How To Make And Keep A Poker Face

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  • Poker face definition is - an inscrutable face that reveals no hint of a person's thoughts or feelings; especially: one used strategically during a poker game. How to use poker face in a sentence.
  • To keep a poker face and not betray your emotions in non-productive ways, you have to be aware of what’s going on around you and what’s going on inside of you. The “around you” awareness is focused on everything that’s going on in your immediate environment and paying special attention to the words or actions that are triggers for you.
  • Keep a stiff upper lip. Keep a stiff upper lip, to. Keep a straight face. Keep a straight face, to. Keep a tab on (someone or something) Keep a thing seven years and you'll find a use for it. Keep a thing seven years, and you'll (always) find a use for it. Keep a tight grip on (someone or something) keep a tight rein on.
  • How to Make and Keep the Perfect Poker Face There are very few card games that can evoke the emotions and intense competitive atmosphere of poker. It is a game that requires just as much strategy as it does good luck, meaning you do have a certain element of control over how you fare against the other players at your table.

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keep a straight face

To have an emotionless facial expression, especially in a humorous situation that could easily cause one to laugh. It's so hard to keep a straight face on camera when you have hilarious co-stars like I do.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2015 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

keep a straight face

Don't show one's feelings, especially refrain from laughing. For example, The school orchestra played so many wrong notes that I had trouble keeping a straight face . [Late 1800s]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

keep a straight face

COMMON If you keep a straight face, you manage not to laugh or smile. `I don't see that there's anything funny about it,' he said, offended. `Of course there isn't,' she said, trying to keep a straight face. Note: You can also say that you say or do something with a straight face. We've all been practising trying to say we charge $1,000 an hour with a straight face. Note: You can also say that someone is straight-faced. It's the way he tells a joke. He's completely straight-faced and I just fall about laughing.
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012

keep a straight face

manage to not show any facial expression, even though you are amused.
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

keep a straight face, to

Do not burst out laughing; look appropriately serious. This cliché is of fairly recent vintage. Henry Miller used the term in Plexus (1953): “All I felt called upon to do was keep a straight face and pretend that everything was kosher.”
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer Copyright © 2013 by Christine Ammer
How To Make And Keep A Poker Face
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There are very few card games that can evoke the emotions and intense competitive atmosphere of poker.

It is a game that requires just as much strategy as it does good luck, meaning you do have a certain element of control over how you fare against the other players at your table. And of all of the many elements of a winning poker strategy, arguably none is more important than the ability to cultivate a flawless poker face.

Your competitors will be basing their decisions on whether to fold, raise, or play based on what kind of hand they think you are holding. Being able to deceive your fellow players, or at least not give them any indication of what you are thinking, is absolutely critical for poker success.

That’s why you need to read this professional guide on how to make and maintain the perfect poker face, no matter what cards you’re holding.

1. Know Your Own Body Language

The first step towards crafting a perfect poker face is to learn the telltale expressions that indicate a strong or a weak hand. There are mountains of evidence to suggest that there are common facial cues and physical ticks that can reliably indicate what position a poker player is in.

For example, fake smiles, fidgeting, stiffness, tapping the table, and aggressively throwing chips into the pot are all commonly thought to indicate a weak hand. On the flip side, taking deep breaths, having wide-open eyes, acting impatient, or loudly sighing and shrugging are all examples of body language associated with a strong head.

How To Make And Keep A Poker Face Mask

Memorizing and perfecting these can help inform a winning poker face.

2. Become a Master of Dissociation

The ultimate poker face is one that truly gives nothing away. Naturally, this can be difficult in a game such as poker, where tensions typically run high. That’s why it is important to be able to dissociate from your mind during a play and mentally step away from the table.

There are many tips that skilled poker players often recommend to help achieve this. Some memorize a song and start playing it in their head whenever they have a hand. Some repeat a mantra in their head or resort to completing mathematical equations to take their mind off their hand. Find a tactic that works for you and put it to good use.

3. Practice Your Poker Face Online

Only frequent and sufficient practice will help you build the poker face you need to succeed. As this guide to online poker playing explains, the advent of live casino gaming has had a significant impact on poker strategy.

By playing with real people and dealers over a video live-stream, you can practice your poker face in a low-stakes environment where people cannot see your face if you don’t want them to. What’s more, with many live casino sites offering free poker games to new players, you will be able to rehearse your poker face in a realistic environment without having to spend your own money.

How To Make And Keep A Poker Face

As with all things regarding poker strategy, practice makes perfect.

4. Learn How to Memorize Your Hand

One of the most damaging dead giveaways in poker is constantly checking your hand throughout the round. If you can’t stop looking at your hand, it is clear to everyone that you probably have a decent set of cards and are debating when to make a play.

Once you have been dealt a hand, you should quickly memorize all of your cards and then refrain from looking at them again until it’s time to reveal your hand. Practice memorizing them as quickly as possible and try hard to refrain from looking at them. This way, you can avoid a common and crippling poker mistake.

By following these simple steps you will be able to put on a poker face that even the most seasoned players will not be able to see through.

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