Do you ever get that itch? The itch to gamble, to head to the nearest gambling den, to find a high stakes game of Hold em, to sit at a Black jack table for hours on end. I like that itch. And I really like to scratch it.
I also love to watch men and women gamble. No 2 poker faces seem equal. When I gamble I like to think I put on a poker face that’s impassable. But I know I have particular gestures. For one, the only time I smoke is when I bet on poker or Chemin de fer. And then I smoke. Except I smoke regardless of whether I am winning or losing, no matter if I have a beneficial hand or bad.
I once played in the weekly poker game. The game was constantly five card draw. There was a man who played with us just about every week who always wore a hat. When he was dealt a beneficial hand, subconsciously, he would start touching and playing with his hat. Pointless to say, he in no way won.
The greatest poker player I ever saw was a guy who created additional actions and signals at a poker table than anybody I had ever met. He was impressive in the way he dressed. Always an high priced suit and tie, footwear shined and nails manicured. He was meticulous in this manner. And he was constantly brushing his pant leg or holding his hands or stacking his chips in neat little piles.
I use to analyze him for hours. I would tried to see if I could spot his tell. Choosing lint off his jacket- did this imply he was bluffing? Stacking his chips in a very short pile – did this mean he had a very good hand?
Years later I bumped into him in the bar in Philly and we had a beverage. I asked him if he were aware of all those activities he created or if they were unconscious. He informed me that just about every single thing he did at a poker table was intentional. He said that everybody is usually checking out everybody else’s poker face. They’re trying to notice the the tell.
So his technique was to provide them lots to consider about. His reasoning was if they were thinking about him picking a piece of fuzz off his shirt and what it meant they sure were not pondering about their cards.
His process was distraction. And it worked for him. Never give up a technique that operates for you.