Poker Persona: Playing Poker In A Straightjacket
I wonder what serious poker players expect to gain by hiding their faces behind huge shades, wearing hats covering unshaven faces, and generally appearing as sinister and menacing as possible. Do they think that will promote fewer tells, or does the bully act actually represent who they are? One thing is sure, they are oblivious to how their appearance affects those around them.
There must certainly be some idea lurking behind their Halloween masks. Very likely they are trying to confuse and discompose opponents by putting on an intimidating show, discouraging players from meeting their bets and challenging their banks. A kind of sulky bully persona which, I think, in many cases stems at least partly from the simple inability to create any other image of oneself. As with the actual sulky street bully type, it betokens a somewhat anxious lack of imagination. Some persons may certainly be actually comfortable with and good at precisely such impersonation. But with many there is a feeling that they hide, rather than project a well thought-out image.
You should think carefully about the image you project. The bully persona, even if done well, is probably not effective. It may work on some opponents, but mostly it works against you. It may also attract the type of opponents that you want to steer clear of – the experts. If you sit there looking like a hawk, your prey will run in the opposite direction.
You may attract, though rarely, the kind of professional that really is sinister and intimidating. He may intimidate you out of your chips. This, of course, will make him impossible to get rid of. They are getting exactly what they wanted.
It may also prove untrue that behind that impassive faade you are concentrating on the game more intensely then the rest, since, as it were, you don’t have to do much except keep the shades on. The truth, however, is that for the mind – which is precisely what poker is about – there is no such thing as an impassive faade. If the sulky persona does not come naturally to you, but is the result of your inability or fear to try more conversational and cheery images, your mind is actually hard at work suppressing those reactions more essential to you.
Poker does require the ability to act at times, such as when bluffing. The good player will adopt an image that is closer to who they really are, though. If you are not naturally gregarious, you may want to practice becoming more so to better enjoy the game and keep focused on it rather than sprucing up your act.
Don’t even try to keep up an image that is totally at odds with who you really are. You will not reach your full potential this way, since you are locked into an uncomfortable position. Save your energy for the cards and observation of those personae around you and how they play the game.
So, big shades and big hats and appearing like a bandit with a fast draw only seems to require less effort than developing a persona that is closer to the true you. If you are a professional player, you will spend time observing yourself and envision the player you wish to become. In time you will be this player and have more luck at the table.
The author of this article plays online poker and gets Rakeback at Red Star Poker where they offer the highest Red Star Rakeback.
categories: body language,poker tells,poker psychology,poker,gambling,card games,games,entertainment,recreation,sport,sports
