Hiding Tells
Do you ever obtain that itch? The itch to gamble, to head to the nearest casino, to find a superior stakes game of Hold’em, to sit at a Chemin de fer table for hours on end. I love that itch. And I love to scratch it.
I also really like to watch individuals wager. No 2 poker faces seem the same. When I bet I like to think I put on a poker face which is impassable. But I know I have specific actions. For one, the only time I smoke cigarettes is when I bet on poker or Black-jack. And then I chain smoke. But I chain smoke regardless of whether I am succeeding or losing, whether I have a very good hand or bad.
I once bet in the weekly poker game. The game was always five card draw. There was a man who wagered with us every week who generally wore a hat. When he was dealt a beneficial hand, subconsciously, he would begin touching and betting with his hat. Needless to say, he in no way won.
The very best poker player I ever saw was a player who made far more actions and signals at a poker table than anyone I had ever seen. He was impeccable in the way he dressed. Constantly an high priced suit and tie, shoes shined and nails trimmed. He was meticulous in this manner. And he was always brushing his pants or rubbings his hands or putting his chips in tidy little piles.
I use to examine him for long periods of time. I would attempt to see if I could notice his tell. Choosing fuzz off his vest- did this mean he was bluffing? Stacking his chips in a short pile – did this imply he had a good hand?
Years later I ran into him in a very bar in Chicago, il and we had a beer. I asked him if he were aware of all those activities he created or if they were subconscious. He told me that just about every little thing he did at a poker table was deliberate. He said that everybody is generally checking out everyone else’s poker face. They’re trying to spot the the tell.
So his program was to give them lots to consider about. His reasoning was if they were thinking about him selecting a piece of fuzz off his shirt and what it meant they positive were not thinking about their cards.
His system was distraction. And it worked for him. Never give up a system that functions for you.
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