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In perhaps the finest movie about Las Vegas ever, Swingers, Jon Favreau's character says,
'The trick is we gotta look like we don't need the [stuff], then they give us [stuff] for free.'
He says this to a friend right before they enter a casino dressed to the nines, lose at blackjack after doubling down, get breakfast in the Age of Enlightenment, and meet two beautiful women.
While it's debatable that dressing the part of a high roller is enough to get you comped like a pro, there is a certain respect that players can earn if they act like they've been there before.
That little extra respect can be nice when you're hitting a casino to play poker. It might keep the pit boss and dealers from paying too much attention to you, the service might be a little prompter, and the others at the table a little more intimidated by you.
If that sounds like something you'd like to happen during your next game of poker, here are 10 basic tips you can use to act like a poker pro even if you aren't one.
1 – Dress the Part
Given the reference to Swingers above, you might think that dressing the part means donning a suit and tie (or fancy dress), shiny shoes, and trying to blind your poker opponents with your sheer opulence. Fortunately, that's not exactly the case (unless your particular poker place has a dress code).
What you really want is to avoid looking too sloppy. Avoid unintentionally ripped jeans or stains on your shirt, and you will go a long way toward seeming you like you belong at this table.
2 – Know the Basics
It has to be said that if you want to act like a poker pro, you need to know the game. There's not a poker pro alive who doesn't know how to play their game, so if you want to act like a pro, know the rules.
You don't need to study every little piece of strategy, nor do you need to be a walking encyclopedia of every poker rule ever. Just know the game enough to the point where you don't have to ask about it and you are on your way to acting like a pro.
3 – Speak the Language
No matter what you're doing, if you can't speak the language, you will not fit in. If you don't fit in, you will start to draw attention to yourself in a negative way and won't be able to command the respect you want. Plus, you will out yourself as a rookie to the pit boss, waitstaff, and dealers, and they're the ones you would like a little special treatment from.
Therefore, learn the basic terminology of the game, including terms like 'flop,' 'on the button,' and 'pocket kings' if you're playing Texas hold'em. Understand a 'double down' and what it means to 'split aces' for blackjack. Then, use those phrases properly. As long as you speak the language, you will quickly be accepted as a poker pro.
4 – Know the Major Players of the Game
Poker players like to talk about the game, and talking about it includes famous poker rounds played by the real pros. Really, this is the same as any sport. Fans like to relive the famous moments. Even if you have never actually seen any of the hands of poker those around you are talking about, you should know most of the players involved.
If you show up and have no idea who Daniel Negreanu, Phil Hellmuth, or Phil Ivey are, you will out yourself as a rookie. If you at least know who they are, you stand a better chance of being treated like a pro.
5 – Don't Over Communicate
Rookies talk. Players play.
Joya Tillem
Almost universally, the person at the table who is spitting out the biggest volume of words is a newbie. It's possible they could be a pro playing mind games, but more often than not, someone is chatting to hide the fact they don't feel confident about their hand.
Don't be that person. Be friendly, chat when it's appropriate, but don't over speak or else no one will believe you are a pro.
6 – Avoid Obvious Tells
The professional poker player is one cool customer. They don't rattle easy, then don't emote, and they maintain the same demeanor when they have a great hand as when they have garbage. That is a skill that you have to develop over time and, if you're like many non-professionals, you will always have a tell or two.
Still, if you want to act like professional, try to avoid any obvious tells. Some of the most common tells include laughing or smiling at your face down cards, groaning, frowning, saying 'c'mon' or 'about time.' All of these will make you out as a rookie because a true poker pro would never act like that.
7 – Always Tip
You don't have to be a huge tipper, but tip your cocktail waitress a couple of bucks when she brings a drink. Tip the dealer a dollar for each small pot you win and a few dollars for a large pot, plus a couple bucks when they leave the table.
Tipping is always a classy move, it's something that poker pros always do, and it's going to earn you a lot of respect around the poker room in which you play. Just don't tip the pit boss. That's not appropriate and may feel like a bribe.
8 – Don't Lose Your Cool
Poker pros, for the most part, keep their cool.
Sure, there are plenty of meltdowns during televised poker events because those are good for the audience. However, in the real world, poker pros are calm, cool, and collected with that magical poker face.
That means no excessive celebrating when you win, no whining when you lose, and generally showing good sportsmanship.
9 – Take the Casinos Less Traveled
Poker pros will make appearances at the latest and greatest hotels and casinos because it's a good place to be seen. They also have the bankrolls to absorb some of the costs that go along with such places.
Jon Favreau Poker Player
1 – Dress the Part
Given the reference to Swingers above, you might think that dressing the part means donning a suit and tie (or fancy dress), shiny shoes, and trying to blind your poker opponents with your sheer opulence. Fortunately, that's not exactly the case (unless your particular poker place has a dress code).
What you really want is to avoid looking too sloppy. Avoid unintentionally ripped jeans or stains on your shirt, and you will go a long way toward seeming you like you belong at this table.
