Luring a Call

There's a behavioral tactic I've seen Mike Caro write about. You do it to help elicit a call from an opponent when you're confident you've got him beat. You simply move around or do something, almost anything he'll notice, rather than remaining still. The idea is that typical players look for reasons to call, and by doing various things, you give them something to notice and to see as a possible reason to call. (To stop a call you stay still.)


In my experience it has seemed like this has worked. No, it hasn't worked every time, but it seems to have worked generally fairly well. (What I usually do is just fidget around, sway back and forth, cough, etc... just try to do stuff to be seen and heard.)


Wondering about the results of others here who have tried this.


I should add that against sophisticated players you may have to reverse these tactics, if you do them at all. I've heard of players remaining conspicuously still against a sophisticated opponent so as to lure a call.

I have found what you say to be generally correct with it's opposite also true. For myself what works best, is to do whatever I feel like at the moment, the result appears to be about the same.

I have found that certain gestures seem to get certain people to fold or call several times in a row. Then - since it is clear that my opponent is actually watching and noticing and thinking when this takes place - I figure it's time to reverse up, because he has learned.


But no, it still works, meaning it backfires, and I just waste an opportunity to go to the well. It is apparently not something people have learned about you (as hard as you might try), but just a reaction they have.


eLROY