by Roy Cooke,
Cardplayer Magazine

The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition, contains the following definitions:

body language n. the gestures, postures, and facial expressions by which a person manifests various physical, mental, or emotional states and communicates nonverbally with others

proxemics n. (used with a singular verb) the study of the cultural, behavioral, and sociological aspects of spatial distances between individuals; proxemic (adj.)

Have you ever noticed that when you're alone in an elevator and somebody steps on, you automatically move back against the wall, or if it's available, into a corner? Watch somebody talking on a cell phone. In the vast majority of cases, the person will smile, grimace, nod, shake his head, or make hand gestures. Why? The person on the other end of the line can't see. What's the point?

The fact is, body language is ingrained in us. Some say it's cultural, while others say it's genetic. And still others (the school of thought I subscribe to) say it's a combination of nature and nurture. Regardless, it's indubitably real. Our bodies are part of our communication apparatus.

A big part of playing poker well has always been being able to read opponents. We do this primarily through analyzing their conscious actions, seeking predictive thoughts and betting patterns that assist our hand reading. But good players also watch for body language, which will give them a clue about opponents' holdings and intentions; this is known as reading tells.

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