Wrong Emojis And Body Language: A Poker Strategy

Emojis have become quite popular these days, and not just with the younger set. Even older people are hey are quite convenient. However, one might make mistakes unwittingly, like using the wrong emojis, much to the consternation of the person they are talking to.

Body Language and Poker

Emojis are the virtual counterparts of body language. If you consider games like bingo or poker, you could call it "tells." Tells are certain movements, posture hints or facial expression changes that poker players watch out for. They try to look impassive as they scan their opponents to see if the person shows any reaction to the hand they've been dealt.

Each person has their own tells, even the best poker players. However, many high stakes experts advise novices to use these to their advantage. How does one do that?

Using Body Language as a Gaming Advantage

The answer is maddeningly simple. Just like using the wrong emojis, one might influence their opponents by sending out fake body language tells. The main goal is to feed it to the opponents. They must think they spotted it or your edge is lost.

Fake tells come in handy when you want to study how other players will react to various situations. It will also help you analyze if it would be wise to fold or to raise your bet.

One may straighten up ever so slightly when one gets a bad card. Straightening one's posture shows confidence and that may even be enough to spook an opponent into folding. This move will make him or her doubt the hand he or she has, no matter how good it is.

You can use body language to force your opponent to bet more as well. For instance, if you have a good hand and you are confident about it, you might "accidentally" make your shoulders droop ever so slightly. You might pretend to frown and correct it quickly. One might stop mid-grimace before pretending to right one's facial expression. This can make an opponent raise his or her bet.

A flicker of surprise may come in handy too. However, please remember that when using any fake tells, it would be wise to right oneself immediately. Leaving an expression for too long will make it obvious that you are trying to feed them fake information.

When Is It Too Much?

A novice might think that fake tells are enough to win a game. However, if you feed an opponent with too many fake tells, it can work against you in the long run. Over time, an opponent will learn to spot it and read you based on what you feed them.

These fake tells should not be used all the time as other players will soon find out you are bluffing. These should be used sparingly to prevent them from guessing your true intentions. That will make it harder for you to use these in the future if you are playing with the same people or playing in professional tourneys.

You may diversify your arsenal once you have learned how to use it to your advantage. Even so, it would be unwise to use everything you have in one sitting.