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Why is that many serious players of the game of poker want to project a stoic persona? Could they be trying to hide their tells by emitting a somber, almost zombie-like presence? They come off as moody and sinister behind those dark glasses and hooded sweatshirts, like maybe they have holsters and a lightning draw ala Wyatt Earp. Do they know how they appear to others, do they care?

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.

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.

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.

It is probably not a good idea to be completely natural at the poker table, a friendlier, more outgoing image will result in greater enjoyment of the game for you and everyone else. If you are not naturally a gregarious individual, practice being more so.

Keeping up a persona radically antithetical to yourself won’t allow your full potential to unfold, since you are virtually playing poker in a straightjacket, while the effort saps even more of your concentration without contributing any vigor to your game.

While a costume of big shades, big hats, and big coats in a darkened poker den may appear to require less effort, for the professional player, it is better to show more of yourself. It takes less time and energy, but you just may become the poker player you always envisioned you could be.

The author is a successful limit cash game player. He plays poker online and receives Aced Rakeback and Doyles Room Rakeback.

It is not uncommon to see professionals regularly playing medium stakes adopt the sulky bully persona. With the somber shades-and-cap, unsmiling, untalkative Tulkinghorn image you are not only likely to attract other and better skilled shadow-warriors, but, looking like a scarecrow, you are likely also to scare away those players who would otherwise constitute the bulk of your overall income.

Generally speaking, the amateur is looking for a game among people as gregarious as he is. For him, the game is not a way to make real money but a means to a few hours of fun in a social setting. It may be someone escaping from the routine of the office, or a player tired of online poker and seeking that human touch. They are looking for a table with a relaxed, congenial atmosphere and don’t care so much about winning or losing. They are attracted to tables where people are enjoying each other.

To the players who want to constantly earn an actual income at the table, these guys are a godsend. An individual player will probably not lose a lot, but will do so consistently. If the pro wants some dough he has come to the right place. These good ol’ boys seeking fun will stay longer, place riskier bets and lose more when they are having fun.

The table where no one looks at anyone else, where no conversation is going on, and everyone is pretty much disguised so no faces can be seen, is keeping the amateurs away in droves.

Conversely, the table with conversation and laughter where everyone is complimenting each other on their “great play” will attract the amateurs. The amateur sees this behavior as trustworthy and will keep coming back for more. They will lose all right, but they will do so with such a fine disposition, having received entertainment value instead of money.

By keeping the weaker opponents in a fun loving mood, you will keep up their poker hopes. They must be good, they are having such a good time. Luck, being the fickle lady that she is, is sure to fall on them some times. The relaxed ambience of this table will attract more amateurs, making it a golden opportunity for the player looking for serious money.

This gregarious, relaxed persona is not necessarily born to the expert players. They learn it along with the skills and techniques of the game and practice, practice, practice. This allows them to manipulate situations to their advantage while projecting a very positive and entertaining experience for the little fishies that took their bait. And, the fishies will thank them for providing them with such an entertaining time at the table.

The author is a successful limit cash game player. He plays poker online and receives Cake Rakeback as well as Interpoker Rakeback.

For anyone that has ever experienced the thrill of playing poker, you would know that there is always something exciting happening in the game. Omaha hold’em is no different. It’s pretty much the same as normal Texas hold’em but with the added twist of being dealt four cards instead of just two.

The additional cards force you to make a choice of which cards you want to play. You have more options than in Texas hold’em, but you also have more decisions to make. In essence, the crux of the matter is which two of the four cards in your hand do you want to play based on the community cards dealt on the table. With Texas hold’em, there is no choice to make, you must play the cards you have been dealt to you to your best ability. With Omaha, you still play with only two cards, but it’s up to you which two those will be.

This leads to playing more hands and gives you more chances at winning. In poker, its not just in the cards. If all you want is a card game, stick to Gin Rummy. Betting brings the game of poker to a whole new level and forces you to concentrate more than in other less risky card games.

The whole ruling and game play behind Omaha is the same as Hold’em, everyone is dealt their four cards that they can use to play a round of poker. If you decide to play, you will need to make the minimum bet for that round, called the big blind. Depending on your hand you can call it, raise it, or fold.

The first set of community cards are dealt to the table face up (the flop) after the initial round of betting. Here is where you determine the strength of your cards. The next round of betting occurs here and you can once again choose to raise, call or fold. Once betting is complete, the next community card ( the turn), is dealt to the table and the next round of betting begins.

Following the deal of the last card, the final round of betting, the river, begins. This final card will make you or break you. Lose and you play another round to make it back, win and you play another round because you’re hot. You learn the strength of your opponents hands at each new round of betting. With more experience you will know how much to bet and when.

The real challenge of poker then is to make the unpredictable predictable. Your opponents are unpredictable when the round starts, but then after playing close attention to their play and using your well-honed insightfulness, you learn their style. Now that opponent is predictable and you have a much better chance of overcoming him.

