A Morning With Miles

There is much deceptive imagery in this world. Few things are as they are projected to be, and you must read through the deception to comprehend what is real. People create false images to deceive others and advance their own selfish interests. Because poker is based on deception, poker players constantly try to create false images. Their selfish interest is, of course, to take your chips.

I meandered into the cardroom early one Sunday morning — real early, like around 7 a.m. There wasn’t a $40-$80 limit hold’em game going, so I sat down in a $20-$40 game that had been going all night. The players looked tired, and some looked drunk.

Sitting in seat 6 behind a massive mound of chips, spread all over the place, was Miles, a local player who was boisterously chugging his 26th pineapple juice and vodka while telling the rest of the table how much he sucked at poker, but how well he played when he was drunk.

Tattooed, with a shaved head, and both athletic- and tough-looking, Miles possesses an outstanding “street sense.” He intuitively reads people well, and knows which buttons to push. He had the entire table on total tilt. His constant yakking, occasional fast-playing, and needling were devastating his opponents. And he was making the most of it. He was killing the game, and enjoying every minute of it.
Yeah, Miles was drunk, very drunk. I can make the case that he should have been dead from alcohol poisoning. But Miles appears to be an expert in the art of alcohol consumption. He could physically and mentally function much better than he appeared able to do, although that’s not very difficult when you consider that he probably should have been dead.

Miles had induced several players to drink with him, and none of them could remotely keep up with him. And while I’m sure that his head was swimming, his thought processes and hand-reading abilities were not all that bad. His opponents were playing him terribly; they were lost both intellectually and psychologically. They were caught up in the situation, a situation they didn’t understand and couldn’t cope with. Their hand selection was way too loose, and they had no clue where they were in a hand with Miles. They overplayed their hands, paid off religiously, and were obviously extremely frustrated.

Conversely, while Miles was not at his best mentally, he was exploiting the situation and enjoying his morning immensely. Along with his great street sense, he was together enough to read situations better than his opponents, and was more disciplined. He was playing much more solidly than his adversaries, was making quality laydowns that his opponents weren’t making, was getting value that his opponents couldn’t get, and, despite his intoxicated state, was outplaying them. He had hoodwinked the competition into playing below his level.

Miles had conveyed an image that he was drunk (he was), that he was mentally incoherent (he wasn’t), and that he didn’t care about the money he was gambling (he did). Additionally, he was using his street smarts to manipulate his opponents into doing what he wanted them to do. I marveled at the way he talked people into calling him by placing doubt in their minds when they were considering a call. And several times, he talked them into folding when he needed them to fold, by making them feel embarrassed if they were to call him with a weak hand. Miles was in control of his opponents, and he was reaping the rewards.

I’ve seen this often at the poker table. Players put on an act, sometimes including alcohol, in which they display mannerisms to get action, and to manipulate and confuse their opponents. They talk incessantly, often in a partying style, presenting an image that they are there just to get a gambling fix and don’t care about the money they are playing with, when they are really out to get every penny possible.
They often start a game in fast gear, hoping to make a lasting first impression, but tighten up when they feel they have established that false image. Some constantly needle their competition, although doing so often has negative effects. They frustrate some players, and others cannot see through the act and provide them with more action than they deserve, thus validating the performance. This act tends to work much better on inexperienced or naive players, because good, knowledgeable players tend to see right through it.

Many people are going to present themselves in ways to deceive you. And you can’t win without reading your opponents accurately. You need to see through the charade and make your decisions based on what is real, not on an opponent’s projected image. Examine not just what opponents say or how they are behaving, but how they are actually playing their cards. If their play is different from their talk and actions, try to determine how they are thinking. Don’t permit yourself to get caught up in the situation and let their manipulative projected image influence how you play.
Base your decisions on how they are actually playing, and ignore the image that they are trying to project. To recognize this deception and accurately adjust to it, you need to maintain your focus on the game. Carefully analyze how your opponents are actually playing and thinking, and resist the natural inclination to rely on your first impressions. Always remember that your opponents often try to deceive you, and they know how powerful first impressions can be.

As for Miles, I don’t know where he came from, and I sure don’t have a clue as to where he is going. He’s a charming and likable fellow with a great sense of humor, and one thing I do know for sure is that he’s a lot smarter than he lets on. ♠

Roy Cooke played poker professionally for 16 years prior to becoming a successful Las Vegas real-estate broker/salesman in 1989. Should you wish to get any information about real-estate matters — including purchase, sale, or mortgage — his office number is (702) 396-6575, and his e-mail address is [email protected]. His website is www.roycooke.com. You also may find him on Facebook.