After Hours of Poker Play, do your Eyes Give you Away?

Correct eye management when playing online poker for long hours.

Playing in a poker tournament for hours upon hours can be taxing, both physically and emotionally. The more tired or stressed we become, the less we tend to pay attention to our bodily gestures. One of the most common mistakes poker players make after hours of play is neglecting to manage eye movement.

Correct eye management is crucial in any live poker setting. Every part of your face can give away tells, whether it’s the cocking of an eyebrow, or the subtle curl of a lip. But the eyes – they are the most telling feature of all. The eyes are the window to the soul, and in poker, they are the window to our intentions and hand strength. They can mirror our hole cards faster than, well… a mirror!

Correct Eye Management After Hours of Poker Play

When our minds are sharp, we pay close attention to these things. As our energy fades, we focus so intently on making the correct mental decisions, that we tend to forget the slight but critical management of eye movement.

The following are the most common tells poker players give away with nothing more eye movement after long hours of play.

Yes, I am about to fold this hand!

It’s uncanny just how many less experienced players will look to the player on their right just before folding a hand. They are simply looking for the moment to come faster; watching for that player to act so that they can toss in their cards. Do not make this mistake.

Looking to the player before you each time you prepare to fold gives away entirely too much information. First, it tells the players who have yet to act that you are weak. Even worse, it offers future information. If you do not look left, they will assume you have a strong hand, and if that’s the case, they may fold before you get a chance to collect any of their chips.

Whew, that was a strong flop!

Another common mistake is to look down at your chip stack just as a strong flop comes down. This will bring you as much luck as ‘counting your money before the dealing is done’. Anyone with half-decent observation skills can pick up on this, costing you a great deal of extra chips in the pot as your opponents fold out.

Ouch, not a good flop!

On the opposite end of the spectrum, staring at the flop after a bad reveal gives away that your hand missed completely. Do not let your eyes settle upon or repeatedly wonder back to a bad flop. You didn’t read them wrong the first time. They aren’t suddenly going to change into a viable hand.

How to Better Manage Eye Movement in Poker

If you feel yourself getting too tired or stressed, take a moment to stand up from the table. Go to the restroom and splash a little water on your face. Grab a bite to eat. If you’re eyes are burning, causing you to blink too much, use eye drops. If all else fails, you can always resort to wearing dark, non-mirrored sunglasses. Your opponents may laugh at you, but at least they won’t be able to read your tired eyes.