Poker face: what does it mean to put on a poker face?

Even if you are not a fan of poker, surely at some time in your life you have heard the expression “poker face” or, what is the same, “poker face” . Pop culture has been responsible for spreading this popular phrase globally and even Lady Gaga dedicated a successful song to it with the same title: “po, po, po, po, po, po, po, po, poker face”. You remember it, right?

Leaving aside the popular song, do you know the origin and meaning behind this expression? If you regularly play poker, you will surely have perfected this face. Especially if you are playing a real money poker tournament in a physical establishment.

However, if you are a beginner and curious to know what the heck the phrase “poker face” means, then we recommend that you continue reading carefully. In this article we are going to analyze its origin and how to put a “poker face” when you need it.

By the end of the post, you’ll know exactly what you need to know about this term, and hopefully this could help you play better hands at your favorite online poker site . Let’s go there!

Origin of the expression “poker face”

The origin of the expression “poker face” or “poker face” dates back to the second half of the SXIX . Obviously, it arose from the game itself and was first used in a poker guide that explained the rules of this card game. The term was used to describe the face of a poker player who was holding cards in his hand.

But the phrase did not represent the simple image of a player with poker cards in his hand, but the face of the gambler himself, which should remain unreadable or expressionless , to prevent other users from guessing the hand with the that counted
The phrase, traditionally used in the world of poker, very soon found its place among the rest of the population, describing a person with an inscrutable facial expression, who “says nothing”.

what does poker face mean

We have already established that putting on a poker face means being devoid of facial expressions while playing. But is it a good idea to put on a poker face during a game? And, if so, why?

The answer is quite simple: any poker player knows that it is very important not to give clues about the hand behind their cards, regardless of how good or bad it is. Something that will help them increase their chances of defeating the different players he faces. Thus, the key is to hide information from your rivals and generate doubts in them. For that this impenetrable mask known as poker face is used.

It is, therefore, to use the poker face in our favor . It is perfectly normal for other users to speculate about the meaning of the faces you show at all times. If you get them to make a wrong prediction thanks to your poker face, then you will have scored a point that could turn into a winning hand.

Either way, don’t forget that body language is also part of the game . In other words, relying solely on your poker face as your only strategy would be wrong. You can put on a perfect poker face, but any unconscious twitch or gesture could knock your strategy down in a second, so pay close attention to your body language as well.

How to make a poker face

Now that you have a closer idea of ​​what it means to put on a poker face, let’s see if we can teach you how to put it on during the game. Before, our recommendation is that, if you want to master this technique, investigate more about it once you finish reading this article. One way to do this is to look at how some of the top professional poker players
display their poker face . The internet is full of videos of international poker games and tournaments where you can take a closer look at how professional bettors do it .

Once you have done some deep research in this regard, it would be time to practice. The first thing you should focus on is maintaining direct eye contact with your opponent at all times. Not only will you not appear more confident, but you will also deter other players from trying to guess your game strategy, as maintaining firm eye contact is intimidating for many users.

However, this does not mean that you should stare at people or blink too much , as these two actions could have the opposite effect. In fact, it is believed that people who are happy to look you directly in the eye have nothing to hide, which can be very useful in certain game situations.

The face has 43 muscles, which interconnect to create the perfect poker face. So even a tiny movement could reveal the true nature of your hand. Therefore, you should try to relax as much as possible . Think of it as if you were meditating: take a deep breath, empty your mind and watch yourself gain total control. This process will help you relax your jaw and mouth, which will prevent your face from remaining impassive.

How to keep a poker face

Now that you know how much effort you need to maintain a perfect poker face, let’s see what you need to do to maintain it throughout the game . Many players don’t know this, but their voice and the tone they use when speaking can be a sign of whether you’re doing it right or wrong.

Emitting onomatopoeia of any kind will only show that you are nervous, so it is essential that you avoid these expressions . Keep communication to a minimum and use clear and concise language.

Sudden changes in intonation can also give away the type of hand you have. Make sure you don’t sound surprised , disappointed, or angry, regardless of the situation. If you feel like you can’t control the tone of your voice, use body language to convey your meaning.

Fortunately or unfortunately (depending on how you look at it) some people love to talk. If you are a talker, use it to your advantage . Discussing various topics can be a distraction for your rivals, which you could take advantage of to impose your hand.

Final conclusion

Now that you know how to make and maintain a perfect poker face , you may be wondering how much it could help you in your poker games. As in everything that surrounds the world of poker, giving a clear answer is not easy.

Putting on a poker face could help you win, but only if you combine it with other factors that also have their weight in this world , such as knowing perfectly the ranking of poker hands or knowing when to raise or fold in a hand.

Therefore, and to conclude, we recommend that you continue practicing to perfect not only how to put on the ideal poker face, but also to improve the rest of the aspects that are relevant in poker hands .