CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
MASKING TELLS
“
At the lower stakes, most people don’t know how
to read through you . . . When you’re a low-limit player
just starting out, the main thing to focus on is the
fundamentals, like learning the math behind the game.
“
MASTE RCL ASS
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
masking tells
SUBCHAPTERS
• WAIT UNTIL IT’S YOUR TURN TO • PROTECT YOUR CARDS IN • PRACTICE A CONSISTENT
LOOK AT YOUR CARDS A UNIFORM WAY PHYSICAL BASELINE
• REGULATE HOW YOU LOOK AT • THE MORE YOU DO, THE MORE • YOU DON’T NEED A GOOD
YOUR CARDS YOU GIVE AWAY POKER FACE TO PLAY POKER
CHAPTER REVIEW
eading body language at the poker table The distance at which you keep your cards from the edge
R is one of Daniel’s fortes. First, he advises you to wait
until it’s your turn to play to look at your cards. You can
of the table can also reveal information to your opponents.
If you leave your cards far away from you, it could signal
give a lot away in the time between when you look at weakness. If you keep them close, it could signal strength.
your cards and when you play, so you want to minimize
your opponents’ opportunity to read you. You could use Daniel’s general rule of thumb is that the more you do, the
body language as a weapon of disinformation, but Daniel more you give away. This includes what you do with your
doesn’t recommend this tactic to beginner players. phone, eating or drinking, and physical movements. To
be successful, you need to minimize your movements and
How you look at your cards is also important. If you’ve create a baseline of near-robotic behavior that gives away
waited until your turn, now the entire table is looking very little information to your opponents.
at you, so it is important to be consistent in your physical
action. Daniel illustrates how a quick look at your cards But rest assured—you don’t have to have a good poker face
and visible excitement can suggest that you have a strong to play poker. Fundamentals and math will help you win at
hand; whereas a longer look and more controlled lower limits, and by the time you reach higher stakes you’ll
expression is harder to read. have the experience you need to mask your physical tells.
Once you look at your cards, you must protect them in
order to prevent the dealer from mucking your cards in the
middle of the hand—for example, you can use chips from
your stack as a paperweight. Make sure to always protect
your cards in the same way, regardless of the strength of
your hand. Stacking a bunch of chips on top of your cards
might signal that you’re protecting a big hand.
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CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE / MASKING TELLS / DANIEL NEGREANU
UP YOUR GAME
Seek out footage from live tournaments to see how One way to practice the physical actions is to place a
players conduct themselves when making physical mirror in front of a table and to observe yourself. If you
actions. Replays of classic World Series of Poker events are have a practice partner available, you can check each other
perfect for this, as they contain a wide variety of player until you have mastered all the actions. If you really want
types from inexperienced amateurs to the elite level to get a lot of opinions on how well you mask your tells,
professionals such as Daniel. Can you spot differences in you could video yourself and post the clip in The Hub to
how players of different skill levels mask their tells? invite comment.
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