay Bay tournament from the 2007 season and I decided to watch with Joe Navarro's eyes. Instead of watching for enjoyment or seeing what sick hands would be dealt, I focused on tells. It's not as simple as it may seem because the editing of the show takes away from seeing their reactions when they see the flop, etc. I picked up a few, but there was one very clear tell displayed when the tournament got heads up, and I truly believe it was the difference between winning and losing.
Jared "TheWacoKidd" Hamby, pictured, was about even in chips with Shawn Buchanan when the following hand came up: Hamby had something like A-10 (yes, I know, the Cosenza) and raised preflop. Buchanan called with 33. The flop came somewhat ragged, but I think a queen was in there. Here's where it gets interesting: Hamby, an online pro with a lot of live success as well, bet out fairly quickly and Buchanan called. That's a tell in itself because he's trying to make Buchanan think his hand is so strong he doesn't even have to think to bet. Buchanan may have picked up on this, but that's not the tell I want to discuss. As soon as Buchanan called, Hamby stopped chewing his gum (something he did almost feverishly throughout the match) and when the turn paired Hamby fired out a huge bet. THEN he covered his mouth with the back of his hand. He NEVER did this throughout the whole broadcast. He looked so very nervous when he made that bet. Buchanan had to pick up on this classic tell because he called him all the way down and won with 33!!! This tell is often brought up by Mike Caro, especially in his Book of Tells. When someone is bluffing sometimes they cover their mouth in an effort to "stop the lie" from being told or to cover a smirk. Right after that HUGE hand he did it again later on when he had air. It was classic and something he should work on when he's under stress. He was visibly upset at that point, getting up and pacing and complaining to his horde in the audience that he couldn't believe he called the turn there. "I knew he was weak!" He said. Actually, Jared was the one who was weak, in the Tells Dept.
They both played very well and it was this little tell that probably made the difference between winning and losing. Kudos to Buchanan for picking up on it and cashing in on the title. But if you haven't read Caro's book you should. And of course pick up any of Navarro's books as well. And if you have ANY tells you've seen please list them here I'd love to read about them.
-- Chris
Christopher Cosenza is co-host of the longest running poker podcast on the planet, Ante Up! He started playing poker seriously in 2003 and his favorite players are Phil Ivey and Kenna James, though he tends to act like Phil Hellmuth if you make a bad play against him.
Scott Long, Ante Up!'s other co-host, is the author of the monthly Bet on It column in tbt*. He began gambling way too young (don't tell the fuzz!) and in the seventh grade, named his state "Gambleland" for a school project (State Animal? Loan shark, of course).
My wife spotted a tell I have.
I hold my breath right before I fart.
Posted by: BuddhaBob | April 30, 2008 at 02:51 PM
You are officially banned from playing in our home game. 8-)
Posted by: Chris Cosenza | April 30, 2008 at 03:39 PM
he never even really looked at me during the hand... although I will admit I did look a little different during the hand, I don't think it necessarily equals weakness if he picked up on it...
betting patterns are much more important, tells are very overrated...
and FTR I am much better with my live mannerisms now, although I don't think it mattered at all in the match vs Shawn...
Posted by: | April 30, 2008 at 06:58 PM
Hey Jared, I know that comment was definitely from you even though there's no name because we have a mutual friend. You played a hell of a tournament and I was rooting for you because of what you had said in the WPT pre-final table interview (even though I knew you didn't win from reading about it months ago). I'm happy you've worked on your live mannerisms because even if Shawn hadn't looked at you those abrupt changes in behavior could be misinterpreted and get you a call you don't want. Of course I suck, so what the hell do I know? Do you think he calls if you fire the third shell?
Thanks for commenting, and if you want to be on our show in the future drop me a line at poker@tampabay.com.
Posted by: Chris Cosenza | April 30, 2008 at 07:50 PM
The interesting thing to me is saying the hand covering the mouth is a weak tell if done only in that spot. I believe Joe told Hellmuth to sit with his hands covering his mouth immediately after betting. I guess repeating this every time until it becomes a habit hides the times you do it to cover up a weak hand.
On a side note I'd like to hear more discussion on varying bets and opening raises to break patterns. We had a discussion last week on varying open raises vs opening with the same raise every time no matter what the hand.
Posted by: Ron Trout | April 30, 2008 at 09:44 PM
Great job, Waco!! You played a great FT and are truly a sick player. Along with Chris, I did notice that "tell" or posture myself. You looked nervous and I have noticed I have done this on ocassion myself in live play.
I do agree that tells are overated alot..
It'd be great if you did do an interview with Ante Up!!
Posted by: ReedMoney | May 01, 2008 at 12:25 PM
I railed Jared the other night on FTP when he cashed in one of the bigger tournaments. And then he was on TV and I thought, "Wow, he should be on Ante Up!"
Posted by: Chris Cosenza | May 01, 2008 at 12:42 PM
I play in alot of same nightly MTT's on FTP with him and luckily haven't had the honor of being at the same table as him. It may hurt my bankroll if I sat with him alot.
Posted by: ReedMoney | May 01, 2008 at 01:45 PM