Do you ever acquire that itch? The itch to wager, to head to the closest casino, to locate a high stakes game of Texas hold’em, to sit at a Twenty-one table for hours on end. I love that itch. And I really like to scratch it.
I also love to watch folks bet. No 2 poker faces seem equal. When I bet I like to believe I put on a poker face that’s impassable. Except I know I have certain mannerisms. For one, the only time I smoke cigarettes is when I play poker or Pontoon. And then I smoke. But I chain smoke whether or not I am winning or losing, whether or not I have a excellent hand or bad.
I once wagered in the weekly poker game. The casino game was generally five card draw. There was a guy who played with us every week who often wore a hat. When he was dealt a very good hand, subconsciously, he would start touching and wagering with his hat. Needless to say, he in no way won.
The greatest poker gambler I ever saw was a person who made more movements and gestures at a poker table than anybody I had ever met. He was impressive in the way he dressed. Generally an high priced suit and tie, shoes shined and nails trimmed. He was diligent in this manner. And he was often brushing his pants or holding his hands or stacking his chips in tidy little piles.
I use to study him for hours. I would tried to see if I could notice his tell. Picking lint off his jacket- did this mean he was bluffing? Arranging his chips in a very short pile – did this mean he had a very good hand?
Several years later I bumped into him in a very bar in Boston and we had a beer. I asked him if he were aware of all those movements he produced or if they were subconscious. He told me that every little thing he did at a poker table was intentional. He said that everyone is generally checking out everyone else’s poker face. They are trying to spot the the tell.
So his system was to give them lots to consider about. His reasoning was if they were pondering about him choosing a piece of fuzz off his vest and what it meant they sure were not pondering about their cards.
His technique was distraction. And it worked for him. By no means give up a process that functions for you.
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