Composure after firing large bet

[jdeane]

Long time reader, first time poster.

I am a typical ½ NL live/online player.

This applies to both cash games and tournaments.

When putting out a large / all-in bets on any street I have always subscribed to the “don’t move at all” strategy in order not to give off any physical tells.

1) Do you think that is a good strategy?
2) Are there subtle things one can do in this position to induce or discourage a call?
3) Are there any other ways to handle yourself after you fire the bet that may be better than sitting there like a rock?

Thanks in advance for the help.

[teddyFBI]

IF YOU DON'T WANT A CALL: If you're up against an experienced player, u might try a few false tells: e.g. lean back in ur chair, get chatty w/ your neighbor/the table.

if you WANT a call: depends what impression i think my opponent has of me...the only one i've occasionally had success with is when opponent is above average, and i haven't yet established any sort of table presence and he prob views me as just another fish...I'll stare intentely at him, hoping he pegs my act as a classic weak-means-strong/strong-means-weak act.

99% of the time, though, i just do the completely emotionless / blank stare thing and rely on my superior skill to crush them rather than any <jesus> [censored] psychout stuff. it's laughable. </jesus>

[PantsOnFire]

The "don't move or speak at all" strategy is probably the easiest to pull off since it is easy to remember how to do it. The more movements or actions or words you speak, the more likely you are to give off a tell.

You basically want to do the same thing whether you are betting the nuts for value or on a stone cold bluff. Sitting still and silent is the easiest. However, even just sitting there, you can still give off body language of confidence or anxiety.

[jdeane]

Thank you for the replies.

I currently do the motionless rock thing. The 2 reasons I bring thing is are:

1) I would like to see if there is some other "level" than just sitting there.

2) Sometimes the other guy goes into the tank for a good amount of time, and trying to stay rock-like becomes more of a pain. I was wondering if there were some false tells or actions to further "sell" what I would like for the person to do, when I decide to break the motionless stare.

Thanks again.

[VespaRally]

Just try to imagine you have the hand you're representing and you want to good paid off. Let them do the thinking. You can't be too worried about "LIVE TELLS" when you're playing 1/2 NL.

[Montezuma21]

[ QUOTE ]
Just try to imagine you have the hand you're representing and you want to good paid off. Let them do the thinking. You can't be too worried about "LIVE TELLS" when you're playing 1/2 NL.

[/ QUOTE ]

QFT. i tend to act like i would normally, but without speaking. just act very confident and comfortable when you don't want a call. look around nonchalantly, just be cool. if you do you might try some very subtly tricks, like averting your eyes downwards should villain look right at you, but nothing extreme. it really depends on your read on villain.

[runout_mick]

[ QUOTE ]
IF YOU DON'T WANT A CALL: If you're up against an experienced player, u might try a few false tells: e.g. lean back in ur chair, get chatty w/ your neighbor/the table.

[/ QUOTE ]

Also, you might want to keep glancing at his chip stack. This is a fair indication that you're trying to gauge how much you stand to win when he calls.

[Weir]

on every hand just start saying "what do i have? what could it be? what do i have? what could it be?" and just keep saying that and the guy will start making decisions faster b/c you have annoyed him

[SplawnDarts]

I tend to be a talker at the table. If I DON'T want a call, I'll just keep chatting with whoever I'm talking to. There's nothing more intimidating than a guy who pushes all in and then calmly resumes his discussion with someone out of the hand about how his neighbor's dog sank his truck to the bottom of a lake while ice fishing (true story, I swear [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]).

If I DO want a call, against good opposition I'll keep talking about whatever I'm talking about, but let a little "edge" creep into my voice. Against bad opposition I'll just shut up and sit and fidget nervously.

Once I've used a reverse tell like that once, I generally avoid it for the rest of the session and just chat while they think regardless of what result I want. I find that very few people think clearly when they're trying to read you for tells and you're discussing other matters and ignoring them, because their brain wants to think about whatever you're talking about and they have to either ignore you (and any possible tells) or accept the distraction. Either way, they lose.

[jdeane]

Thanks again for the replies.

I have thought about all these suggestions, I just was never sure exactly how they would be seen by the opponent.

I am heading down to AC this weekend, so I will be able to give them a try.

I have found it hard to continue/start a conversation with a table-mate since the majority of the time the other players (somehow) exercise a little tact in not talking during a large bet. However, instead of sitting like a rock every time I bet, I am going to try and look loose and comfortable every time, regardless of my cards.