It may be entirely beyond the average poker player that at any moment of the game he or she projects a specific image. Players are either unaware of the fact that an image had better be consciously maintained or trying to avoid projecting any image by assuming a sort of somberly inexpressive expression. Shielded behind shades and baseball cap, unsmiling, moodily silent, they believe that they thus “minimize” communication with the rest of the table.
But unless they completely disappear – did Welles’s invisible man play poker? – they will always project just enough information for good players to exploit. They are not only likely to attract other and better skilled silent scarecrows similar to themselves, but they are also likely to scare away those players who would otherwise constitute the bulk of their regular income.
To become utterly neutral is not the same as to become beyond observation. Active controlled communication with opponents, when managed correctly, is likely to yield much better result than a blank attitude. A blank attitude is most probably, in most cases, a sign of weakness rather than of sense or strength.
Any retreat from active involvement is always a weakness. These blank-faced players do not know that to the expert opponent they still have tells of some kind to divulge at some point or other during a game. They are human after all.
A non-serious player will look for a table where folks seem to be having fun. They will cruise around the room until they stumble upon the table with laughing friendly players gathered around. They are not looking for a serious game but for some fun and so a potential opponent’s skills are not a priority.
For a player intending to earn a regular income it is important to be able to cater to these basic desires of the fun-loving amateur. A constant stream of amateurs is the wise professional’s regular income. A happy amateur is likely to stay longer at your table, dare more, bet higher, and loose more, more willingly. But the amateur is likely to leave a table full of Egyptian mummies.
Sparkling conversation and a sense of fun in combination with compliments on others play will keep an amateur in a trusting frame of mind and keep him returning to that table again and again. They don’t play for an income or for the thrill of risk so they will not be upset by losing to an amusing opponent.
Players in a good mood, even though unskilled at the game, will remain hopeful that Lady Luck will smile upon them and will remain at the entertainers table. Luck will actually find its way to them on occasion and turn them into frequent players and attract more amateurs to the table.. The stony faced player of no emotion who is anything but fun to be around will not attract the amateur let alone keep him at the table.
World class poker players are aware that they are always projecting an image and so are ever-mindful of just what that image is. Their images are calculated to protect their interests, not to scare people away. This calculated manipulation of the game, beyond superior technique and skill, allows them to create a positive environment for their heedless victims.
The author is a successful limit cash game player. He plays poker online and receives Doyles Room Rakeback and Carbon Poker Rakeback.