Every poker player must have psychological abilities in order to succeed in a poker game. This holds true for games of poker offline and online. While many poker players are aware of the psychology of poker offline, some are unaware of the psychology of poker online. Live poker online like Sun Power Poker (선파워) also requires psychology but from a different perspective. In this post, let’s take a look at the psychology of poker offline and online.
Poker Offline: The Body Reacts First
The biggest problem in offline poker is not your brain, but your body. Before the player even thinks about his hand, the body has already reacted. Usually, the outward signs are each a second ahead. Experienced players take advantage of this fact and watch their opponents carefully. Most of the time it doesn’t matter which “considered” reactions or bluffs follow, the player is already betrayed.
Many amateurs are sure to wonder why so many poker pros always play with sunglasses. The reason for this is very simple. The eyes are the most tell-tale. The movements of these, whether up, down, left or right, are by no means random. A trained player looks at the opponent’s cards through the eyes. An example: If you remember previous situations, your eyes almost always wander to the right. If the opponent now bets on a flop, this usually means that he really has a good hand in hand. However, if the gaze wanders to the left, the opponent constructs a game situation himself. In this case, hope is more “the mother of thoughts”. A bluff can almost certainly be assumed here.
The mouth, chin, and neck are also dangerous because they are treacherous. Anger and weakness can be identified quite easily. A pursed mouth or a quick grip on the ear indicate displeasure. The desired card for the counterparty has not fallen.
Of course, you shouldn’t just deal with your opponent at the poker table. When gambling you have to assume that the eyes of the opponents are also fixed on you. For you, this means that you should switch off your own emotions as much as possible. Beginners in particular stumble over this hurdle all the time. It is often difficult to keep one’s joy in check when, for example, two aces or two kings are in hand.
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Poker Online Psychology – The Danger Lies in the Distraction
You cannot look your opponent in the eye on the computer (unless you are playing on a webcam). On the one hand, this fact limits you a little in assessing your opponents, on the other hand, you are practically sitting in a protected atmosphere. Your body reactions are therefore unimportant online. Your gaming behavior is decisive. You should always stick to your planned poker strategy and not let cards drift you into a loose game, for example. If you are in the early stages of a tournament, it is important to always stay tight.
The greatest danger in online poker is the internet itself. One-click here, one-click there and you’re lost. Things like Messenger or Skype should always be switched off while playing poker. Any kind of clicking or annoying sounds destruct concentration.
Multi tabling is also of fundamental importance. In the best poker arenas, you can play up to 18 tables at the same time. The feature is quite nice, but should never be used in the interests of successful gaming. In my experience, even absolute professionals play a maximum of six tables at the same time.