Mechanical solutions are probably worthwhile in that they'll cover up your underlying mental state enough that only the most perceptive of your opponents will be able to read you.


But a strategy based only on mechanical solutions has the problem that you have to be aware of every possible expression of your internal uneasiness. Those that you identify, you can fix, but there are probably others.


So I suggest that you work on your mental state. The more at ease you are with the situation, the less you have to work on smoothing out mechanical expressions of your uneasiness.


Review how and why you bluff, bet for strength, semi-bluff, etc. Convince yourself that, in each situation, your overall strategy is positive EV. Then, the next time you happen to be bluffing or semi-bluffing, you will know that, regardless of what happens on this particular hand, in the long run the play is positive EV. The confidence that comes from this knowledge will make you more comfortable, and then you don't have to worry about throwing uneasiness tells.


So the next time you're heads up on the river, the pot is ten big bets, and it's checked to you on the button and all you have is a dead busted draw, stop and think about it -- your opponent has to call ten times out of eleven, or more, for your cold bluff to be negative EV. If you quickly convince yourself that he's not going to call that often, you're going to win in the long run! Make your bet and let game theory work its magic for you.


You have to be playing at a small enough level that you can comfortably absorb a lot of situations where you have positive EV but, for whatever reason, this particular hand didn't work out. If you're in over your head, you're going to throw off more tells and that's just the way it's going to be.


Sorry for the slightly incoherent rant, I don't have the time to polish this up...


--JMike