Poker and Music... help or hurt?

[Pocket10sMedic]

I'm sure this subject has been addressed before on this board, but I'm fairly new so humor me.. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

As most of you that play poker in B&M games have noticed, more and more people are bringing their IPods, MP3 players or whatnot to the casino during play. My question is, is there some type of psychological attachment to the music that we listen to? (i.e. hard rock when we're on a run or classical or soft rock whatever if we're running bad)

This goes for online players aswell... What do you listen to when playing online and do you think it helps or hurts?

Just curious.. don't crucify me [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]

[Demana]

Listening to music is one of the ways in which people can connect with their emotions and I think it hinders most of them because they are not disciplined enough to be able to remove their emotions from the music while they play.

[aflaba]

It hurts me.

I don't concentrate as much when I listen to music and above all for some reason I care less if I make mistakes. I guess I'm not as much in the game when I listen to music.

I think it can help some though.

[gila]

It all depends for me. About 90/10 no music. Once in awhile, though, I really enjoy it.

[Reef]

at hour 6 after catching no hands for the last 2, music can really keep you from dying of boredom.

[Al Schoonmaker]

Matt Lessinger wrote an article for "Poker Digest" that very forcefully argued that wearing headphones costs you money. He has stated the same position in his forthcoming book. When you are listening to music, you will CERTAINLY miss revealing comments.

Poker is a game of information management. Anything that reduces the information you receive costs you money.

If you don't mind losing money to listen to music, do it. But don't pretend that it is not costing you money.

Regards,

Al

[schroedy]

I don't think that there is ever any reason to die of boredom at the poker table.

I play a game I call "what does he have" whether I am active in the hand or not. The biggest problem I have with this is that I sometimes accidentally blurt out what I think the hand is (after the action ends, of course (except once which was REALLY REALLY bad, but I apologized profusely)) and then everyone knows that I am working hard to read hands, etc. so some of the wiser ones will bluff a little more.

But I am never bored.

For the most part in social settings I find people and their problems/motivations boring. But at the poker table I am absolutely consumed by the other players . . .why are they betting, why are they raising, what could he have possibly cold called 3 bets with (this actually DID happen today), why raise and fold to a re-raise? He is chewing his finger, what does that mean? etc. etc. etc. Sometimes it even gets annoying to have to play a hand or two to justify my presence there.

[peachy]

Yes...there is a HUGE emotional tie b/w ur mood and music, thus if ur gonna play and listen to music u better be careful!! And I always keep it the same kind of music that i begin with...if i did change from classical to rock on a "good run" as u said...i would lose mah focus...but thats me!

I always listen to the same song everytime i play online...maybe its a luck thing i dunno hehe...and it is very softly in the background...its Debussy - Clare de Lune on repeat for HOURS...yes im wierd! SOMETIMES ill listen to Miles Davis - It Never Entered My Mind but rarely anything else. If anything it keeps me from feeling TOO negative when stuff turns sour.

If u dont know Clare de Lune, give it a listen [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] not half bad!

[gusly]

[ QUOTE ]
Matt Lessinger wrote an article for "Poker Digest" that very forcefully argued that wearing headphones costs you money. He has stated the same position in his forthcoming book. When you are listening to music, you will CERTAINLY miss revealing comments.

Poker is a game of information management. Anything that reduces the information you receive costs you money.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't think this statement is entirely correct when applied to those of us with ADD.

[reid savid]

I have always thought of poker as a college test; fold, call, check, or raise. And I would never listen to music if I was taking an important test.