One of the most important aspects in Texas Hold Em is misleading your competitors by making them think you actually have a good hand, when in all honesty it is possible you have the worst hand at the table. This is what people call “Poker face”, a straight expression to trick your poker buddies into trusting in an idea that might be false.

If you have a good hand it is most likely going to make you more nervous, could possibly make your hands shake, and your heartbeat race. These are tell-tale signs that your competitors may see very quickly, especially if they are old friends. Keep in mind not to glimpse at the pot if you have some good poker cards in your hands. This is very obvious to your poker buddies that you are, in your head, counting how much you will possibly win.

In the situation where you have a terrible poker hand, try not to avoid looking at your opponents, don’t lower your head, and don’t act reluctant about your bet. In the event that you can persuade yourself that your hand is equal, or superior than your competitors; you will possibly fool them into believing this as well. Remember to make this seem as natural as possible. Your gestures and motions might be saying one point, while what you are saying are giving them a whole different idea.

Another significant aspect of Texas Hold Em is to be able to read your opponents “poker tells”. A “tell” is any kind of expression, physical gesture, or habit that may give you an idea of the type of Texas Hold Em hand they are holding. One key rule to remember is when your poker buddy gives the appearance that he has a great Texas Hold Em hand; he, in all likelihood, is holding a weak hand. From a different angle, if he behaves in a way that seem like he has a poor poker hand, he very likely is holding a strong poker hand.

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According to the 2006 WSOP champ, Jamie Gold, he would be pleased to be recognized as the finest bluffer in the world of poker. But if his last Texas Holdem tournament is any sign, his wish may not come true any time soon.

The setting is the 2007 Doyle Brunson Five Diamond World Poker Classic held at the Las Vegas Bellagio Hotel and Casino in 2007. Featuring $50 - $100 blinds and a $15,000 buy-in, Darrell Dicken is close to the end of his run. The seat 4 player has just raised his wager to $300, a pretty small increase with only one player calling his play. “I put him as being weak,” Jamie said, “I was thinking about raising, but instead I just called with a 10-3 of hearts to see what would happen.”

Jamie believed that Brad Booth would make some kind of move, which he did. He re-raised to $1600 from the big blind. Gold had the idea that Booth had a decent hand, but he was in a superb position to make a move considering the amount of dead money in the pot. Dicken finally folded, and the unknown in Seat 4 called Booth’s raise.

Now there was more than $4000 in the pot, so Jamie wagered another $4000. His thought was, only if someone else had aces or kings there would be no way they would make that call. Jamie’s plan was to make a huge move on the flop, as long as no ace showed up. The second part of his strategy was to get Booth to fold, which he did. Booth folded with pocket queens.

Coming out of the flop there was an ace of ace-6-5, two clubs. The player in seat 4 checked and Jamie bet $2000. Jamie’s initial thought was to make him think that he had clubs. Seat 4 tossed out a $10,000 chip, but didn’t say anything thus converting his raise into a call. Jamie’s thought was that seat 4 in all likelihood had an ace, but you have to shield it in case he hits his set on the upcoming card.

A 2 of hearts came out on the turn, and Jamie quickly folded to what he thought was a top pair kicker. Seat 4 displayed a king-jack off suit. Seat 4 tricked Gold by bluffing with a better hand, he created an excellent poker play and continued with the bluff to the end of the Texas Holdem’ tournament.

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