Poker Hand Signals: What Every Player Needs to Know
If you watch a live poker game on TV, you may notice something you probably don’t see when you play at home with friends. Amongst the small talk and the unique names of poker hands uttered by commentators, the players rarely voice their poker moves. Instead, they use simple poker hand signals that tell the dealer and other players what they want to do.
Poker Hand Signals
The next time you find yourself sitting at a poker table, look out for the following poker hand signals or consider doing some of them yourself:
Hand Signal to Check in Poker
If there are no bets on the table and it’s your turn (read our guide to position in poker to learn more), you can check. This means there have been no bets before you, and you want to continue playing without wagering anything.
To check, simply tap the table or your cards. Traditionally, this should be performed as a soft knock on the table with a closed fist, but the dealer will know what you mean if you tap your cards with an index finger instead.
Hand Signal to Call in Poker
A call means that you are meeting someone else’s wager without raising it. You don’t need to perform any specific hand gestures for this move. Simply push the required chip total over the bet line.
Hand Signal to Bet/Raise in Poker
A bet is a straightforward move. You’re opening the betting, which means there are no other active wagers at that time. So, simply count out the required chips and then push them over the line. You can declare the amount or leave it to the dealer to check.
A raise is also performed by moving your chips. In this case, you must match the initial bet before adding extra chips into the pot.
Hand Signal to Fold in Poker
A fold means you are giving up your hand. Usually, this action is performed by placing your cards face down and then pushing or tossing them toward the dealer.
Do You Need to Use Poker Hand Signals?
As with hand signals for blackjack and other games, poker gestures are not mandatory. You don’t need to use them if you don’t want to. In fact, in many variants, you can’t use them. Performing hand signals for video poker hands and online poker will just get you some strange looks from your partner.
What to Consider When Using Poker Hand Signals
Other players scrutinize everything you do at the poker table, including whether you express your hands verbally or use hand signals. They won’t necessarily care about which one you do, but if you suddenly change or have shaky hands when you push your chips, they might take this as a sign that you’re hiding something.
A player bluffing a big pot might change their approach because they’re anxious about their hand and not thinking about their actions. This is known as a “tell”. Most players have them, but some are more obvious than others, so pay attention to your actions and try to keep everything consistent.
Poker Card Terms Worth Knowing
In addition to hand gestures to fold, check, raise, and call in poker, some commonly used terms reference specific cards and hands. These include:
- Doyle Brunson = 10 2
- Dead Man’s Hand = A A 8 8
- Pocket Aces = A A
- Cowboys = K K
- Ladies = Q Q
- Fish Hooks = J J
- Dimes = 10 10
- Wayne Gretzky = 9 9
- Snowmen = 8 8
- Hockey Sticks = 7 7
- Route 66 = 6 6
- Nickels = 5 5
- Darth Vadar = 4 4
- Treys = 3 3
- Deuces = 2 2
Summary: Hand Signals for Poker Moves
Poker is a complex game with a lot at stake. Hand signals like the ones discussed above help to keep things moving at a steady pace and without too much noise. Players can focus on their hands and don’t need to talk and engage unless they want to.
So, if you want to add some cool moves to your poker repertoire, try out these poker hand signals the next time you play. If you want to learn more about this game, read our card game guide.
Poker Common Queries
What are the hand signals for poker?
Most moves can be made simply by moving your chips past the bet line (to call, bet, or raise) or discarding your cards (to fold).
How do you signal a check in poker?
A check is performed by lightly tapping on the table.
What is the check gesture in poker?
Just tap your knuckles on the table or lightly tap your cards with your index finger.
What is the most common tell in poker?
Trembling is a typical tell, even among somewhat experienced players. They are anxious and struggle to hide that anxiety. Players also try to distract themselves when they are bluffing or try too hard to look innocent, so they may start playing with their phone or chips (most players do this, so it’s only a tell if it’s out of character).
Is wash a poker term?
Yes, it refers to the act of scrambling the cards while shuffling.
How do you read poker cards?
Ace is both high and low in poker. It can form a straight through to a five and from a ten. Two is low, so a pair of twos is worth less than a pair of threes, which is less than a pair of fours, etc.
How to read poker hands?
You can’t check for tells in facial expressions and actions when you’re playing online, but you can check for bluffs based on how they play particular hands. Look for patterns in the player’s behavior and pay attention to the showdown. You will steadily learn how they play certain hands and when they have something formidable.
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