Poker Persona: Playing Poker In A Straightjacket

Why is that many serious players of the game of poker want to project a stoic persona? Could they be trying to hide their tells by emitting a somber, almost zombie-like presence? They come off as moody and sinister behind those dark glasses and hooded sweatshirts, like maybe they have holsters and a lightning draw ala Wyatt Earp. Do they know how they appear to others, do they care?

There has to be some reason for their intimidating, arrogant persona. They may be attempting to confuse and frighten their opponents, to keep them from challenging their play (and wallets). Or it may be they have taken on this image because they lack the wit to come up with any other. If you truly are a sinister intimidating bully, then this persona may work for you. Most who try to pull this off look like they themselves are scared and have gone into hiding.

You should think carefully about the image you project. The bully persona, even if done well, is probably not effective. It may work on some opponents, but mostly it works against you. It may also attract the type of opponents that you want to steer clear of – the experts. If you sit there looking like a hawk, your prey will run in the opposite direction.

You may attract, though rarely, the kind of professional that really is sinister and intimidating. He may intimidate you out of your chips. This, of course, will make him impossible to get rid of. They are getting exactly what they wanted.

You may be putting on that stern impassive face to make you appear like a more serious and focused professional, more concentrated than the rest of the players at the table. The problem is, though, that anyone who plays poker, whether rookie or expert, is not going to be able to hang on to an impassive demeanor. If your image is not projecting any of what is really you, it may quash your ability to be conversational and enjoy the game. And, in fact, your energy may be expended on maintaining that phony image rather than on winning at poker.

Though one is not advised to be fully natural in poker, one had better create an image which is the most natural to impersonate. A more “openly” social image may take some practice to maintain, but it will result in your greater enjoyment of the game and greater focus, since your mind will be busy doing what it more or less enjoys.

Keeping up a persona radically antithetical to yourself won’t allow your full potential to unfold, since you are virtually playing poker in a straightjacket, while the effort saps even more of your concentration without contributing any vigor to your game.

So, big shades and big hats and appearing like a bandit with a fast draw only seems to require less effort than developing a persona that is closer to the true you. If you are a professional player, you will spend time observing yourself and envision the player you wish to become. In time you will be this player and have more luck at the table.

The author of this article plays online poker and gets Rakeback at Aced Poker where they offer the highest Aced Rakeback.

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