Look like a Pro: Fun and Useful Accessories for the Poker Table

July 17th, 2014 While not all players can pull them off, wearing and using accessories can increase your chances of winning at live events, and often at least add a bit of fun or humor to the occasion. You can opt for a ridiculous outfit or makeup, but try the following more practical accessories first. Card Guard A card guard does exactly what it sounds like it does: it protects your hole cards. Some players opt to use a chip as a card guard, but if you want to keep your chips separate so you can keep track of your stack size, you might want to invest in a card guard. You want something easily visible that is heavy enough to not be blown away or easily knocked aside. Most players typically use large weighted coins or a similarly sized good luck charm. The point is to prevent the dealer or other players from accidentally grabbing your cards, especially on a crowded table. Sunglasses It may look ridiculous on some players, especially considering that most games are played indoors in fairly modest lighting conditions, but sunglasses can be a great aid to your game. There are a few tells that even excellent players can’t fully eliminate, and your eyes are a source of many of them. For example, when a new card is dealt, most players can’t help but look to their chips with a quick glance if it helped them. If you are worried about giving away any tells with your eyes, you can cover them with any pair of sunglasses. You don’t necessarily need to always wear them, but having them nearby will allow you to have some extra protection when the action heats up. Black Hoodie Anyone who has ever watched a poker tournament on television knows about the black hoodie and sunglasses combo. A hoodie is used for mostly the same reasons: to cover up tells. A loose hoodie will cover up shaking arms to a degree, as well as hide a good portion of your face. These are two areas that many players have difficulty controlling, even if they have past live experience. Music Player and Headphones Are you the type of player that gets distracted or thrown off by chat at the table? If so, you might want to bring a good set of headphones. Music is a great way to calm down if you’re not having much luck and can help you stay in the zone when you are focused. In some cases, you may just be stuck at a table with a chatterbox you can’t stand. A good set of noise-cancelling headphones will not only block out a lot of what he or she is saying, but even without music they indicate that you don’t really want to converse. There’s no right or wrong way to accessorize at the table, but if you have personal preferences that help you play better, accessories are one way of fulfilling them. Finally, don’t use accessories as a crutch, relying on them will establish bad habits over time.