I previously explained Self-Effectiveness Training (S.E.T.) and how I applied it to relationships between couples, with families, and at work with co-workers. In my previous article (Ready, Set, Play), I applied some of the principles of SET to poker.
Another important factor in applying yourself most effectively is to know how you come across to others. Some players know how they affect others; other players don't have a clue, and finally there are those who don't care. Still, there are those who work hard to convey a certain impression- mostly though, not coming close to who they really are or what they are representing.
Ask yourself this, "How am I different when playing poker than I ordinarily am with people?" If the answer is anything removed from how you regularly present yourself, then you are coming to play poker as an act. Sure, you might say that that is part of poker. However, there is a fine line between bluffing and pretending to be someone you seldom are.
There are authentic bluffers and bluffers who are trying to be someone else. Bluffs by players who are authentic to start with represent themselves and when they are bluffing, it's hard to tell them apart from themselves. That's because they are themselves, who happen to be playing poker. On the other hand, players who come to the table pretending to be tough, to know more than they do, to have better cards than you, or to bluff their way through each hand, are easier to spot. That's because you know they are acting.
With an authentic player you will see a variety of emotions and expressions. With an actor, you will see the same face for as long as they are playing. Here's some example of both. There's a player who is near to being anti-social. He seldom smiles and when greeted, will mumble a response as if to say, "Don't bother me. I'm busy playing poker!" His
act seems to be one of "stay away from me and be afraid of me." Actually, very few veteran players are afraid-even though they may not engage him other than call his bluffs.
It's easy to realize that he is pretending to be tough-particularly, when you see him outside of the poker room being friendly. Even if you didn't see him being friendly, you can tell a pretender from a player who is authentic who changes emotions as things change. Such authentic players are more responsive. Actors seem to think they have to pretend or someone will see through their act. They fail to realize that their staying non-responsive reveals that they are seldom being themselves.
On the other hand, there's a player who comes to the table usually cheerful and engages others as she plays. She is a good poker player and knows how to raise, fold, and bluff. When she is bluffing, it's hard to tell her apart from herself. She is that hard to read. That's because she seems to have few patterns to put her on. When she has the best hand she is the same as when she is betting with the second or third-best hand. She will seldom show her cards if not called. She will occasionally show the winning hand-just to let you know that she wasn't bluffing. When she is called, she will show the best hand and take the pot-never in an offensive way. Authentic players like opponents and will positively engage them. Pretenders act as though everyone at the table is their worst enemy and are more likely to insult other players.
So, when you ask yourself the question of how much you act like yourself when playing poker, hope that your answer is closer to who you really are; that makes you harder to read.
