No, He Can’t Read My Poker Face

Although Lady Gaga might not have been talking about keeping a poker face during an actual game of poker, she did know the importance of maintaining one’s poker face. A poker face is all about deception and acting and for some it comes naturally. For others, it will take quite awhile to master the art. It’s a good idea to practice in front of a mirror or with friends before heading out into a big game. People spontaneously show their emotions and it’s perfectly natural, but you must learn to hide these emotions. The only emotion you can show is indifference, all the time.

However, this indifference must be mixed with your own personality. When you can do this, it will flow naturally and other players will have a more difficult time reading your emotions. Learning to cover up your tells is not easy. Many players will grow a beard to hide minute tensing of their jaw or wear sunglasses to hide the expression in their eyes.

Practice in front of the mirror and imagine the dealer gives the flop or you just received a pair of Aces. Notice how you react to each scenario. Reading poker books and watching poker DVDs can give you more great advice and soon you’ll be bluffing as good as Gaga.