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08-22-2005, 11:23 AM
This is my first post so forgive me if the topic has been covered before. I've been reading a book (not poker-related) and it speaks about the concept of priming. In short, priming is making use of words, motions, actions, etc to affect the behavior of a person subconsciously . I was just wondering if anyone has seen any mention of this in relation to poker? Could this concept be applied to a game situation to perhaps influence the behavior of an opponent?

--- Chris

08-22-2005, 12:06 PM
There are many psychological ploys that you can use at the table. With the exception of some basic ones, I don't think any are worth the effort.

Against poor players, they may work, but since they are poor to begin with, you are not likely to make them play much worse.

Against solid players, you are not likely to get them off their game too easily.

Obviously, you need to use some psychology and try and play with their perceptions of you, but as far as something like this goes, I would say that it is not worth the effort.

For example, whenever I have a 7 or lower offsuit hand - ie. one that I KNOW I am not going to play, I will always pause before folding. It gives my opponents the impression that I was contemplating going in - which reinforces my image as a tight player.

tek
08-22-2005, 02:05 PM
[ QUOTE ]
For example, whenever I have a 7 or lower offsuit hand - ie. one that I KNOW I am not going to play, I will always pause before folding. It gives my opponents the impression that I was contemplating going in - which reinforces my image as a tight player.

[/ QUOTE ]

Doubt it...When I see guys doing that 'pause' and I'm on the button, I make a slow sliding motion with the button to the guy on my left as if to say "quit acting, we all know you are folding with nothing" /images/graemlins/wink.gif

08-22-2005, 02:56 PM
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
For example, whenever I have a 7 or lower offsuit hand - ie. one that I KNOW I am not going to play, I will always pause before folding. It gives my opponents the impression that I was contemplating going in - which reinforces my image as a tight player.

[/ QUOTE ]

Doubt it...When I see guys doing that 'pause' and I'm on the button, I make a slow sliding motion with the button to the guy on my left as if to say "quit acting, we all know you are folding with nothing" /images/graemlins/wink.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, its all a matter of how long you pause for and how badly you ham it up.

All I am talking about is looking at the hand, thinking it over for a moment, then throwing it in.

Phogster
08-22-2005, 03:19 PM
It's the number of flops you see and the hands you showdown with that make a tight player. The one thing I noticed is that when I played play-money games, if you took a long time and checked, the other players were likely to check behind, thinking that you'r setting up a trap. Playing in slightly less fake money games (pennies), players are more likely to bet when there's a long pause and a check.

Don't know how it is for higher stakes games.

/images/graemlins/cool.gif

08-22-2005, 03:29 PM
[ QUOTE ]
It's the number of flops you see and the hands you showdown with that make a tight player. The one thing I noticed is that when I played play-money games, if you took a long time and checked, the other players were likely to check behind, thinking that you'r setting up a trap. Playing in slightly less fake money games (pennies), players are more likely to bet when there's a long pause and a check.

Don't know how it is for higher stakes games.

/images/graemlins/cool.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

I am talking in B&M games.

The point is that the number of hands you play IS what makes your table image - but it also helps if you want to show a tight image that you make the table believe that you are getting hands that you COULD call, but are choosing not to.

Its not like this is a central part of my strategy - its really more part of a series of things I do to try and avoid giving anything away through tells - I think its Harrington who says this - by manipulating certain actions on the basis of random factors, you take away the opponent's ability to see tells.

So, for example, let's say whenever your high card is red, you announce your bet before going to your chips, but whenever it is black, only announce as you are putting the chips in the pot - no one is going to be able to read that pattern and, if you are lucky, they will try and ascribe the behavior to a specific pattern that is not there.

08-22-2005, 04:47 PM
I should have been more specific in the original post, but I was thinking more in terms of actions/words that wouldn't effect the opponent consciously, whereas your table image would.

For example, in the book I am reading, "Blink" for anyone interested, the author mentions a study in which merely reading through sentences that contain words like age, old, slow, can influence a person and make one leave a room at a slower pace than when entering. Thats a weak synopsis, but you can get the idea.

So I was wondering if that could somehow be translated to the poker table. Now this is probably a simple, stupid example, but maybe just wearing a shirt that says "My hand is awful" could do that. Your opponent might read that, get a laugh, but subconsciously the wheels might be spinning and influencing his or her thoughts. Or maybe I'm reading too much into this concept?

tek
08-22-2005, 06:34 PM
[ QUOTE ]
Now this is probably a simple, stupid example, but maybe just wearing a shirt that says "My hand is awful" could do that. Your opponent might read that, get a laugh, but subconsciously the wheels might be spinning and influencing his or her thoughts. Or maybe I'm reading too much into this concept?

[/ QUOTE ]

I see. Well, I have a hat that shows a bass fish hitting a lure. The hat says "Dumbass".

Now from a NLP perspective, am I calling everyone at the table who see my hat a 'dumb a_ _'?? /images/graemlins/wink.gif

I hope they take it that way, because I want them to play back at me when I bust a move...

WhoIam
08-23-2005, 12:56 PM
On a few sites I use some permutation of "always loses" as my name and actually do get more action. I chose the name because I figured people would either consciously or unconsciously take it seriously or they would assume I'm a pro and give me more respect than I deserve. Whenever I win a hand, people often say things like "that's funny, I thought you always lose" and I usually reply something like "lol, it's usually true"