Micro expressions work! (long)

[Percula]

I have read about micro expressions a little here and did some research online, very basic stuff like what it is. I never really got too deep, as I did not think it would be of too great a benefit, I just needed to be able to see a positive or negitive reaction.

I have used this information a couple of times, but frankly wasn't totally sure I was getting information from that or just everything put together. Well yesterday I got a 100% that it worked.

Here is the situation. I am playing some 5-150 spread limit. I have a player on the table that is a good solid tricky player. He is slumming it from his normal games of 40, 60 or 75. I have a feel for his game as I have several hands with him both from this session and past sessions.

I have got on a walk about and return in time to post in CO. There is another player in MP posting and UTG decides to straddle. Or in other words there is a lot of dead money in the pot PF. UTG+1 calls, folds to MP poster who calls, folds to me and I find QQ and raise to 6xBB, villian on OTB calls as does UTG and MP.

Now all of these guys are seasoned live players and know I could be making the raise with any two cards, but also know I am pretty tight and agressive. Lots of meta game of he thinks I think going on here.

Flop come J high rainbow. UTG leads for $50 (small bet) MP calls, I RR max expecting to take it down right there, but noooooo the button repops it for another max bet, UTG and MP get the hell out of the way.

Now I know the villian could be doing this with a set, he would make this play with JJ all day long. He could also have hit a set on the two rags. He could also have AJ, KJ or xJ for that matter trying to push me off the pot with TP. He knows it going to be hard for me to play with an over pair. I am fairly early in my session and do not have a big stack and know I will be playing for it all if I proceed.

When he is in a big pot he does not really have any tells. He is a solid player. So I decide to try using micro expressions to get a read. I just need a postive (happy) or negitive (unhappy) reaction from him. I catch his gaze with a stare and open my hand without blinking. Yes! A flash of unhappy flashes across his forhead. I RR AI he has to call for pot odds, MHIG.

This is the first time I have ever had a 100% clear cut example of using micro expressions working. If you want to know more about them, google.com is your friend (hint hint, I am not posting links etc.).

[Kyo Souma II]

Why wouldn't you post a link?

[Avatar of Wine]

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This is the first time I have ever had a 100% clear cut example of using micro expressions working. If you want to know more about them, google.com is your friend (hint hint, I am not posting links etc.).

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A quick, EXTREMELY basic primer on microexpressions:

The concept is that nonverbal communication pathways can take on many forms, but that most of these forms are subject to conscious control in one form or another, with one notable exception - the Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS) responses to stimuli can occur faster than conscious control can overtake the response pathway.

The trick is that these responses are immediate, subtle and almost instantly overtaken by conscious control.

Caro went through examples of these - things such as looking at chips after flopping a monster may indeed be related to SNS response. However, often the expressions will be considerably 'smaller' - as obscure as a brief twitch in the eye, or as obvious as a wince or frown.

In the psychology of nonverbal communication, microexpressions have long been considered strong indicators of natural response, and are one of the few that probably cannot be faked or eliminated completely.

I'm 100% sure this belongs in the 'Psychology' Forum - if anyone desires, though, I can link to some literature or provide some citations. It's interesting stuff, but its applicability to poker will vary wildly.

[memphis_aces]

Link to wired magazine article >

My wife is a clinical psychologist. She said it's very difficult to interpret microexpressions without a lot of training. Also, without knowing the person, it may be difficult to determine what the microexpression means, since anxiety can lead to either positive or negative reactions and many microexpressions are related to stress/anxiety and fight/flight rather than an actual emotion since they are instictual.