[Rushmore]

[ QUOTE ]
Your hypothesis is quite reasonable, but, in my experience, the opposite is true. People try fewer fancy plays, because they are afraid of looking foolish. It may be that I have the evidence that you're bluffable on a given hand, and I should try to bluff you when I have no hand and no draw. However, if I know I'm going to look foolish on TV if it doesn't work out, I might choose to forego the play.

[/ QUOTE ]

Being generally camera-shy in the first place, and being by no means a "THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKIN BOUT!!!" type of guy, I absolutely HATED being at the featured table.

You are absolutely right, Greg--I would be one of those guys who tightens way the hell up and hopes the plays put in front of me will be fairly straightforward, so for the six or so hours I was under the lights with the cameras in my face, I definitely let a few opportunities pass that I might otherwise have not let pass. It was not entirely due, however, to a fear of looking foolish; I was concerned that I might actually have transformed myself into a mass of tells, and that my plays might have a commensurately lower probability of success.

Also, you get so many fewer hands, it's really annoying. Everyone starts mugging, looking for the soundbite, whatever.

Granted, it comes with the territory, but for someone like me, it's a huge annoyance.

But next time around, I have no intention of letting it change my play in the least.