Headphones at the poker table are a divisive issue, but bone conduction headphones could bridge the gap between the two schools of thought. It may be important for you to get in the zone, see the connections to track the cards, and fall into the game, forgetting the world around you. However, it is equally important that you hear the dealer and the subtle sighs, coughs, and other atmospheric vibrations that may betray the other players’ situations. It’s a dire situation when you’ve been at the table for hours, the numbers begin to dwindle and you realize you stand to lose or gain a substantial amount of money. When it’s gone, it’s gone, so what do you do to keep your edge and keep your money?
Your solution may be bone conduction technology. Keep an ear on the game, but give yourself the music that puts you in the zone. Towards the end of the night, if you’ve just lost a hand and you’re in a slump, why not play some “Eye of the Tiger” and turn things around? There are also a multitude of anxiety-reduction apps you can use to center yourself at the table. If your ears aren’t covered, you never completely recede from the game. Suspend yourself in that liminal zone, between where it’s just you and the cards, with music to one side and the tension of the room on the other.
Tips for Keeping a Poker Face
1) Check your body language.
Just be cool! Don’t knit and un-knit your brows. Don’t ring your hands. Don’t even tap on the table. Just sit in stillness. The right song can definitely help you do this.
2) Breathe deeply, but silently.
A regular breathing cycle, where you inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth, will keep you calm. Don’t do it loudly, however, or your breathing will be mistaken for a sigh, which indicates that your luck has shifted somehow. Whether it’s for the better or the worse, you don’t want anyone to perceive any change in your position.
3) Talk the same, always.
You may be sustaining the perfect poker face, but if your voice cracks when you open your mouth you’ve sold yourself out. Keep your voice calm, and speak slowly.
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Best Poker Players of All Time
1) Stu Ungar
Stu “The Kid” Ungar, 1953-1998 won his first gin tournament at the age of 10. He transitioned from gin into traditional poker around 18, having reached a point at which no one would consider playing him in gin. He fell out of the circuit for a while due to personal problems, but made a comeback in 1998, winning his third WSOP tournament, and breaking the all-time record for wins.
2) Doyle Brunson
Doyle Brunson, born 1933, is the first player to have won $1,000,000 in poker games. He has ten WSOP bracelets, and still continues to play to this day. He plays only minimum bets of $4,000/$8,000 and above. Brunson is also the author of Super/System 2, one of the first and most comprehensive books on the sport of poker.
3) Johnny Chan
Johnny Chan was born in China in 1962 and moved to America as a child, where his family owned restaurants. He entered the poker world at 16, found a niche, and dropped out of college a few years later to pursue it full-time. He won championships at the World Series of Poker back to back, in 1987 and 1988, something never repeated. He was inducted into the World Poker Hall of Fame in 2002.
Find a Poker Tournament
If you’re feeling ready to get out there and start winning, Poker Near Me is a great site to locate games near you and across the country. You can customize your search by size, game duration, entry cost, and type of poker game very conveniently.
People seem to forget that poker is, in fact, a sport. Like any other sport, there’s quite a bit at stake, but beyond pride you could lose a substantial bit of money, as well. AfterShokz are the only sports headphones that allow you to actively participate in the sport, to leave the table and to dial into it, simultaneously. Find a tournament near you, and try a pair of open ear headphones to hone your attack. The music will help you keep a steely façade as the money changes hands. Hopefully, it will be in your favor.
What’s the most calming song you’ve ever heard? Tell us about it in the comments section below, or you can reach out to us on Facebook and Twitter. Keep checking the blog for more updates!
