Psychology in Poker
Psychological stability is the main feature necessary for any poker player. Despite the fact that this game requires certain knowledge and skills, you cannot go far without developing emotional intelligence and moral stability in poker.
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Of course, all psychological techniques work only if the player sees his opponent in real time. If you pay attention to the characters of famous films, such as Casino Royale, you unwittingly ask yourself how much such a mastery of the game in real life is possible. Everyone knows that cinema does not stop sacrificing plausibility for an exciting show. So is there really a bluff? Is it possible to circle the opponent around the finger even with the worst card combination? Let's find out the answer to this question.
Level poker player: hunter
Let's start with the basics. We will not teach you to bluff. Instead, you will learn how to recognize someone who is bluffing. If you have ever watched documentary stories about wildlife, in particular about predators, then you know who this is about. Before killing the victim, the predator attentively and carefully tracks it down, notices and analyzes each movement, and only then decides how best to attack. The poker level Hunter does the same.
- Hunter does not look at the cards as soon as he receives them. But not to demonstrate indifference or iron nerves. While he is studying his catch, you can skip gestures or an important facial expression of the opponent. When a player sees his cards for the first time, he may lose control of his emotions for a few seconds and show how lucky or unlucky he is with the hand. Therefore, the Hunter always looks at other players first, and only then looks into his own cards.
- Hunter pays special attention to how players make bets and how their stacks with chips look like. If they are lying around, then this means that the player is most likely an adventurer and sat down at the table for fun rather than a cash gain. If this is a neat little tower, then such a player is almost certainly pretty nervous: this type of player is less inclined to bluff or deceive.
Interesting fact
The expression “poker face” just happened because professional poker players never show emotions on their faces, this helps to stay calm and unreadable for others. From poker, it migrated into ordinary life and is used in relation to a person, on whose face it is impossible to understand what he feels at the moment.
- The Hunter poker player is trying to remember the style of betting of each game participant. It is difficult, but professionals pay attention to such nuances. For example, if a player casually tosses a bet in the middle of the table and then collects it in one pile, this is one of the obvious indicators of a bluff. More professional players each time use different styles of betting to confuse their opponents.
Poker player level: Telepath
To begin with, we will determine how much time is needed to look at the cards, determine the odds and remember this combination of cards. Undoubtedly, the key word here is to remember, because if a player forgets them and starts to look at them regularly, he will significantly increase the chances of giving his position in terms of Hand value and uncertainty in this casino game.
- If the player does not take his eyes off the cards for a long time, this is a sign of a weak combination. And vice versa, when a poker player has strong cards, he glimpses them and puts cards on the table. A long look gives the body the opportunity to cope with stress; it takes time to digest the new information and arrive at the best possible solution. Mindfulness and good memory are key ingredients for success of the poker player.
- If a player looks into your eyes for a long time - this is a reliable indicator of bluffing, an inept way to intimidate a weaker opponent. However, psychologists say that such people are not inclined to raise bets.
Poker player level: Charming Devil
It is no secret that poker is a special kind of game in which communication predominates, probably with a glass of something strong, and it is also possible to test your abilities to read other people's thoughts. Now about the money. If you are playing with friends or people you like, the stakes are usually not very high. In such cases, chips or money are more likely to have a symbolic meaning, so no one will win big money. In the case of large casinos, things are completely different.
- Sounds and gestures can be signs of excellent Hand. If the player is lucky, he should feel more confident and relaxed. But in reality, this is not the case at all. Some players are simply not able to cope with the success that has befallen them and that is why they start to get nervous. However, professional players cannot let anyone guess their combination, so they start fighting in the game of minds. A poker player of this level for the first time glancing at the cards will sigh in disappointment. You can see how sadness and a hint of despair appear on his face. But this is just a clever bluff!
- Charming Devil talks to his poker companions during the game. Pure silence does not bring anything good. If a professional poker player suspects someone of bluffing, then he just starts talking to him. Such players will be reluctant to keep up the conversation, rather they will limit themselves to a couple of phrases and will not look their interlocutor in the eyes. Why? Because bluff requires a strong concentration, and the interlocutor can violate their dishonest intentions.
The conclusion suggests itself: for a successful poker game, knowledge and skills alone are not enough. In order to play professionally, poker players need to work long and carefully on emotional control and endurance.