Tells at the poker table is the advantage of live verses online play. It's easy to hide behind a computer screen when making that big bluff or trying to play that flopped straight hand you have in your hand and trying to represent you are playing a top pair. Many coaches will tell you to not put much emphasis on tells but in these 1/2 nl live games at local casinos or your home game, it's a "telling" way to really connect the dots on your opponents.
So lets get into this.
Sculpture making: NIT!!
Have you seen anyone try to build the elaborate sculptures with their chips? They can be as big or as small as you want it to be. You can play with the paint on the chips and arrange a small stack to where they develop lines and patterns. I have been impressed with many sculptures I have seen but what is the tell with this?
Obviously, it's a nit in a thousand percent. I suggest focus on the game and not on your stack of chips. Think of the oppoenent. He has spent a ton of time really getting the chips lined up perfectly. Its a masterpiece. He will really need to think long and hard to cut his bet out of that sculpture to make his bet, right?
Watch how an opponent cuts his chips out for the bet. This could be a sign of strength as he meticulously moves the bet out of the stack and presents the bet. Does he present it in a way that wouldn't harm the integrity to place his chips back into the sculpture? Also view the sculpure or castle he builds, look for spots where he wants to "upgrade" think of future street bets. I mean, if he is betting pre, you know those are getting scooped in the middle losing the integrity of his sculpture. Pay attn to his future streets, what is he going to give up on his lovely scuplture that would warrent his demo of his sculpture? Just think on thes a bit. Nit? Is it Property Brothers? Does he love to just demo a lovely castle hoping to build a variety? It's information, right?
Messy chips? LAG!!
What does Messy chips look like, it comes in different flavors but if someone comes to your table and this is what it looks like, Its a LAG to the 10th degree.
Here are a couple of things to note, Watch them as they present the bet, normally, they will throw out the chips, almost dumping them behind the line. It's almost like they are throwing the chips off a cliff. If that is the case, and the deeper they throw, the more loose action they do. The feeling of the quick shove and moving away the weaker they are. Think of it this way, LAG players when they bet and don't want to get their chips out as quickly as possible, they prepare that they would get called and lose which is a weak move.
Now I just mention two but the one thing I would challenge all players at the 1/2 nl tables. The key is be consistant. You want to play in a balanced sort of way and not give up the monsters, not give away your bluffs. Be consistant and have fun.