Covering your face at the poker table: Strategic or silly?

[YLAN]

Should hoodies, scarves, and sunglasses be allowed to be worn at the poker table, or do you think it's too distracting? Do you make assumptions about what type of poker player they are? Is this a good strategy for preventing tells, or is it just a huge tell by itself?

May it be distracting or not, I would not disallow what others are comfortable to wear. Can't tell any or assume any from it. In fact, as inspired by the "Unabomber" Phil Laak back then, I used to wear a hoodie & sunglasses in my early playing days. Not as a strategy or to avoid tells or anything, just that it makes me feel confident. I'll still probably do so today tho I do not play near as much lately like I did before.

 

[gabryyyel31]

If you believe the difference between winning or losing a poker session is having a good poker face or wearing a surgical mask, you are welcome to any poker table where I am playing. 😁🤗😋 Tells and poker faces pale by comparison to card reading skills and proper bet sizing to win pots. 👌🤑

 

[lyki67]

That all is unnecessary. It's looks stupid and should be regulated in that way, that everyone can see faces of peoples on table.

 

[makisaa]

There is no reason to cover your face while playing a game. Things must be open clear and under the pure light!

 

[KrazyKoo]

Strategic, you can clearly see someone's neck vein / muscle pumping like crazy when they got monster hand and are passive or big bluff and are betting. Hoodie, glasses and scarfs are mandatory for ANY live play!

 

[billibooo]

I personally do not get it <3 I think that it also reflects a lack of confidence in your game. Are there tourney's that do not allow this? I think it would be cool to have that as well

BUT I have also only played one live competition and when we made it HUs the guy put on sunglasses. I had questions for him and it got a little uncomfy So really I do not have a valid opinion

I honestly think it is like autotune. Sure, it is great for everyone but professional singers should not use it.


*edit after the fact KK I am so shocked we do not agree but again....we both know I know nothing about live play

 

[belladonna05]

I think short of disguising yourself in a Michael Myers mask , wear what you want. I will say I do find it funny (in my head) when I'm playing the local 1/3 cash and guys are wearing sunglasses at the table and taking 2 minutes for every decision, I mark them as pro wannabes and treat them accordingly.

 

[R.Holynskyi]

I only play online, so I don't care what my opponents wear. I think everyone chooses the clothes they feel comfortable in. In a live tournament, I wouldn't mind if my opponents dressed the way they like.

 

[Brigistul]

The only thing to be allowed is sunglasses !Nothing else!!!

 

[Rmi]

You and the players use it not to show gestures that give information to the opponent, in the same way, by the same situations at the table you can know in part their way of playing

 

[Axmanace]

I only play tournaments.

I’m -EV online +EV in person.

After a year playing in person without shades - I decided to try purchasing a custom pair.

Verdict is still out whether I like them or not.

On one hand - I like that no one can see my eyes or if I’m paying attention.

Blue Shark’s poker lenses also make it easier to read the cards - which I wasn’t expecting. That was a nice bonus.

On the other - so far - I feel like people are way more aggressive against me when I wear them.
(All in post flop plays way more common - could just be stack depth / position though)

Probably going to try them for a month or two and then compare EV.

I got custom blue shark lenses fitted to an Oakley frame.

PS: I would never use them in cash games.
Cash games are more about social imo.

But I don’t do cash that much,

 

[19aleks57]

For me, it makes no difference what the poker player who plays with me at the same table is wearing and what his points are, and if these indirect nuances are considered, then you can lose your concentration and your bankroll, this is the tactical move of some players.

