Have you ever seen poker players walk in with lucky dice, their favorite pair of funky socks, or a luck charm on their person? Perhaps you have seen them muttering phrases under their breath right before they are about to make a big move.
Some poker players believe in superstitions a lot more than the strategy of the game itself. They believe luck charms and rituals can get them much further than any poker strategy. Well, they aren’t that far from the truth.
Sure, there is no certain way to prove that a ritual or a charm is going to get you close to a win any more than a poker strategy will. But luck charms are much closer to the essence of poker since most poker wins are determined by luck. This is why poker superstitions work.
The Logic Behind Poker Superstitions
Poker superstitions are understandable if you view them in the context of the thing that makes poker popular; luck. Luck governs everything in poker, from the cards you are dealt to the events that unfold and players’ decisions that lead to the final win.
So, leaning towards any helping hand that gets you closer to that win is natural. Humans have a natural tendency to control outcomes in life, and it isn’t uncommon to want to control winning at poker.
Through poker superstitions, players feel like they are controlling their wins to a certain extent. Poker charms and rituals make them feel like lady luck will grant them a win if they avoid certain bad actions or wear the same pair of socks each time they walk into the casino, for example!
Common Poker Superstitions in the Casino
Here are some common poker superstitions and their effects on players in the casino;
1. Good Luck Items
Many poker players walk into the casino with certain items that they always carry when they want to win. This ritual involves them carrying a mascot, a particular chip, a piece of clothing, or anything else wherever they go in the casino.
Influence on Players
Understanding the value of good luck items and why players carry them to the casino is important. For players, whatever makes you feel lucky and confident is going to help you get a win despite a bad hand.
Poker players are intelligent enough to understand that only a poker strategy can guarantee a win. However, the special items they carry make them play better. This is a great idea, especially when you are feeling particularly intimidated by professional players.
2. Avoiding Dealers
For some players, it is not something they bring from home that makes them lucky. It is “someone” they need to avoid if they want to win. In this case, it is the dealer with whom they have had a bad experience in the past. They call them the “unlucky dealers.”
Influence on Players
This avoidance may not be the best attitude for a poker game. This is because it pushes the responsibility onto the dealers in the casino. Anytime the player loses, they blame it on the casino instead of working on their own strategy.
This pushes them further away from wins and is also bad poker etiquette as it may offend the dealer. Insulting the dealer isn’t a great way to play poker!
3. Avoiding Cards
For some players, bad luck is automatically attributed to the cards they are dealt. According to them, some hands should be avoided; the less you play with them, the more likely you are to win. However, one bad experience shouldn’t put a poker player off a hand altogether.
Influence on Players
It is important to be flexible with the hands you pick because you don’t want to be a predictable poker player. So, if you keep avoiding playing Kings and Aces, sooner or later, the other players at the table are going to figure that out and leap at the opportunity to destroy you.
The most experienced and professional poker players assign equal probabilities to all hands, focus on their poker strategy, and learn from their mistakes.
4. Avoiding Hands
By “avoiding hands,” we don’t mean the hands players are dealt during the game. Yes, we mean literal hands! Some poker players avoid playing with the left hand, considering it unlucky. However, this can get tiring and troublesome for left-handed poker players.
Influence on Players
Anything that makes you feel lucky in the casino is a good idea. However, attributing bad luck to something only develops negative feelings for the game and assigns blame to you.
It is important to note that playing with your left hand will not make you lose. You have an equal chance, no matter the hand. It is much better to focus on strategy!
- Avoiding Crossing the Legs
This is another activity that some superstitious poker players avoid simply because they believe crossing legs at a poker table brings bad luck. Thus, they will not cross their legs no matter how uncomfortable they are.
Influence on Players
It is important to do whatever you need to do to feel comfortable at the poker table. The more you fidget and the less comfortable you are, the more likely you make irrational decisions. You may even get caught up in a tilt where you play with your emotions which causes you to lose.
Whether you cross your legs or choose not to, your strategy will ultimately determine whether you win. Thus, working on your strategy before focusing on any other aspect of the game is important.
Final Thoughts
Poker superstitions are flawed as they don’t always work. The best thing they do for poker players is build their confidence. But it is important not to get too swept away by these superstitions as that can take you away from poker strategy.
Apply poker strategy to secure those wins and learn the best strategies from professional players. Rely on luck charms only when you want to feel lucky and leave the rest to poker strategy.
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