Poker Mind Control: Poker and the Emotional Brain

Poker Mind Control: Poker and the Emotional Brain

How poker players' brains give off clues to their thoughts and how you can exploit those mind tells and limit your own poker tells through poker mind control.

MIND CONTROL
In live social games of poker your brain may not be the slave to your wishes that you believe it to be. Unfortunately the brain is formed of two very different parts. Put simply, the thinking brain and the emotional brain. You may have 90% control of your thinking brain but the likelihood that you understand, let alone control, your emotional brain is probably nudging zero. What does this mean in practical poker playing terms? It’s bad news for anyone who isn’t aware of the facts. How does the emotional brain betray you during a game? Okay. When the emotional brain sees something that disturbs it, it automatically reacts to attempt to pacify the situation. When an opposing player starts talking while making a bet you can be 99% sure he or she is attempting a bluff. If a player leans forward prior to the play reaching them you’ll know they’re emotional brain has already signalled them to act. It means they like what they’re holding, especially if their arms move onto the felt in a confident leaning gesture. Watch for all of this. Check it out. It’ll make you smile until you realise you’re doing it yourself on some level. Maybe you glance sideways when making a bluff or if you raise your eyebrows when the flop comes down you just told anyone who knows what they’re looking for that YOU LIKE WHAT YOU SEE!

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SO WHAT DO I DO?
The answer lies as it often does in technology. Play your poker online and none of the above “tells” can be communicated. You will still be giving off clues to skilled players but they will be far fewer and harder to spot. When playing in live social games just be aware of the emotional brain and its affect on your opposition. Chances are you’ll be the only one at the table who knows it’s functioning and be able to take advantage.

POKER TIP OF THE DAY
Know why you are betting. A lot of new players decide they like the hole cards they’ve been dealt and place a bet. Immediately someone challenges them with a raise they’re like a hare in the headlights, unsure as to how confident they really are in the cards they’re holding. A good rule when starting out is to be sure you want to bet and have an idea of how you will react to any of the likely responses you might face following that bet. If you’ve got a high pair then raise pre-flop with the certain strategy that if the flop doesn’t give you three of a kind you’ll probably fold unless the flop itself looks fairly unhelpful to all parties. In that case you may decide to proceed if the opposition doesn’t start pumping the pot. Have a definite thought process in place and only deviate from it if the flop indicates your high pair could carry the day. Obviously low cards unsuited and unconnected in the flop would indicate you should at least proceed to the turn.



Source: http://www.onlinepokercolumn.com/Poker-Mind-Control-Poker-Emotional-Brain.html

Death of the Poker Mechanic

Death of the Poker Mechanic
The demise of the card sharp

THE POKER MECHANIC R.I.P
One of the massive benefits online play has brought to the amazing game of poker is its 99% protection from serious cheating. The big sites simply can’t afford to do it. The audits and the huge value of their “good will” make it a ridiculous consideration. Financially they have everything to lose and peanuts to gain when they’re all making millions. No motive. No desire.A random online deal from regularly inspected software is the safest way any human being is ever going to receive a fair hand of cards during a poker game. The implications of this for older and more traditional “bricks and mortar” players carry an element of nostalgia and a sense of loss. One of the great talents in cardmanship belonged to the so-called “poker mechanic”. These days the true card-magician is a dying breed who can only reliably be found in high rolling private cash games. If, like me, you sometimes find yourselves in this kind of an environment, out of a sense of adventure or because you’ve fried the PC with three days and nights of solid online Hold’em, you might catch a glimpse of this wonderful species.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR!
The best way to track the beast is to watch “the deal”. Take a quick look on the web to search out a photo of the classic “mechanic’s grip”. The back of the hand rests on the felt. The pack lies gently on the palm of the hand surrounded by all of the mechanic’s fluid fingers. Watch carefully because all poker mechanics will perform at least two or three tricks at once and you may be quick enough to catch one of them. They will at first attempt a peek at the cards they’re looking for by using a riffle shuffle with the cards angled ever so slightly towards them. This is done very quickly and with a swift downward glance usually while they’re talking as an extra distraction. If the dealer then suggests the game they’d like to play, this will be the second clue that they’ve seen something which might suit that particular suggested game. Card dexterity itself is a clue that you may be looking at a poker mechanic. Anyone who can manipulate cards at speed will at least have learned how to slip a card from the bottom of the pack under the top card being dealt in such a swift and fluid movement it is almost impossible to spot and extremely difficult to prove. Watch for any one of the above give-aways and politely excuse yourself from the table if the offender outweighs you. Or ask if everyone can please cut the cards in order to assist your paranoia. That gesture alone will be enough to have the mechanic postpone his gymnastics until the following night at a different, less sober gathering. Do however take the time to marvel at his dying art before pulling the trigger.

Source: http://www.onlinepokercolumn.com/Death-of-the-Poker-Mechanic.html

Poker odds are odd that way

Poker odds are odd that way

POKER ODDS AND SODS
Sometimes analysing a hand from a major tournament after the event can teach us quite a lot about poker odds and how they are only one factor in poker’s Pandora’s box. Let’s take a look at a real life hand from the recent Ultimate Poker Challenge Championship between eventual winner Jeff Schulman and Kristy Gazes who started with the best hole cards. Kristy was holding King-Jack of diamonds against Jeff’s Queen-ten of clubs. At this pre-flop stage Kristy’s King-Jack same-suited was 60% likely to win the pot and Jeff’s same-suited Queen-ten only in with a 40% chance. The flop produced King of clubs-Jack of hearts and four of clubs. This still left Kristy the favourite with a 52% chance of winning against Jeff’s 48%. The turn and the river produced a five and nine of spades, giving under-dog Jeff victory with his nine-ten-Jack-Queen-King straight against Kristy’s respectable but defeated Kings over Jacks. The odds, rather like the Law of the land, can on occasions, be an ass! Odds are just one of the many elements a player uses in the decision making process. What this example demonstrates is that they shouldn’t be relied on in isolation.

POKER TUTORIAL Q & A

Problem A: Imagine you’re on the button with a pair of Jacks. The pot gets raised three times the big blind directly in front of you. With just ten times the big blind in chip value you are short-stacked.

Should you:
1) Call the raise?
2) Double the raise?
3) Muck your cards?
4) Grit your teeth and go all-in?

Problem B: You’re in a major tournament. A handful of players remain. You’re the chip leader. You’re holding Ace and Jack of spades. You raise six times the big blind. The big blind himself goes all-in with ten times the big blind. Do you call ten times the big blind to attempt to win twenty two times its value or do you fold? What’s the percentage play?

POKER TUTORIAL ANSWERS

Answer to A: You go all-in! You’re facing a raise and you’re short-stacked. By going all-in your re-raise should be powerful enough to drive out less than stellar hands. Likely outcome: Heads up with the first raiser. It’s a value bet.

Answer to B: As the chip leader you’re well placed to flush out opposing players in late tournament play. You call! It’s likely your Ace-Jack same-suited will hold up well unless A-Q, A-K or A-A are out there. The odds are with you at ten times the big blind. Value again.


Source: http://www.onlinepokercolumn.com/Poker-Odds-Are-Odd-That-Way.html