If you pay close attention, most poker pros won't look at their hole cards until it's their turn to act. There are some lessons you can take away from this, and it's definitely something you should consider adopting for yourself. The logic is simple, there's simply no upside to looking at your hole cards before it's your turn to act.

A lot of average poker players think very highly of their abilities. Playing under the assumption that their stone cold faces do not give away even an inch; when in fact, their entire body language is a tell all mirror that gives all away to a superior opponent.

If you think body language has nothing to do with you, maybe you should stay away from playing poker. Everyone has tells, even professionals, and they’re readily visible if you observe carefully. Pros are just better at masking them, but it takes a lot of practice and experience to achieve a master level.

Perhaps this is also a reason why great poker players are so good at spotting lies, they have become experts in body language and masters of spotting the very subtle giveaways that we all have.

The main reason you shouldn't look at your own cards right away is that there's something to be learned by watching your opponents look at their own cards instead. A careful study of how your opponents react can potentially reveal information that will lead to your victory. Have you noticed how the guy in front of you puts a chip on his cards when he liked what he saw?

The key here is attention. Awareness is something that needs to be worked on. Do you, for example, glance at your chips immediately after you look at your hole cards and see a playable hand? Can you now see the message you’re giving out?

Try the following exercise; force yourself on staying observant throughout your next game, look to see if you can notice any patterns in your opponent’s behavior. Focus on what you can learn and away from the results, and make mental notes. You'll be surprised just how much free information is out there ready to be leveraged.

Although an opponent might literally jump out of his chair when he misses his flush draw on the river, more likely though telling signs will be staring at the felt, cracking his knuckles, standing a chip on its side. Again, you have to pay attention; repetitive behaviors throughout a long game, likely reveal meaningful tells.

I’m betting that the next time you’re sitting at a table, you’ll likely think twice about looking at your hole cards too quickly. And remember, stay alert. It's always possible that you're being set up. This is poker after all.