Do you ever receive that itch? The itch to wager, to head to the nearest gambling den, to discover a high stakes casino game of Holdem, to sit at a Chemin de fer table for hours on end. I love that itch. And I really like to scratch it.
I also like to watch men and women wager. No 2 poker faces seem equal. When I bet I like to assume I put on a poker face that’s impenetrable. Except I know I’ve specific gestures. For one, the only time I smoke cigarettes is when I bet on poker or Black-jack. And then I chain smoke. But I smoke no matter whether I am winning or losing, no matter whether I’ve a excellent hand or bad.
I once played within a weekly poker game. The game was always 5 card draw. There was a person who wagered with us each and every week who constantly wore a hat. When he was dealt a excellent hand, subconsciously, he would start touching and wagering with his hat. Needless to say, he never won.
The greatest poker gambler I ever saw was a man who manufactured far more movements and gestures at a poker table than anyone I had ever seen. He was impeccable in the way he dressed. Always 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 holding his hands or putting his chips in tidy little piles.
I use to analyze him for hours on end. I’d attempt to see if I could spot his tell. Choosing fuzz off his vest- did this mean he was bluffing? Arranging his chips within a short pile – did this imply he had a great hand?
Several years later I ran into him within a bar in New York and we had a beverage. I asked him if he were aware of all those motions he made or if they were unconscious. He told me that every single thing he did at a poker table was intentional. He said that everybody is often checking out everybody else’s poker face. They’re attempting to notice the the tell.
So his method was to give them lots to assume about. His thinking was if they have been thinking about him choosing a piece of fuzz off his jacket and what it meant they certain weren’t thinking about their cards.
His system was distraction. And it worked for him. Never give up a method that operates for you.