Your Poker Success is Not in the Cards: How to Peg the Pigeon at Your Table

There’s a television show called Lie To Me, and every week viewers learn how to tell when someone is lying—voice level changes, certain body language, eye shifting, mouth twitches, tiny nuances of movement that indicate an intent to deceive. I’m pretty sure parents of teenagers and suspicious spouses are glued to the screen during every episode for obvious reasons. If you’re an aspiring poker player, you’ll be happy to know that you can identify the weakest player at the table with similar powers of observation, allowing you to, um, clean him out and gain a big chip advantage.

Pro poker player Rory Monahan says you can “spot the sucker” at your table within the first few hands. If you pay attention to Rory’s surefire giveaways, you’ll learn 1) how to spot the sucker and 2) how to avoid being the sucker. Here they are:

1. Arrogance.  When a player keeps bragging, acting cocky and “talking trash,” it’s likely he or she is compensating for insecurities.
2. Immediate Tilt. High-stakes poker is an intense game.  On tilt is the term for a state of mental confusion or frustration, during which a player becomes overly aggressive, which leads to less-than-optimal game play. If a player goes on tilt early in the game, you’ve got your patsy.
3. Ham and Cheese. Commonly known as overacting, if a player gets dramatic with his or her bluffs, calls and holds, chances are you’ve got a weak player in your midst. They’re overcompensating for a lack of skill.
4. World Series of Poker Syndrome. If you’ve ever watched TV’s World Series of Poker, you’ve probably noticed there’s heavy action on every hand. It’s called editing. For the show to fit into the allotted time, dozens of less-exciting hands are cut. If a player plays every pot, you can bet they’ve been watching the show instead of playing real Texas-Hold ‘Em.
5. Showboating. Nobody likes a pompous winner. Players who grandstand after winning a hand are showing their lack of experience. Seasoned poker players know better than to make enemies of the other players. It’s amazing how quickly the showboating stops when all the showboater’s chips are gone.
6. Fear of Risk. An experienced poker player is committed to the game—and to winning. If a player shows a fear of commitment by folding each time he or she is raised, you’ve found your mark—someone who doesn’t have the experience or the “guts” for the game.  Make these calls and watch your chips come in!