by Admin
7. January 2010 08:49
.Yes, this is a very serious blog- seriously serious in fact. So instead of wasting our time writing anecdotal pieces about Trekkie Poker and The Phil Ivey of Golf (insert growl here), we’re going to talk about the very relevant issue of wearing shades while playing poker.
Why do so many poker players seem to have such photosensitive eyes? Isn’t the room dark enough already? If I wear shades will I be a better poker player?
Eyes are the easiest way to give away tells. If a player quickly looks at the flop and then quickly looks at his/her chips, the flop has probably helped his/her hand. Some reckon that a player’s pupils will dilate when bluffing. Either way, it’s harder to read someone who is wearing shades.
Shades also make players look more intimidating. Think Chris Ferguson or Greg Raymer. Although sometimes comical, the shades certainly help disguise and distract from what could be going on beneath the surface. The illusion of anonymity that shades provide can also help to calm and relax a player making it more of a token or ritualistic habit than a definite poker advantage.
There are downsides to wearing the sunglasses. You can’t see as well as if you were without them. Phil Ivey once commented in an interview that his, soon to be ex, wife bought him a $4,000 pair of sunglasses to wear while playing poker but he tossed them shortly after misreading cards and losing a big pot. There are a few pros who feel that shades go against the spirit of the game by creating an unfair advantage