Answering poker questions during play?

Question

Let's say you're playing poker and you go all in and the person thinking about whether to call you or not asks "what do you have" or "should I call you?" What is the best way, bluffing or not, to answer without giving any tells?

Answer 1

First of all you shouldn't say anything since many professional players in the world will pick up on anything you say, from your voice to your sound depth and pitch of voice and since poker involves tons of money to be won and lost your opponent might be a good reader.

But in case you do want to answer the best thing to say would be depending on your opponent. In poker nothing is the right answer. Sometimes it pays to act weak sometimes it pays to act strong when you really are strong.

So it depends. Possible answers include.

Hey this is what I have . Showing one card face up. Usually to confuse them even more(Use this to your advantage as much as possible)

If I told you then you would know exactly what to do.

Say you have nothing when you really have nothing or you have a strong hand depending on how your opponent will think.

Just say I have a good hand to confuse your opponent

: i got better hand than you do. This will make them feel like calling when you have a strong hand but again anything can be usen as reverse psychology.

: Or say something you don't have is what I have.

: Or say sorry buddy but this is poker.

Answer 2

It really depend on your personality, you can't "fake that"  You need to feel comfortable, so if you're a talker...You might want to talk him out for a call or for a fold, some players are great with that.  Poker is a people game, it's all about psychology.  Others, don't even said one word at the table.  I'm like that, I'm not a talker, I give the minimum of information to my opponent, it doesn't matter if I have the nuts or if I'm bluffing.  Pay attention to your image at the table, and the image of your opponent, and also the image of the all table itself, maybe your opponent just won or lost a big pot...etc, all those table informations are important.  Depending on the information you have on your opponent, you're going to try to put him "out of his comfort zone"  Basically:  Feel comfortable with your action, so you won't give any tells.  But what about the false tells?  Try several thing and see where you feel the most comfortable, without any acting.  If you leave your opponent in the doubt, that specific hand is going to bother him for a while.  Also, if you talk him out of the hand, he might wonder if he made a good laydown or not.  So both way are good.  This can't be teach, each situations and each opponent are unique.

  Play money is not real poker!  It's good for a beginner to learn the basic, that's it.  Strategy won't work in play money.

Answer 3

If you are playing for free, tell them exactly what you have because it does not cost you anything.

Answer 4

That depends on if you want them to call you or not.  Sometimes I'll just ignore them, sometimes I'll say "I've got the nuts" or "I caught a good piece of the flop."  Telling them your cards is illegal though.  Don't do it.

When they do this, it's obviously looking for an angle.  s***w with them.  Wink at them, smile at them, or just give them a good old fashioned blank stare.

Answer 5

Just don't say anthying. You do not have to answer any questions at the table.

Answer 6

It's against the rules to say anything specific about the cards you're holding, and even in a cash home game it's bad etiquette.  More general answers are allowed.

Most players will try very hard not to answer at all.  They'll freeze up like a statue, turn away from the asker, cover their eyes with glasses or a hat, or even cover their whole head (ala Uni-bomber.)

Many (like Doyle, for example) might answer that question with a disapproving stare, as if to say "quit asking stupid questions and play poker."

Others (like Negreanu) might hit you with every bit of detail he can think of, just shy of "K of clubs and a low spade."

Or like Matusow, mock and berate you for even being in the hand and THINKING about playing, much less asking about it.

No one can tell you how YOU should answer the question though.  It's entirely up to your personality and comfort zone on the table.

As for me, I usually answer any inquiry by making eye contact, smiling a little, and waiting.

Answer 7

I say, "If you looking for my tell it's this!"

Then I make f**t noises and cross my eyes.

That usually throws them off.  Nine times out of ten that has caused a fold.

Answer 8

"I'd like to help you, but I'm in the middle of a hand right now."

Answer 9

I try not to talk when I'm in a hand, as anything you say is information that can be used against you.  That's why people ask.  No matter what you say it's a potential tell.  But when I do open my mouth I try to be witty.  If it's a rainbow board I'll tell them I have a flush.  If the board hasn't paired I'll tell them I have quads.  If they ask me what cards I'm holding I'll tell them a green four from an uno deck and a get out of jail free card.  That often knocks them off stride just enough that they lose their train of thought, especially if you say it with a straight face.  What do you do when someone is OBVIOUSLY lying to you?

Answer 10

If you are playing in a tournament using TDA rules, you are not allowed to discuss the content of your hand, truthfully or not.

if you are playing in a cash game, it depends on what you want and what your table image is. if it is a friendly game, tell them whatever you want. if it is for serious money, you should just sit there and not say or do anything.