Poker News

James A. McKenna, PhD.

Through the findings of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), body language can now be scientifically confirmed. NLP has documented that THE MOVEMENT of eyes reveals how a person is thinking or making sense of the world. Such movement can reveal whether a person is being more logical, more spontaneous, more truthful, or more pretending. You can tell if a player is imagining a pretend hand or seeing one that he or she is holding.

After looking at the flop or his hole cards, watch where a player glances. Specifically, when a player is looking up and to the left, we know that the player is drawing from visual memory. The player’s Left Brain is being activated. So what? It tells us that the player is visualizing something seen before (past memory). Perhaps, the player is remembering the cards he has in the hole or a time a particular strategy worked. Looking to the left tells us that the player is using the thinking, logical part of his brain. Of course, after this revelation, I imagine a player could pretend to be accessing visual memory just to throw you off.

On the other hand, if a player is looking up and to his right, he is accessing the Visual (Eidetic) Construct part of his brain. He is visualizing something he hasn’t yet seen constructing or imagining something VS remembering something. That player is drawing from his right brain and is seeing something in the future, maybe pretending something, or just imagining what could be. A player who is imagining a picture, instead of thinking logically, reveals that the player is being creative, impulsive, or using hunches.

Finally, some players keep their eyes centered, neither looking right or left. They are drawing from both sides of their brain, that is, their structure and their creativity. Notice how such players are moving their lines of vision from left to right, searching for what to do.

Of course, where you are seating at the table can influence which way your eyes will be moving. If a player is continuously looking to the left to see the flop, or if a player is seated at the table in a way to be looking at the flop to his right, what’s the difference? Of course, it means that the player is accessing different parts of the brain. If your strength is being more structured, then certain seats are going to support that tendency. Other seats will support being loose. Then again, there are seats that will be centered and allow a player to draw from both side of the brain.

Here’s what it looks like at a Texas Hold’Em table:

So, players in seats #1, #2, #6, and #7 are going to be regularly accessing their right brain. If they are also loose players, they are probably in the right seat. While players in seat #4, #5, #9, and #10 will be regularly accessing their left brain. Such players who are also tight are probably in their correct seat. The players who are centered will tend to be seats #3, and #8. Of course, seats #5 and #6 could also be centered. Look for the eyes moving back and forth.

Finally, if you are playing too loose, try moving to one of the Left brain seats (#4, #5, #9 or #10). This will force you brain to use the left side more. Also, if you are playing too tight, try moving to a loose seat (#1, #2, #6, or #7). This will allow you to access your emotional side more. An interesting observation might to be notice what seat is your favorite. What seat do you do best in? Which do you do worst in? Now you know why.

Just remember this no matter what seat you’re in, there you are. Or, as some players have said, “Bad cards will change, but bad players seldom do.”

James A. McKenna, PhD., has been a practicing individual and group therapist for over thirty-five years. His knowledge of human behavior combined with over thirty years of gaming experience gives him a unique perspective on the psychology of the gamer. His book, “Beyond Tells-Power Poker Psychology,” will be published soon by Gambling Times.

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