The Truth About Poker Tells
Here is a little secret. If you believe that poker is all about watching for twitchy eye or a flared nostril, you are quite wrong. Most poker players, at least those who are new to the game, are preoccupied with the knowledge that bluffing and the skill to determine tells is what it's all about.
This article might be a awakening for you. While it is really important to be aware and avoid giving away to much information with your body habits, it is not as important as knowing, learning, and understanding the basic fundamentals of the game.
What separates the good players from the great ones? Familiarity about tells would be one factor, but it is simply not the most important. The answer is, the ability to read hands, the skill to store and process information that you have gathered from your opponents in the current hands and in the previous hands, and try to use those information to narrow down your opponent's edge. Knowing your opponent's betting patterns and understanding what they are and aren't capable of doing, will make this much easier. A great player makes his read based on the actual betting that happens, not on the opponent's facial tics or habits.
Many professional poker players simply use scare tactics to make you feel uncomfortable. When you make a bet whether it is a bluff or not and your opponent throws his cards in immediately, or maybe calls immediately, is that intimidating? Maybe not. But if takes extra time? Then he stares you down. He makes it look like he might raise his bet by cutting out his chips. I think that might make you sweat a little, most likely if you are really bluffing. If it does not make you sweat, at least it made you a bit uncomfortable because of the staring. As simple as that but it is all part of the tactic don't let it affect you.
The simple rule about staring down is, the tougher your opponent the less you should do it. If it seems that you are up against an average player or a weaker player, you may send out false tells basically try to manipulate his decision in your favor. But this is not that easy when you are playing with great players. Great players can usually read what you are doing, so you don't want him to get any information from you. It's better not to give him anything. Don't sweat it; it is all part of the plan.