Open Up That Poker Face

Poker players need to chill out.

The new players who are coming into the game seem to have the attitude that smiling or even talking to another player amounts to giving away their hand.

Poker is a fun game that is very social. Yes, there are tense moments but that is true in any kind of transaction where cash changes hands.

I like a table where people are smiling, talking and inter-relating with one another. It certainly beats a table where the only person doing the talking is the dealer, which many poker games have become.

I highly encourage poker players to get to know one another. A good time to do that is while you are waiting for a seat to open like I did the other night. An older player wearing a baseball cap was seated at a table that was not in play, waiting for his name to be called.

We began talking.

He turned out to be from Italy. He was also a high stakes poker player who had actually appeared on some of the late night poker shows. The stakes he normally plays for are far greater than mine.

We started talking about our younger years, how we had started gambling, and our family backgrounds. We discovered we shared a lot. The conversation became deeper.

When the floor person finally called my name, I was sorry to leave Joe. We exchanged phone numbers and email addresses. I made a new friend.

You don't need to 'freeze' your face when you play poker. Just be yourself and you'll do fine.

Oklahoma Johnny Hale made a good living out of talking to the other players. He also told them stories to get their minds off the game. Johnny was persistent with his tales to the point that some players grew irritated.

''Damn it, Hale, are we here to play poker or listen to your tales of cowboys and Indians,' one player finally roared.

Johnny grinned. 'I was wondering what you were doing at the table,' he said. 'I think you need a drink. Might relax your nerves.'

I like to open the conversation at a new table by announcing, 'This is the table my mother warned me about' before sitting down.

The stone-faced players might smile. One will say, 'She warned us about you,' and a dialogue starts.

Poker is a people game. Some fascinating folks play poker. Give yourself a chance to meet them. It makes the game much more interesting and fun when you open up your poker face.

Author: Geno Lawrenzi Jr.

(Geno Lawrenzi Jr. is an international journalist, magazine author and ghostwriter and poker player who lives in Phoenx, AZ. He has published 2,000 articles in 50 magazines and 125 newspapers. If you want to share a gambling story or book idea with him, send an email to glawrenzi@gmail.com ).