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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 has got to be some kind of method to their madness. Undoubtedly some of them think they can confuse and deflate opponents by their intimidation and arrogance, thereby, discouraging them from any sound play against them. Theirs is a sullen, bullying persona, which may be the only one they have the imagination to pull off. Some of them may actually be that dark, insolent person, but I rather think that they are hiding behind a lack of creativity.

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.

It the first place, it may attract the rare professional player who is actually naturally moody and dark to an extent which may intimidate you. After a few such uncomfortable encounters you may find it difficult to get rid of these grim reapers who – with cynical glee – sense in you the weaker prey and grimly reap the rewards. Subsequent games might then grow unnecessarily complicated by your suspicions of how serious some of the sulky opponents at the table actually are.

You may be putting on that stern impassive face to make you appear like a more serious and focused professional, more concentrated than the rest of the players at the table. The problem is, though, that anyone who plays poker, whether rookie or expert, is not going to be able to hang on to an impassive demeanor. If your image is not projecting any of what is really you, it may quash your ability to be conversational and enjoy the game. And, in fact, your energy may be expended on maintaining that phony image rather than on winning at poker.

Though one is not advised to be fully natural in poker, one had better create an image which is the most natural to impersonate. A more “openly” social image may take some practice to maintain, but it will result in your greater enjoyment of the game and greater focus, since your mind will be busy doing what it more or less enjoys.

It takes too much concentration to hold on to a persona that is not at all natural to you. It’s like playing from a locked cage or straightjacket. Your focus will be scattered and your game will lack that robust quality.

Thus, shades and a baseball cap in the dimly lit poker room may only seem to require less effort. It may be better, for the professional player, to spend some time observing one’s own ways and selectively organizing them into the poker player you wish to be and actually can be at the table.

The author of this article plays online poker and gets Rakeback at Cake Poker where they offer the highest Cake Rakeback.

categories: body language,poker tells,poker psychology,poker,gambling,card games,games,entertainment,recreation,sport,sports

Tags: body language, card games, entertainment, Gambling, games, Poker, poker psychology, poker tells, recreation, sport, sports

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