Psychology is widely used in poker, especially by Mike Caro, who uses it for poker and day-to-day situations too. Today I'm going to cover a few psychological maneuvers.
Does he or doesn't he? Sometimes a player-we'll call him Dan-uses chatter to evoke a reaction from Teddy, his opponent. Dan may use one of Mike's favorite methods to muse, "You know, it's possible that I'm holding a straight flush, but of course I could just be bluffing," and then has the audacity to follow his words with a bet. Dan is attempting to make Teddy wonder if he really has a powerful hand and Teddy is forced to decide whether Dan is bluffing or not.
What is Dan trying to achieve here? Dan realizes that Teddy could have him beat, and needs Teddy to question the power of his own hand, thereby making it less likely that Teddy will raise. Teddy is now concerned that Dan could be telling the truth about having a dominant hand. But if Dan is bluffing, there's no need to risk a raise. That's what Mike calls an "either-or situation." Teddy has been encouraged to think that Dan is either holding an invincible hand or is bluffing. Dan used psychology in an attempt to bet a medium-strong hand and misdirect Teddy's thought process so as not to be raised.
Deal. Players just sitting down are more likely to play conservatively. They've made a deal with themselves to play prudently today. Ah, but never fear; that won't last long, and it's only a matter of time before they play more liberally.
Tattoos. Have you noticed the rising amount of males choosing to adorn their bodies with tattoos? Well, take heed, if it appears that one of these ornamented men recently acquired his tattoo, you may find him playing more carelessly, bluffing more often, and daring to play more puny hands than the average guy. You can profit from this general tendency as long as you're quick to adjust your initial impression if it doesn't apply to that particular player.
Image. Everyone is aware of Mike's wild, playful image. Sitting at a table with him is guaranteed not to be boring. As well as amusing, time spent around Mike can be educational. Why choose a carefree, wild image? That image is more likely to win calls from weak hands, including times when you are holding impressive cards, resulting in a larger bankroll. Because opponents find it less painful to lose to someone they're enjoying playing alongside, they'll contribute even more to your profit in the future.
Fancy. You need to be selective about the times you attempt to be fancy in your play. Weak opponents or arguing players are not going to notice your fancy attempt, since they are caught up in their own soap opera at the moment.
Demean. Mike teaches that it isn't cost effective to demean opponents. You don't want to critique their play, because once ridiculed, they are more likely to avoid future embarrassment and only play stronger hands. Expressing disapproval of your opponents' decisions is probably going to damage your profits.
Pain. You should be cautious of falling into the trap of Caro's Threshold of Misery. When you don't expect your losses to exceed $3,000 and you go significantly past that amount, the pain isn't going to be any worse when you've lost $8,000 than when you lost $7,500. At the moment, the pain is the same. When that happens, you're tempted to quit caring and play worse. Mike teaches that your decisions will eventually matter, even if they don't seem to matter now.
Friendly. You need to seriously consider endearing yourself to the opponent on your left. He has positional advantage over you, and the last thing that you want is to appear antagonistic toward this person. You need to smile a lot, buy him/her a soda, chat about the horses, football, and basketball-anything that establishes camaraderie. That makes the player less likely to take full advantage of his position.
May everyone have a prosperous poker New Year!
Diane McHaffie is Director of Operations at Mike Caro University of Poker, Gaming, and Life Strategy. Her diverse career spans banking, promoting financial seminars and raising white-tailed deer. Contact her at diane@caro.com.
