I had a poker conversation with a colleague today. He asked me how the poker was going and I said, “It’s going – up and down and all around.” He’s not a poker player, plays blackjack some, but not poker.
He asked me if I had any “tells.” I told him that I’ve been made aware of a few. I then mentioned that I sometimes create false tells. “What do you mean ‘false tells,’” he queried.
This is something I’ve only recently attempted to incorporate into my game. I decided to try it because I was constantly hearng “I know you’re on a draw, aren’t you?” or variations of the probe at the tables.
Being the *coff* seasoned actor I am, I’ve started building a repertoire of oh-so-subtle facial twitches (less is more – believe that was Stanislavski, or maybe Boleslavskiy.. it was definately a ‘slavsky… or maybe Chekov (Michael not Anton)?). The circumstances have to be right – late position with a draw on the board. If I feel I have a good read on my opponent (also want to be heads up for this), then I will launch the fake tell.
Say there’s two to a flush draw on the flop. If my opponent bets out, I’ll call – no hesitation or contemplation. If the turn puts the third flush card out there, I’ll trigger a verrrrry slight eyebrow twitch, or a tiny widening of the eyes. The challenge is to not make it too obvious.
Usually, my opponent will check at that point, and then I will get a bet out there pronto which, if everything has gone as planned, prompts a fold from my opponent and I rake in the pot.
Sometimes, if the turn isn’t the third flush card, but my opponent still checks, then I will, of course check behind him. Then, if the third flush card lands on the river and there’s another check, I know I’m gold and I bet, prompting not just a fold, but a disgusted fold from my opponent.
Ok – the truth is, I really started doing this to break the boredom at the table. When it seemed to be working, well, hooray for me – it’s gotten me a few extra pots that I probably shouldn’t have! It really works against the college kids and the WPT wannabes, and then it’s really fun.
Get your start with this.
Last winter, I turned a $25 grubstake into $730 using the very same ruse of exploiting a facial tic I’ve had since late prepubescence. I lost it all in one night playing against an alert neurologist.
Those neurologist are all sharks!
But, Maudie is an actor and not an inbred poker player like the rest of us.
I’ve found that screaming, “THE NUTZ! I *HAVE* THE NUTZ!!!” often works well… except for on-line poker, where it doesn’t to have much affect except to scare the cats.