 

[iwont20]

I think, they should be allowed, but if sunglasses is sort of a stereotypical thing / part of a poker player image to wear at the poker table, hoodies is 50-50, then scarfs would definitely give away that the person wearing them is some online, at very least, wanna be poker pro, as I don't think anyone would wear scarfs indoors to a poker table aside from them. Although I would normally think that people would rather like to mislead their opponents about their skill level, so scarfs definitely don't serve this purpose, because they just scream online pro, but some people still prefer to wear them, so the reason behind this must be solid. Well, some people say that one can see, and read, and interpret your breathing and pulsation of the veins. I don't think that banning this would help anyone significantly, because one has to be a seasoned poker pro to read people's breathing and veins. I agree though, that hiding your neck and a half of your face after you've made a bet OR sitting there in your hoodie, which is covering everything, with your sunglasses on does look silly and robotic. So maybe if ban would come, it would be rather for the table atmosphere to look more like a humans' interaction and gathering, rather than that of emotionless droids

 

[Nokaut men 1997]

I don't mind when a player wears headgear, be it goggles or a hood. Each player can be read in many different ways, it's just important to carefully observe and scan their reactions in a strong hand and a hand when they don't have a strong card.

 

[perrywh]

Makes no difference to me. I think you should be able to dress yourself for a poker game!

 

[Poker Orifice]

Should hoodies, scarves, and sunglasses be allowed to be worn at the poker table, or do you think it's too distracting? Do you make assumptions about what type of poker player they are? Is this a good strategy for preventing tells, or is it just a huge tell by itself?

It can be an effective strategy for many players who aren't able to conceal their own physical tells & to be able to view tells within others without having their line of vision detected while doing so.

I think it would be good for poker for them to instate new rules for tournament play.
1. No headphones
2. No Hoodies
3. No sunglasses
4. Masks that only conceal nose & mouth (but not neck & eyes)
5. No laptops or elec. devices on the rail. NO RTA of any kind.

Doug Polk held a live Youtube on this today with Alan Keating and Daniel Negreanu. All of them were in favor of getting rid of these things.

Personally I'd like them to have NO PHONES as well except during breaks. Years ago people weren't strapped to their cellphone... now they are lost without it. And more people looking at their phones while on a poker table vs. conversing with the other players. It's gotten ridiculous imo

But if it were up to me I think every player should have to dress up as either Donald Trump or 'The Hulkster'. This way it'd be an even playing field... but I suppose it'd be a bit of a tell in & of itself depending upon which character one chose to dress up as. Pretty sure I wouldn't pick Trump

 

[pavel1111111]

If you are a good poker player i Dont think it matter, if you can control your actions i Dont think you need to cover your face 😄

 

[WrongUsername]

i wouldn´t hide my beauty ever

 

[Dmitriy_rus7]

Should hoodies, scarves, and sunglasses be allowed to be worn at the poker table, or do you think it's too distracting? Do you make assumptions about what type of poker player they are? Is this a good strategy for preventing tells, or is it just a huge tell by itself?

I think this is stupid and pointless

 

[tihomir_kula]

Poker is game,sport ,not terrorist action, so players have to play to play well dressed.

 

[Balou1982]

In my opinion wearing sunglasses/baseball cap/ hoodies/ scarves should be allowed because if you wanna play it like this and its not forbidden by the tournament rules so everybody should wear whatever he/she likes.
I don´t wanna judge players who wear sunglasses@ poker table, because i dont really care and i think in many cases you can get also tells from players who try to hide most of their reactions.
Nobody can hide his hands while looking at hole cards or moving chips into the middle - there is also an option to see something important at this moment.

 

[VVi10]

For me, it's strategy. Many people sometimes can't disguise their face when they get a good or bad hand, so it makes it difficult for the opponent to know if the person really has a good hand or not. So it’s all about strategy.

 

[Axmanace]

Doug Polk held a live Youtube on this today with Alan Keating and Daniel Negreanu. All of them were in favor of getting rid of these things.

I don’t see an issue with sunglasses.

It’s a look. What’s wrong with a look? lol.

 

[Poker Orifice]

I don’t see an issue with sunglasses.

It’s a look. What’s wrong with a look? lol.

do you wear them on top of your head on a cloudy day or while inside? I thought so.

 

[Axmanace]

do you wear them on top of your head on a cloudy day or while inside? I thought so.

Cloudy day? Sometimes.
Also sometimes inside too if I’m sitting in the sunroom . 🤷‍♂️

Blue shark optics actually cut some of the glare and make it easier to read cards.