[nomadtla]

In response to your main question this is what I do as well.

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Handle the cards and chips exactly the same way whether I am calling, folding, raising, I have a routine kind of like a golfer setting up for a shot, I don't start my routine until it is my turn, and I use the routine no matter what the situation is. Actually I have two routines and use them sporadically. I am pretty deadpan during all hands but try to be conversational between hands.

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When I play in one of my regular home tourneys (no casino experience). I normally know my action before it's my turn but I still move the same everytime. When I started I would count in my head to 7 before taking an action if I allready know the action I intend to take. This masks the paused/imediate responses. I read somewhere that counting in your head was Chris Ferguson's method, but can not confirm that I just know it has worked for me. I don't count much anymore because I have become accusomed to making that pause naturally. It has also saved me a few decisions as I will notice something in those few seconds that changes my action.

In the preflop round I wait till it's my turn to act, look at my hand and instead of counting I repeat the hand (including suits) in my head 5 times. This helps to keep me from pulling the "three clubs flopped but do I have the ace of clubs or spades". I will still look at my hole cards ocasionally during a hand but it's more for a false tell since my home game is a bunch of muppets. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]