How To Make A Good Poker Face

Chapter 115 of the book Self-Help Stuff That Works

Jan 05, 2019 You can’t have a good poker face if you don’t thoroughly understand poker rules. Spend some time on researching and observing before you join in on a game. This may mean showing up at poker night- and merely watching others gamble. It may mean heading over to Youtube and watching tutorials. How to improve your poker face An often quoted Golden Rule of poker is to ‘play the man, not the odds’: to engineer victory not by the luck of better cards but by a detached and calculated imposition of your own character and will over that of the other players. Jul 03, 2018 Having a good poker face is quite hard if you are not born with one. It can be very difficult to keep calm when emotions are high, be it excitement or disappointment. So, learning to relax and control your emotions is the key.

by Adam Khan

RONALD RIGGIO, PHD, HAS BEEN doing research at the California State University at Fullerton for over seventeen years. He's been trying to find out what makes a person attractive to other people. He officially studies charisma. One important factor Riggio has discovered is the importance of 'emotional expressivity': the ability to show your emotions on your face so people can easily read how you feel. People who don't show much emotion on their faces don't attract us very much. That's one of his findings
that seems pretty obvious.

But Riggio found something that's not so obvious: Charisma also requires the ability to not show emotions. He calls it 'emotional control.' It's what I'm calling a 'poker face' because when you play poker and you get an exceptionally good hand, you don't want anyone else to know. Likewise, if you get a poor hand, you don't want them to know - it gives your opponents an advantage in betting against you. While you're playing poker, the basic rule of thumb is to not ever register your feelings overtly. The only thing that might give you away is the look on your face, so you have to show as little emotion on your face as you can.

Improving your ability to have a poker face when you need it (and only when you need it) can increase your effectiveness with people. Why? Because emotions are contagious when they can be seen. When you look at someone who is laughing, it tends to make you feel like laughing, doesn't it? Sure. And when you see someone crying, it can make you feel a little sad. Naturally. That's why good actors are so highly valued. They can make us feel emotions. We all have a tendency to experience the emotion we see on someone's face.

But, you may ask, what's wrong with that?

Nothing really, except sometimes. The problem is that there are some emotions you wouldn't want another to have. Two examples are anger and social awkwardness. When you're angry and you show it, the other person will probably become angry or defensive or afraid to some degree - they can see on your face your blood pressure is up, and their body will respond by increasing their own blood pressure. This rising intensity tends to interfere with communication.

Something similar happens when a person feels socially awkward. When you talk with someone who feels awkward because they don't quite know what to do and it shows, you feel somewhat awkward, too, don't you? Or how about when someone giving a speech feels uncomfortable up there in front of the group? Don't you also squirm in your seat a little just watching?

In these kinds of circumstances, the people would be better off and the people they're talking to would be better off if they would learn to conceal those particular emotions when they feel them.

We have all learned there are times when it is not appropriate to say certain things. You don't say to a widow at the funeral 'the dude owed me money.' At certain times and for certain situations, we all know some things are better left unsaid. Well, the emotion on your face is nonverbal, but it is still communication, and sometimes it is counterproductive to say nonverbally 'I'm angry' or 'I feel awkward.'

The good news is that you can learn to put on a poker face when you need it. I'm not suggesting phoniness or pretending you're happy when you're angry. But there are times it helps to show no emotion on your face. It's a skill like any other, and it can be improved with practice.

Practice having a 'poker face' when you feel negative emotions.

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APA Reference
Staff, H. (2008, October 20). The Power of a Poker Face, HealthyPlace. Retrieved on 2020, December 16 from https://www.healthyplace.com/self-help/self-help-stuff-that-works/power-of-a-poker-face

Do you wear your emotions on your sleeve? Can people tell if you’re happy or sad instantly? Are you tired of that impacting your hand in poker?

We all know that succeeding at poker doesn’t just come down to strategy or luck. It comes down to your presence and your personality. In other words, it comes down to having a killer poker face.

Although some people are born with a poker face, many people have to practice building theirs over time.

Let’s get into how you can develop yours!

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Master The Rules

You can’t have a good poker face if you don’t thoroughly understand poker rules. Spend some time on researching and observing before you join in on a game.

This may mean showing up at poker night- and merely watching others gamble. It may mean heading over to Youtube and watching tutorials.

You don’t want to be in the middle of the game asking for clarification. That’s essentially a surefire way to ruin your odds instantly.

Once you have a grasp on the essentials, practice playing with friends first before heading to the casino. If that’s not an option, play a low-stakes game. You don’t want to lose all your money without knowing what you’re doing.

Take Up Meditation

Stress often dominates our emotions. And when we’re at the tables and the stakes are high, we’re going to feel, well, stressed!

That said, learning how to manage this stress is one of the first steps. The less stressed you feel, the less you have to worry about your expressions, right!

Consider picking up the worthwhile habit of meditation. Meditation yields numerous, incredible benefits including:

• mindfulness
• clarity and sharpness
• stress relief
• decreased anxiety and depression
• self-esteem
• positive thinking

These benefits undoubtedly boost your mental and physical health. However, they can also dramatically improve your poker game!

Meditation doesn’t need to be complicated. Start by devoting five minutes a day. Set yourself in a quiet room and sit comfortably or lie down.

You can practice deep breathing on your own. This means breathing in through your chest and out through your mouth. Inhale slowly and exhale slowly. When extraneous thoughts arise, practice diverting back to your breath.