The more you play, the better you will get at putting your opponent on a hand and the easier it will become to beat them; the rest as they say is all up to luck!

The author is a successful limit cash game player. He plays poker online and receives Rakeback at Paradise Poker and Rakeback at PKR Poker.

If complexity means art then poker is as artistic as it gets. Philosophy is a requirement of the arts. Unless you are a robot and get your motivation for passion and achievement from an on-off switch, you will need more than just electricity. You need a philosophy, a credo, or if that makes you nervous, how about calling it imagination or perception?

You can learn to force yourself to do whatever it is you dislike and improve exponentially by tapping into the imagination and perception within you. For instance, compare developing your skills of communication with taking a cold shower, an unpleasant shock to the system at best. But that feeling can be ameliorated over time and after a few months of cold showers once or twice or week, you may begin to look forward to them. They have certain advantages, like waking you up and making you feel so good when you get out.

The same holds true for learning any new skill and the challenge involved is appealing to many people, they begin to seek those experiences even though somewhat stressful. The results are worth it.

So with the analogy of the cold shower in mind, take the plunge and dive into those areas of poker that you would really rather not venture into.

Okay, no more lessons on philosophy, it is now time to consider more pragmatic advice. A good way to acquire meaningful expertise is by hiring a professional trainer to give you private, hands-on lessons without the embarrassment to you caused by onlookers. The coach will point out your weaknesses, most of which you are probably unaware of, so you can learn from them and move on. A good trainer will have you make notes of your play so you can continue to learn from both your strengths and weaknesses.

If the idea of a professional coach is too pricey for you, try making the acquaintance of poker playing buddies. The honest debates between even run-of-the-mill players can greatly improve strategy and perception. Poker forums are another good place to learn. Some exceptional poker players post to these and you can gain some valuable insights from them sharing their experiences.

Keep notes. Even during offline games, note down your games so that you can review it later the better to realize where you did wrong and remember it. Notes help you realize that there are often more possibilities that you might first think. They help acquire the keen self-consciousness necessary to learn to ask yourself why you made the move. The same applied to the moves of your opponents. And it is a sign of significant progress to be able to ask yourself those crucial questions before you make the move.

Ask yourself the following questions during the game: What do you expect your opponent’s reaction to be? Did he react in a manner consistent with your perceptions of him in that situation? Did he bet or raise as expected? What cards do you want him to think you are holding in your hand? Under what circumstance do you want him to call or raise?

Constantly asking yourself questions like these is difficult to learn, but after a while it become a habit and then a challenge. And then you are playing poker for real.

The author is a successful limit cash game player. He plays poker online and receives Poker Nordica Rakeback as well as Doyles Room Rakeback.

Most of would agree that common decency and politeness are the rule when involved in any social gathering, whether it be high tea or a game of poker. Some poker players forget this however, and choose to take their frustrations and pent up anxieties out on their opponents in the mistaken belief that it will aid their bluff. If this is you, stick to an online game that involves bots and not live players.

Behavior, obviously tells a lot about a player, and I think one may fairly depend that reserved, politely brisk behavior is characteristic of a focused, purposeful player who is there to stay for some decent, quality or at least honest games. The reverse is also true: the more purposeful and efficient learner a player is, the more they are likely to intuit basic etiquette.

A professional is known as one because of his demeanor as well as expertise in his field. He knows a pleasant atmosphere creates a winning one – for him. Experience has taught professional poker players that insulting the rookie not only endangers this pleasant environment but also cuts into their profits. The rookie can be a most profitable opponent.

There is definitely as great a need for etiquette on line as in live games. First and foremost, minimize chatting. Remember that every time you type a message, you reveal information, as well as receiving it. Information gleaned that way may easily mislead, and frequent messages, to you or between others, may distract. It is sensible, depending on your sensibilities, to even close the chat for the duration of the game or at any specific stage.

It is definitely a bad idea to discuss your or your friend’s level of mastery. What is less obvious is that by chatting voluminously you may easily inadvertently reveal your level of expertise.

If there is no way out, keep your chatting politely reserved and try to minimize it for everyone. Save the pithy gossip for the water cooler or chat room. Stay away from creating a negative atmosphere by your choice of words. You want a neutral environment to play your most winning game.

Moreover, angering your opponents into better play criticizing their technique will not increase your chances, and will likely reveal your own actual abilities to other players. Straightforward rudeness is officially prohibited in most online rooms.

Don’t type messages in upper case, this denotes loudness and that you are screaming at the recipient, which makes you seem overly emotional and out of control. Not good in a poker game. You want to be the cool cat, the one with poise and grace under pressure. A veritable Cool Hand Luke.

The author is a successful limit cash game player. He plays poker and receives Rakeback at Poker Nordica from Rakeback Solution.

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