What is a poker face

It is known that in poker, a player can give away his emotions. In fact, a competent poker player with a lot of experience can tell by his eyes what his opponent’s cards are or predict his next move along with his reason. Therefore, it is important to keep a completely neutral facial expression. This was the origin of the concept of poker face, which today is used even in everyday life, not only at poker tables.

The concept of a poker face

Basically, a poker face means an emotionless or “stone face”. This is a way for the player to show everyone around him how indifferent he is to the situation at hand. At the same time, he can have different feelings, but most importantly, he manages to hide it masterfully from others.

The name comes from the game of the same name, where it is very important to be able to control your emotions. It often happened when a poker player managed to win only because none of his opponents could “calculate” him. That’s because the look on his face didn’t even give a rough idea of what he was going to do or what the cards were going to be.

In traditional life, the concept of poker face came as a way of marking indifference, cold-bloodedness, impassivity. It’s familiar even to those who’ve never been into the game in their lives and can’t tell the difference between the combinations. Additionally, pop diva Lady Gaga, who sang a hit of the same name, contributed to the popularisation of the term.

Another famous example of the use of the name is the meme from the Rage Comics series. It depicts a man with an “absent” expression on his face. He is completely devoid of any emotion. The meme is used when a person demonstrates a complete lack of reaction to anything, including a dispassionate attitude towards a problem or a spitting attitude.

The use of the poker face in the game

The importance of a poker face in the game is somewhat overrated. Sitting with a ‘stony’ face for the entire gameplay does not make sense. While it is necessary to control your emotions, you should still engage in conversation at the table if possible, and use your ‘fake’ face when you need to confuse your opponent.

In essence, the poker face is a psychological trick that complements the weighty list of tricks used in the game. It can even be used to alter the course of events, as the opponent can misinterpret the reaction and make the necessary move. It can also be called a strategy, but it needs to be steadily improved.

Training

Everyone has a different mental or nervous system. Some are able to keep their cool, while others can let out even basic movements (blinking rapidly, goosebumps, shaking a leg, etc.). Some are more comfortable hiding their emotions behind constant conversations, while others simply “shut themselves off” from everyone.

In the case of the poker face, this kind of art can be learned or coached. Nonverbal signal reading expert Paul Eckman notes two methods of hiding one’s thoughts.

The first is modulation, which involves the total relaxation of facial muscles. The second method is falsification – the display of false emotions/feelings, i.e. a person smiles even though they are sad inside, etc. Poker provides the opportunity to use both methods. It depends on which one is easier for the player.