Read 'em and reap

Joe Navarro is a recently retired FBI agent who is responsible for much of the Bureau’s know-how on non-verbal behaviour – what subjects’ physical reactions subconsciously reveal about themselves – from working research carried out over 25 years.

Since leaving he’s turned his talents towards the poker world. He doesn’t play the game but he’s acknowledged as one of the world’s experts on tells, and delivers lectures at the Camp Hellmuth boot camps. This book was written alongside big Phil, who was stunned that a self-proclaimed master of tells such as himself could still learn so much.

Read ‘em and Reap will open your eyes to what’s actually going on at, and under, the table, helping you to decode body language and posture. One of the many things the book helps you with is how you can tell whether a player at the table is interested in the fl op or not.

Navarro details exactly what to look out for. Did your opponent purse their lips as they saw an Ace drop? Did their hands move away from their cards and chips towards their body? They’re both good signs that the other player doesn’t like what they’ve seen. And after reading this book you’ll never call a raise from someone who’s leaning back with their hands behind their head. They’ve got the nuts!