Poker has two main aspects that make it endlessly appealing to players from around the world: the simple, fun, but fast-paced gameplay that it offers, and the intense psychological skills that the game requires in order for a player to earn on a consistent basis.
Most professional poker players only earned their titles thanks to their ability to not just call out other players’ bluffs, but by also knowing when to pull their own bluff and other little tricks that give them an edge in the game. While the game itself it extremely easy to learn and can be done in as little as an hour, mastering every facet of poker can take years of dedication and practise. Here we will take a brief look at the psychological side of the game and why it’s invaluable for a player to learn how to develop certain skillets in order to win on a more consistent level.
Understanding Player Motivations
One of the most important skills that a poker player can learn is how to pick up on the motivations of the people that they are playing against. It’s vital to know what kind of mindset an opponent has at any given time, whether they are going to press a hand, or whether they intend to fold. Understanding and being able to efficiently predict the motivation is a powerful tool that a player can employ in any game, and can ultimately give them the upper hand.
Body Language
One way of learning motivation is by understanding the various kinds of body language that are in play, specifically the unconscious “tells” that usually give a player’s intentions away without them even realising it. Breathing patterns are one of the best tells on the market; if a player has a calm and collected breathing pattern, it generally means that they feel comfortable in the situation, and more than likely have a decent hand.
On the hand, if their breathing is rapid and frantic, they might be feeling pressured and stressed that their hand won’t be enough to help them win the round. If this all sounds a bit too much, it might be worth skipping the live games and instead spending some time on poker.
Another common tell is quick glances at the different objects around the table. If a player happens to glance at the chips, even briefly, there’s a fairly good chance that they will want to continue the bet. They might also look at the other chips on the table which are owned by other players, and it may indicate that they might want to try and win those chips over.
Calling Reflex
Another common tell, one that’s particularly prevalent among beginners, is the calling reflex. This is essentially an inexperienced player’s way of doing everything they can to remain as calm as possible, but it ultimately has the opposite effect. Being as subtle as possible during poker is often the key to gaining the advantage, but beginners will often keep a constant eye out for any other tells, and it immediately gives away both their inexperience with the game as well as their inability to maintain subtlety.