Importance of tells online?

Paul3221

I was just wondering how important people think tells are online, and if they're even relevant at all. I play alot of lower limit online, and usually find myself surfing the web or reading a poker book while playing. I don't stay riveted to the game, and I'm wondering if this is a mistake?

I was thinking today that I should be paying closer attention, to see who's playing tight. Who's trying to steal pots, etc, but so many people are coming and going, and at lower limits, I'm not even sure the other players are readable... ;-)

The down side of paying greater attention, would be that I tend to play tighter when I'm doing something else. If I'm not doing anything else, I suspect I might play more questionable hands, just out of boredom.

Any thoughts??

st0neC0ldNutz

That is an interesting point. I have not played a lot of low limit where players are coming in and out regularly...i would think that keeping track of players that you see frequently is a better idea. Keeping notes on your computer about different players is a start. I don't think it hurts to pay attention ever !
However, if you have players switching in and out every few hands and no single player staying for longer that 10mins then it will not help you too much to be focused solely on the game, in which case, you can go and surf the web, read, or whatever....

BBC Z

Your notes on other players at the table mean alot. Even if you never encounter them at a table again, it forces you to play attention to their play and you get the sense of the type of player they are. Mine usually consist of 'Tight/Loose/Cally Wally' and I would keep track of the hands they would preflop raise.. every 3 orbits or so, I would look in the hand history and make a note of anybody who didn't play a hand and mark them at tight and beware..

Of course, since I started playing O8 I dont need to keep notes anymore..