Are you a fan of poker? Do you spend hours playing Texas Hold’em on your phone or computer every day? Or you’re passing up time playing poker every Friday night with friends? If you are, then you know that poker is not an easy game to play.
If you take a look at any casino review such as this Betsafe review, you’ll see that all casinos offer a variation of poker games which you should know by heart. Entering one of these games with non-standard rules can leave you penniless in a few hours, which is why you need to learn everything about poker to be successful in it.
The studying’s not done when you get good at the game – if you want to play like the pros, you’ll also need to master the poker face. No, we’re not talking about the Lady Gaga song – we're talking about the blank facial expression poker players use so others can’t guess their next move. You may think nothing of it, but ask any pro and they’ll tell you – a good poker face is just as important as knowing the rules of the game.
Practice
Before you master the art of the poker face, you need to practice it first. And yes, practicing a blank expression every day can make you look a bit weird especially at work, but hey, if that’s what it takes to be a poker pro, so be it!
As always, practice makes perfect. Find your neutral face that doesn’t display any emotions and keep the blank expression for as long as you can. Over time, you’ll get pretty good in it.
Play the Opponent, Not the Hand
This is a common mistake made by poker players – if you want to win at poker, you need to play your opponent, not the hand. If you react to the cards you’ve been dealt, you can be sure others will know it. Take a look at your opponents no matter what cards you’re holding – chances are, someone’s not been practicing their poker face at all.
Relax
In order to master your poker face, you need to keep your cool. Poker is a game of emotions and more often than not, a quick glance at your opponents as soon as the cards have been dealt can tell you a lot about their hand. At the same time, you need to stay completely relaxed – if you get nervous about your hand, it will definitely show on your face.
It’s Much More Than Just a Face
The term poker face refers to the whole package, not just the face. It’s the way you sit, the way you behave, and the tone of your voice. The poker face is more than just a blank expression and besides helping you win at the game, it can help you in many real-life situations as well.
As you can see, maintaining a poker face can be hard – Rafael Nadal certainly knows it. Keep working on it every day, however, and you will be on your way to becoming a poker champ.
