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Casinos> Gambling Articles > The Art of the Poker Face
The Art of the Poker Face - Keeping Your Emotions in Check
Competition and emotion go
hand-in-hand. When a person wants
something badly enough, every part of their being is involved in getting
it. The spirit of competition can bring
out greed, jealousy, pride, and anger, which can either fuel the fire of
determination, or be detrimental to achieving the desired effect in any game:
winning. And when the game you’re
playing is poker, emotions left unchecked are bad news. After all, there’s a reason that the term
“poker face” was coined; the ability to be – or at least, appear to be – unfazed by your circumstances is a desirable
trait. Not only does it make the
specifics of your situation less obvious to the other players, but it helps to
keep your decision-making skills sharp.
Even the slightest bit of
irritation can cloud your judgment, leading you to make decisions based more on
feeling than on rational thought. In his
poker dictionary, Daniel Kimberg, author of Serious
Poker, says, “… even good players are often tempted to do things they know
are bad ideas when they get frustrated, angry, or upset for any reason. They go
‘on tilt.’ Sort of like a pinball
machine, except with pinball it only costs you a quarter. Typical tilt play is
much too loose
and often very aggressive,
because a player on tilt wants very badly to win a pot, and isn't rational
enough to wait for cards that are worth playing or situations that are worth
attacking.”
Of course,
it’s ridiculous to assume that we can do anything
we are passionate about and be completely devoid of emotion. But it’s important to learn how to keep those
feelings under tight control rather than letting them spill over and have a
potentially negative effect on how we play.
This is an art form that takes practice, but once you master it, you
will notice a marked improvement in your game.
First
things first: you must accept that you aren’t going to win every hand, and that
in fact, you’ll probably lose more hands than you win. Setting unrealistic standards for yourself
can lead to major disappointments, and eventually, a drastically decreased
sense of self-confidence. Learn to keep
things in perspective, and look at the big picture rather than analyzing each
loss or victory independently; you’ll likely see a much better overall image.
The ability to keep a positive
attitude, and not let losses and setbacks drag you down, is an essential part
of being a successful poker player. If
you do happen to take a beating – which, inevitably, you will – do your best to
brush it off. Dwelling on it will only
take much-needed focus away from the next hand.
Don’t concentrate on things that have already happened, especially
during a game; it’s a waste of energy to worry about things that can’t be
changed, so simply accept the defeat and keep looking ahead.
Visualization can be a good
technique to use. Though it may sound a
bit silly, it’s worth a try; you may actually respond very well to such a
method. If you’re having trouble shaking
off a bad beat, take a second to visualize yourself in a boat sailing smoothly
through rough waters, passing through turbulent waves (i.e., problems) as
calmly as if you’re floating above them.
Or mentally put your frustration or anger into a bubble and “watch” as
it blows away. It may take a few tries
to find an image that works for you, but overcoming disappointments might just
be easier with a visual aid.
While the focus of these tips is
primarily on dealing with and concealing negative emotions, it’s worth
mentioning that you should be equally careful about handling your positive
emotions as well. The definition of
“poker face” is “A face lacking any interpretable expression” – not just “a face lacking any negative expression.” Always keep in mind that your opponents are
watching you for the slightest signs that could inadvertently reveal what kind
of hand you’re holding. If you’re really
concerned that your facial expressions could betray you, try the popular method
of sporting a hat and/or a pair of dark shades.
A player’s eyes can reveal a lot, and the reverse psychological aspect
of poker is tricky; if someone avoids your eyes, the universal symbol of low
confidence, he probably actually has a good hand and is trying to set a
trap. If someone stares you down, it’s
likely that he’s worried about his own hand and is trying to intimidate you
into folding. These subtle, seemingly
contradictory gestures are obvious to astute poker players, and if you can’t
keep yourself from doing them, wearing sunglasses may help alleviate the
problem.
The importance of reigning in
your emotions is summed up nicely by Mike Sexton, professional poker player and
author of the book Shuffle Up and Deal:
“You can’t control luck, but you can control how you react to it. That’s a
skill in and of itself. Maintaining your composure at the table is a skill you
have to learn.”
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