Not a fan of doing it yourself? Consider checking out a guided meditation script or app. They can help orient your thoughts and bodily reactions.

Relax The Face

Your face is the obvious giveaway to your emotions. It’s what can make or break your poker game. Through meditation, you can learn how to relax your mind and thoughts.

However, you’ll also want to be aware of your facial expressions. Any clue can sabotage your hand. After all, skilled poker players pick up nonverbal cues.

Practice getting comfortable with hiding your reaction. This means relaxing your face muscles in a way that seems natural.

Control The Eyes

They say the eyes are the gateways to the soul. In poker, they can be the gateway to determining your bluff.

Ideally, you want to maintain eye contact with your opponents through the game. Eye contact conveys a sense of control and power. It shows that you feel confident about what you’re holding.

If direct eye contact is awkward for you, focus between their eyes on the bridge of their nose. This averts some of the ‘directness,’ but it still shows alertness.

Finally, don’t forget to blink! Staring can jeopardize your poker face. It may hint that you’re not really paying attention. Or, it may reveal a sense of concern about your cards.

Good poker players blink naturally. Excessiveness shows anxious energy. Staring too hard shows stiffness, and it comes across as unnatural.

Really not sure how to manage the eyes? Don’t overlook the power of sunglasses. That way, you don’t have to worry about what signs you may be giving away.

Mind The Posture

We carry tension and stress in our bodies. Undoubtedly, poker can be stressful, but you want to demonstrate that you’re calm and collected.

Before you even begin playing, loosen up your body with a few stretches. Stretch out your arms and legs. Roll your neck around.

As you sit down at the table, engage in a brief, head-to-toe analysis. Remove your tongue from the roof of your mouth. Drop the shoulders. Unclench your hands and feet.

Finally, check your posture. Slumping around looks sloppy. Likewise, sitting up too uptight can show that you’re “trying too hard.” Keep your posture natural.

Practice Your Voice

Our tone reveals so much about our emotional state. When we’re anxious, we tend to babble, as if the words can’t come out fast enough. When we’re happy, we tend to speak louder.

Before you speak, clear your mind and take a full breath. Visualize moving your mind into a neutral place.

When you do speak, stay objective. Say what you need to say in as few words as possible. This is not the time to tell your life story!

Be mindful of any stuttering or stumbling when you’re anxious. This could reveal insecurity or nervousness. Instead, focus on providing short, concise answers (one-word statements are perfectly acceptable).

Not comfortable speaking? Nod your head to indicate yes or no.

Check Your Nervous Energy

Most of us have nervous twitches. We often fidget around without even realizing it. However, they can be a huge red flag in showing our emotions.

How To Make A Good Poker Face - Video Results

Some nervous twitches to consider:

• Playing with hair
• Cracking knuckles
• Tapping fingers
• Playing with clothing
• Rubbing or scratching the skin

You want to keep your hands free and calm. Hide any movements that could show tension. For example, if you must release stress, squeeze your hands together under the table.

Finally, mind your grip. Gripping cards tightly can reveal a sense of anxiety. And what’s more of an obvious sign than blaring, white knuckles?

How To Have A Good Poker Face True Blue Punter

Learn The Art of Bluffing

A poker face doesn’t always mean complete stillness. It means being able to hide what’s going on. Sometimes, that means tracking and bluffing your opponents.

Bluffing takes time and practice. Expert poker players spend several years mastering this craft. Don’t be too hard on yourself if it feels awkward and forced in the beginning.

With that in mind, despite Hollywood depictions, bluffing doesn’t mean taking huge, dramatic bluffs during every opportunity you have. Instead, bluffing comes in various degrees. And some players don’t bluff at all!

You should always understand the stakes. Some poker games have ‘no limit,’ which means there can be a tremendous risk. Friendlier poker games, on the other hand, can simply result in you just losing the game.

Successful bluffing means nobody knows you are bluffing. In this case, your opponents have folded before the last bet. You win the pot by default.

However, if there is a showdown, your bluffing will be revealed. This isn’t inherently a problem, but if you get in the habit of it, people will quickly catch on.

You should assess how many other players are bluffing. You have a better chance at succeeding with fewer opponents. Bluffing 1-2 opponents will always be better than trying to trick 3+ people.

Observe The Bluffing around You

Now that you know about your own poker face and body language, you can learn to spot it in other people.

First, watch the body language. Look for any holding of breath or hand movements. Look for signs of nervous twitching or anxious energy.

Stay tuned of ‘extreme’ emotions. For example, if someone is acting “very weak,” they may be “very strong” and vice versa.

Finally, watch how other players manage their chips. Research shows that players who place their chips further away from them have weaker hands. Therefore, they may be bluffing.

If a player places his chips closer to him, that may be a sign that he “values” his cards and assumes money is coming his way.

Ask For Feedback

Are you playing with good friends? Don’t shy away from asking from feedback. After the game, ask for an honest interpretation of your poker face.

What did you do well? What obvious signs did you miss? Were you able to throw off anybody successfully?

Remember that practice makes perfect. Your friends are the ones who are actually seeking your poker face (or lack thereof). If you want to improve, consider their feedback.

How To Make A Good Poker Face? - Live Poker - CardsChat™

Final Thoughts on Maintaining Your Poker Face

Learning and maintaining a poker face can take your poker game to the next level. With effort, dedication, and practice, you’ll be well on your way towards winning more games- and landing more money!

Are you interested in learning more about profitable poker tips? Check out our Texas Hold ‘Em guide today.