2 – Know the Basics
It has to be said that if you want to act like a poker pro, you need to know the game. There's not a poker pro alive who doesn't know how to play their game, so if you want to act like a pro, know the rules.
You don't need to study every little piece of strategy, nor do you need to be a walking encyclopedia of every poker rule ever. Just know the game enough to the point where you don't have to ask about it and you are on your way to acting like a pro.
3 – Speak the Language
No matter what you're doing, if you can't speak the language, you will not fit in. If you don't fit in, you will start to draw attention to yourself in a negative way and won't be able to command the respect you want. Plus, you will out yourself as a rookie to the pit boss, waitstaff, and dealers, and they're the ones you would like a little special treatment from.
Therefore, learn the basic terminology of the game, including terms like 'flop,' 'on the button,' and 'pocket kings' if you're playing Texas hold'em. Understand a 'double down' and what it means to 'split aces' for blackjack. Then, use those phrases properly. As long as you speak the language, you will quickly be accepted as a poker pro.
4 – Know the Major Players of the Game
Poker players like to talk about the game, and talking about it includes famous poker rounds played by the real pros. Really, this is the same as any sport. Fans like to relive the famous moments. Even if you have never actually seen any of the hands of poker those around you are talking about, you should know most of the players involved.
If you show up and have no idea who Daniel Negreanu, Phil Hellmuth, or Phil Ivey are, you will out yourself as a rookie. If you at least know who they are, you stand a better chance of being treated like a pro.
5 – Don't Over Communicate
Rookies talk. Players play.
Joya Tillem
Almost universally, the person at the table who is spitting out the biggest volume of words is a newbie. It's possible they could be a pro playing mind games, but more often than not, someone is chatting to hide the fact they don't feel confident about their hand.
Don't be that person. Be friendly, chat when it's appropriate, but don't over speak or else no one will believe you are a pro.
6 – Avoid Obvious Tells
The professional poker player is one cool customer. They don't rattle easy, then don't emote, and they maintain the same demeanor when they have a great hand as when they have garbage. That is a skill that you have to develop over time and, if you're like many non-professionals, you will always have a tell or two.
Still, if you want to act like professional, try to avoid any obvious tells. Some of the most common tells include laughing or smiling at your face down cards, groaning, frowning, saying 'c'mon' or 'about time.' All of these will make you out as a rookie because a true poker pro would never act like that.
7 – Always Tip
You don't have to be a huge tipper, but tip your cocktail waitress a couple of bucks when she brings a drink. Tip the dealer a dollar for each small pot you win and a few dollars for a large pot, plus a couple bucks when they leave the table.
Tipping is always a classy move, it's something that poker pros always do, and it's going to earn you a lot of respect around the poker room in which you play. Just don't tip the pit boss. That's not appropriate and may feel like a bribe.
8 – Don't Lose Your Cool
Poker pros, for the most part, keep their cool.
Sure, there are plenty of meltdowns during televised poker events because those are good for the audience. However, in the real world, poker pros are calm, cool, and collected with that magical poker face.
That means no excessive celebrating when you win, no whining when you lose, and generally showing good sportsmanship.
9 – Take the Casinos Less Traveled
Poker pros will make appearances at the latest and greatest hotels and casinos because it's a good place to be seen. They also have the bankrolls to absorb some of the costs that go along with such places.
Jon Favreau Poker Player
One thing you can do to seem like a much more powerful poker player is to find some of the mid-tier casinos and spend your time there. These places will draw players who are looking for action and who have the money to back it up, so you will get your challenge.
However, you can avoid some of the sharks and bankroll killers who want to play competitively and have a tendency to expose when a player doesn't know as much as they act like they do.
Also, if you are a regular at the same place, it's a good way to get respect from those who work there.
10 – Play
Perhaps the best thing you can do if you want to act like a pro is do the one thing that poker pros do a lot—play poker. This can be online so that you can gain the experience in lots of poker situations, but it can also mean just getting out, finding a poker room, and starting to work on being a regular.
Jon Favreau Poker Games
The more you are seen playing, the more others will think you are hot stuff, even if you're not playing for the highest stakes. The best part is that once you play a lot, people will start to talk about your matches and relive hands that you played. Then, at least, you are familiar with the players.
Conclusion
At some level, it may seem kind of silly to spend time trying to act like a poker pro, but in all seriousness, it is something that might help your game and, most likely, make the act of playing more fun.
If other players think you know what's going on, they will alter their strategy around you. They may bluff less or play tighter because of your perceived skill. That's a good thing.
Also, the more you act like a pro, the more fun you will have because other players will come to you to talk about the game. You might get a little extra of the good attention from the poker room staff (in the form of a little extra free stuff), and others are likely just to be nicer to you.
Jon Favreau Poker Show
All in all, for the price of a clean polo and a few less words, that's not a bad trade off.
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