We’ve all seen the movies. Le Chiffre with the Thumb Flip in Casino Royale… Teddy KGB and the Oreos in Rounders… These tells helped James and Mike understand their respective opponent’s game before going on to clean house.

Away from the big screen, professional poker players must be able to know when to lay down a good hand or make a big call with a weak holding.

One way they can do this is by learning the different timing tells given off by their opponents. 

To the untrained players, timings don’t mean anything. But to a professional who knows what they’re looking for, timing tells can help influence their next move.

Here are 10 timing tips for a professional poker player.

1. Calling The Blinds As Soon As They See Their Cards

When your opponents call the blinds preflop rather than raising, this never a strong hand. 

The types of hands you can expect your opponents to have are low suited connectors, very small pairs and off-suit weak broadways.

This move is made to typically avoid making a preflop decision, see a flop and go from there. 

Solution: play tight and raise big to avoid playing big multiway pots.

2. Betting The Flop Very Quickly

This indicates one of two things.

The first is that the opponent’s hand is not very strong. The other is that they aren’t sure about their next move so will just bet for the sake of it.

Most players will take their time before deciding what to do when they have a strong hand. If they are bluffing, they will take just as long to make a decision.

Solution: include more bluff raises into your game.

3. Betting The Turn Very Quickly 

This is similar to the first timing tell. Players that make quick bets on the turn are not likely to have a strong hand. The hands you can expect your opponents to have are a weak overpair or they’re on some sort of draw.

But as explained by Lucian Marinescu, partner at OnlineCasinoGems, “don’t bluff a calling station too often”.

Solution: raise light more often on the turn for value.

4. Pausing And Then Checking 

Whether it’s preflop or postflop, players that take a pause and then check is a timing tell that indicates they have a weak hand.

Don’t think you are being trapped in this spot. This is a line that hardly ever happens, especially by recreational players.

They’ll likely have a hand with some showdown value like middle to third pair, or a draw they didn’t want to bet.

Solution: bet frequently for value and as a bluff. 

5. Pausing And Then Betting/Raising

This next timing tip for a professional poker player is a sign that the opponent is strong. 

If they have something good, you’ll notice that they take longer to act compared to the way they’ve played on earlier streets and in previous hands.

Recreational players will not bluff creatively either. Most of their bluffs will be ace highs that missed or basic missed flush and straight draws.

Solution: fold unless you also have a very strong hand per this awesome article from GamblingNewsMagazine. 

5. Calling Your Bet Quickly

In this scenario, your opponent likely has a hand of medium strength or they are on a draw.

When you have it, bet all three streets to extract as much money from them as you can.

On the other hand, recreational players will overvalue their hand in this spot too. If they make a top pair, don’t expect them to fold anytime soon. 

Solution: bet aggressively and big with value hands and avoid big bluffs against calling stations.

6. Quick Check To You On The River

Again, this timing tip for a professional poker player identifies weaker holdings. If they had a strong holding, they would be betting.

It’s as simple as that.

Expect your opponents to show up with a middle pair, a top pair with a weak kicker or they’ve given up bluffing.

Solution: always bet the river. Larger sizings make them more likely to fold, making bluffs more profitable but rewarding your value hands with large payoffs.

7. Instantly Checking On Turn/River

When your opponent is out of position and checks to you after calling a flop bet, chances are they have made up their mind already and will call your turn/river bet.

Think back to previous hands they’ve played. Do they always have a made hand or could they have a draw?

This gives you a chance to make lots of money when you’re sure you have them beat.

Solution: bet big with your strong hands as they will likely call your bet. If they float with flush and obvious straight draws, betting is the right play in this spot too.

8. Instantly Check-Raising Your Bet

While instant checks are a sign of weakness, instant check-raises are a sign that your opponent has the goods.

Players that instantly check-raise your bet are very excited about their hand and can’t wait to hit that raise button.

Be aware though that on a draw-heavy board, an instant check-raise could be a sign that they are on a draw and looking to see the next card for cheap.

Solution: include more 3bets postflop in your strategy according to GamblersDailyDigest.

9. Taking The Betting Lead On The River

If your opponent is out of position on the flop and they end up taking the betting lead on the river, they will usually have a mediocre bet at best.

Expect them to show up with a lot of missed draws too.

Solution: raise more often in this spot but be aware of calling stations that will be more than happy to call your bluff, no matter what.

10. Checking In The Dark

This isn’t used often. Most recreational players use this move because they’ve seen it used on TV or YouTube highlight video.

The go-to read on this timing tip is that they aren’t strong. Occasionally, they’ll use it to try and fool you into betting but this is not the standard fun-player move.

Solution: do a lot of betting. Checking back often in this spot will give your opponent the chance to hit a free card.