The secret life of a professional poker player: I’m on the fringes of society

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Why more than 254,664 poker players have joined CardsChat

Take note of their betting patterns. I want to say, in fact, that it's a good thing, that in order to be really good at anything, one must be addicted to it. Had I been single and living with my Mum then perhaps things could have been different. News specific to the online poker world including big scores, new promotions and new legislation. Is being addicted to poker a bad thing?

One of the biggest indicators your opponent is bluffing is how your opponent bets. An opponent who normally raises pre-flop to five multiples of the blinds suddenly and makes it 2x the blind instead.

Why more than 254,664 poker players have joined CardsChat

This is a major tell that they want you to call. If they make it 10x the blind, they wants you to fold. Monitor their speaking patterns.

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When a quiet person at the game suddenly starts talking, it's time to pay attention. Introverted people often talk less because social interaction may stress them out. This means that if a quiet opponent is talking, they are likely relaxed.

On the other hand, if a more social player suddenly gets quiet, they may be devoting most of their attention to their hand. Chances are that they have something good and need to think about how to play it. This is a tell for a player holding a major hand. Often, players nervous enough to shake know that they are not in any condition to bluff. It would be too noticeable.

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Instead, this tell typically indicates newer players who have trouble holding in their emotions. Expect aces, sets, or other huge hands when someone bets with shaking hands. This may be seen right after your opponent bets against you. Look for any signs that they are trying to control themselves.

For people who shake or bob their legs unconsciously, a bluff may cause them to stop their movement in an attempt to control themselves and make it appear as though they have no tells. Look for a passive player. When someone has a good hand, they tend to try to look as calm and passive as possible.

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This may come naturally due to lack of stress to bluff, or a player may try to put on a show to demonstrate their feigned lack of interest in their hand. Often, if a player is making a point to show lack of interest in their hand, it is because they have something they want you to be into.

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See if they are reluctant to bet. A player who bets conservatively or seems unhappy to have to bet is likely holding a strong hand.

How to Give Pro Poker a Shot

In order to make their hand seem weaker, they will try to seem unsure about whether they should bet. A sudden change to a more reserved betting pattern likely indicates a strong hand. Look around their eyes. While stress indicators in the eyes are easy for an experienced player to control, smiling from the eyes often is not.

An experienced player knows better than to smile when they get a good hand, but their eyes will often narrow somewhat. The best indicator of this is seeing crows feet suddenly appear around their eyes. The sudden emergence of fine lines may indicate that they are sincerely excited for their hand. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Already answered Not a question Bad question Other. Instead, pay careful attention to their betting patterns and any chats they may initiate. When I play live I tend to focus on other things for information: Faces rarely come into it.

Granted, there are short-term slices of good fortune or otherwise, but over hundreds of thousands of hands, psychological, mathematical and emotional skill reign. The steady incline of my profit graph stretching back four years demonstrates that ultimately hard work and talent are rewarded. That said, my annual income is unspectacular and below the national average wage. I came to the game aimlessly and late at 36, after working as a freelance journalist.

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I was asked by an editor to write a weekly poker column charting the progress of a newcomer. I agreed and was immediately seduced. I threw myself into learning about the game and went from playing one table at a time to two, then, eventually, seven or eight. The column was scheduled to last a few months.

When it finally petered out and I had a chance to look around me, it had been running for 88 weeks. My writing career lay in tatters and my income was now solely dependent on poker success. I found the idea both terrifying and exhilarating. Time contracts when you spend most of your time on your own in a small room looking at a computer. I can barely recall anything that happened last week but remember the specifics of hands played several years ago.

Poker has put me out on the fringes of society.

The Warning Signs of Gambling Addiction

Last year I went deep into the psychological trenches. To make up for these losses I was grinding eight tables online simultaneously for up to 15 hours a day. I would play hungover or drunk or both and badly. Financial problems led to sleepless nights which led to poor decision-making at the tables which led to more sleepless nights. I found myself in a nightmarish loop. By the end of November my mental health was tied together by string.