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The eyes may be the windows to the soul, but at the poker table, the eyes are the windows to the hole. Hole cards, that is, and if you want a shot at the pot, you need to pull the blinds. Successful poker play is a combination of skill, luck, and the ability to read your opponent. The art of poker is to penetrate the veil of secrecy, to deduct from the unconscious clues provided by your opponents, and determine what cards they might hold. You do not want to be held hostage by a bluff, but chasing a limp can be equally dangerous.

The term 'poker face' is a bit of a misnomer. Facial expressions are obvious examples of nonverbal communication, but all body language can betray your hand. Do your eyebrows arch at the sight of Big Slick? Do you sweat in the presence of royalty? Does your chest heave at the sight of an overpair?

Before you take your seat at the table, you must discover your own tells,' those annoying ticks that tattle like a schoolgirl on a grammar school playground. Practice hiding those telltale signs in front of the mirror. Become the stone. Record your play and review the tape until you discover those traitorous tremors.

Dress for success. Make it harder for your opponents to get a read on you. A pair of dark sunglasses and a low-brimmed hat can help camouflage those inadvertent poker face signals. Phil Laak, The Unabomber, wears a hoodie at the table and Greg Raymer's funky eyewear is legendary.

You are sitting at the table with a big hand in front of a monster pot. You can feel the juice surging through your body. Take a deep breathe, and send your mind on vacation. Visualization can help keep the blood in check. Imagine yourself drifting aimlessly on a remote pond, listening to crickets as you let your hand trail through the cool water.

Work on your breathing. Take a slow, deep breath. Exhale and let the next breath flow through you nostrils. Follow the air with your mind, blending consciousness with breathing.

Some players use their eyes as weapons. While you are contemplating your play, deciding whether to call or raise, they will bore holes through your brain. Resist the temptation to return the stare. Remember, at the poker table, discretion is the better part of valor.

If you can keep your poker face in check, and call upon the techniques listed above, you will raise eyebrows the next time you take your seat at the table. Keep this in mind when the river fills your boat, or you draw to an inside straight.

Learn more about this author, Jim Thomason.
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