Poker face is an essential element in the arsenal of any professional when playing live poker. What does this concept mean and which player has the best poker face? Let’s figure it out.
1. How and When Did The Poker Face Appear?
Poker face is a facial expression that does not betray any emotion. In live poker, it is very important to be able to maintain a calm expression so that your opponents cannot figure out if you have good cards.
The first mention of pokerface dates back to the 1870s when poker gradually began to turn into a game of skill.
The public began to use the word “poker face” in 2008 with the release of Lady Gaga’s “Poker Face” video. While there is a definite connection to poker in the video, there is almost nothing about the card game in the song itself.
As you know, the song became incredibly popular and became famous all over the planet. Since then, everyone has talked about the pokerface, and sometimes it even became a subject for advertising.
And in 2010, on the foreign forum 4chan, the “Poker Face” meme was born – an emotionless face that symbolizes a complete lack of reaction to what is happening.
2. How Important is Poker Face in Live Poker?
While playing poker online, you can grimace, shout, make faces – and it will not be important, because no one will see you. But in live poker, everything is completely different. Good players will always notice if your facial muscles twitch, your eyebrows jump up, or you gnash your teeth.
So the ability to hold an iron pokerface without giving away the strength of the hand through emotions and facial expressions is an incredibly useful skill in poker.
It should be noted that the attitude to poker face is different for different players. Some of them believe that it is impossible to calculate the strength of an opponent’s hand through facial expressions, gestures, and posture. But the nicer poker players who are attentive to such clues gain an additional advantage over other players.
3. Who is the Poker Player With the Best Poker Face?
Most of the poker community thinks professional player Phil Ivey has the coolest poker face. His self-control is at such a high level that it was once used for a funny commercial for the poker room Full Tilt Poker.
4. How to Learn to Hold a Poker Face?
Online poker players who try their hand at live poker can find it difficult to keep poker face for a long time: they just are not used to doing it. But the more you play live, the better you will be able to hold the poker face. To do this, pay attention to the following tips.
Do Not Try to Keep a Stony Expression Throughout the Game
Watch live streams – even the coolest pros like Tom Dwan, Patrik Antonius, or Phil Ivey himself don’t strive to keep emotions in check throughout the game. When they are not in the distribution, they may well allow themselves to smile or even laugh at a good joke. Only hold the pokerface when you are personally involved in the hand. You can wear sunglasses or a hood to hide your emotions.
Sit In a Comfortable Position
Typically, you can spend hours playing poker. Therefore, sit in a position that is comfortable for you. Place both feet on the floor and your arms straight out in front of you.
Constantly Observe
This is a very important rule. Watch each of the opponents at the poker table. And don’t forget to look at yourself from the outside as well. If you feel that you are giving yourself away with certain actions, try to keep them to a minimum the next time.
The cooler your poker face becomes, the harder it will be for your opponents to read you. And this, usually in live poker, is extremely important.
