When it comes to poker, there are tons of technical phrases and jargon. One of the most famous terms that are popular not only in the game of poker but in general is “Poker Face”. Maintaining a poker face when playing poker is key to becoming a successful player. Many expert poker players attribute their win at the table to having control of their facial expressions and body language. They would never want to let their opponents know what they think so that they can use a number of strategies to confuse them.
When holding a monster hand or bluffing, many players make a variety of poker face expressions, hold their breath, blush, or give off other signs. When playing a poker card game, it does not matter what face you make as long as it is consistent. Before we get into what poker face is, you should be aware that everything you do at the table conveys information.
What is poker face?
Keeping a good poker face means a face with blank expressions or one that does not reveal any signs of emotions or thoughts that your opponents can take advantage of. Thus, maintaining a relaxed body posture and calmly communicating with your opponents. Why is it a great idea to have a poker face when playing a game of poker? Well, the answer is simple. You don’t want to give away any unintended poke tells or signals. Your ability to modify your facial expression in response to the game’s demand can help you become a better player. Not only should you know how to control your face in front of your opponent, but you should also know how to control your body language.
Tips for maintaining a good poker face
Below are the top 5 tips that you can develop the perfect poker face in your next poker game to trick your opponents:
Keep your emotions in check
Emotions play an important part in maintaining a poker face. Research shows that you lose more than win when you lose control of your feelings. So, it is always advisable not to play a poker game when you are not feeling yourself. Usually, it becomes challenging to maintain a poker face once you lose control of your emotions. You are likely to give more clues to your opponents with what cards you might be holding.
This is quite common when playing poker in a traditional casino. The majority of players show emotions when they lose hands that they shouldn’t have lost. However, it is essential for the next hand; you become yourself again by ignoring the prior hand you lost. This is where it distinguishes professional poker players from the newbies. Skilled players know how to keep in check their emotions. This is one of the reasons for their success.
Limit talking with your opponents
This is a possibility for some players who are really skilled at influencing at talking. Players who are experts at manipulating their opponents are able to make them believe exactly what they want them to think and therefore deceive them. If you know what to say and when to say it, talking can be really beneficial. Remember, it can also backfire in a big way.
There are also some players who will be well aware of your actions and will not listen to whatever you are saying. Poker is all in mind. It is all about how you think and act at the same time. So, if you are not comfortable talking, do not talk to your opponents who try to elicit your feelings during critical times. Simply ignore them, remain silent, and avoid looking at other players who are conversing. Doing so, you won’t give away anything, and your opponents will generally give up.
Maintain positive body language
Every type of poker player has a habit of observing their opponents carefully. The player becomes familiar with how their opponents behave based on their body language whenever they win or lose the game. As a result, it may become a significant issue for you. In order to prevent this, you must try to keep your gestures neutral. Though there are many ways to maintain a positive body gesture, one of the essential ones is not looking at your opponents. What usually happens is, when you look at your opponent’s face, you might easily give away clues in your eyes. However, if you think you can stay neutral even when watching them, no one is stopping you.
Another pro poker tip to keep up with your body language is don’t look around too much and do not move your head too much. Looking around might represent the stress you are feeling as a result of the negative games. So, instead, just sit and relax by keeping both your hands on the table and not allowing your opponents to see what’s in your mind.
Cover your face
Covering your face is one of the simplest ways to retain your poker face expression. Your eyes are a great tool that can convey your emotions to your opponents. Thus, hiding them with sunglasses, a scarf, or a hat can minimise what your opponents can see and also make it hard for them to read your body language and poker face. This is one of the good poker tips for beginners who have not perfected the art of their poker face yet. Once you play a lot of hands, you will be able to control your emotions and won’t need to cover your eyes.
Practice dissociation
A break in how your mind handles information is known as dissociation. You might feel disconnected from your feelings, thoughts, surroundings and memories. It can have an impact on your sense of identity and time perception. Though it is usually not a good thing in real life, but in the game of poker, it is the most efficient way to develop the perfect poker face. That is because poker may be an emotional rollercoaster. Big swings are a common feature of the game. Going from the thrill of victory to the dreadful frustration of losing is something that everybody handles differently.
As a matter of fact, many players struggle with it. They allow their emotions to impact their game negatively (also known as tilt). You can get rid of emotional elements from the game if you can dissociate yourself. This implies you will be less enraged when you lose but also less elated when you win. This is something that cannot be easily achieved. It is undeniably something that is more difficult than one might expect. However, if you practice and have the self-awareness to control your emotions, you will be on the right track.
Where can you practice to become a poker face genius?
So, by following the tips mentioned above, you know how to keep a poker face. A poker face is an excellent technique for concealing your true poker feelings about the cards in your hand. The better your poker face, the better opportunity you will have of being a professional poker player! If you are new to the game and are not familiar with the rules, rankings and poker strategy, you can practice the game online. You can learn and practice the game for free for as long as you want on the Gamentio platform. Download the app for free and play with thousands of players across the country anytime, anywhere. The more you practice, the better you become and make calculated decisions at the table.