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opponents’ tells-a mannerism that gives away their holdings-as an integral part of their strategy. As obvious as sweating while shaking hands or as subtle as the blink of an eye, it takes experience and a keen eye to read an opponent’s tells. Enlightened players go to great lengths to hide any tells when they’re at the table. A pair of sunglasses can do the trick. So can downright wacky antics. Tells are as varied as the players themselves. Most poker players agree that reading and hiding tells is vital to achieving success in poker.

I was surprised when I become aware of a certain vibe I was throwing out in live games. After several hours in a cash game at one of my favorite spots I was up $600, when my old unwelcome friend Arthur Ritis showed up at the table. Arthur has the annoying habit of inevitably finding me after I have been playing for an hour or two, making me want to pitch my cards and run! Like millions of other adults, I experience arthritic symptoms, particularly in my hands.

After several hours of play I loose my focus, my edge, my concentration, as the persistent pain crescendos with each new hand that is dealt. The simple task of holding my cards becomes my focus and I lose the ability to concentrate on the game at hand.

I considered taking my pain medication, but it makes me lethargic. Then it’s tough to stay sharp and focused. I decided to grin and bear it and continue playing. After I won several additional pots, an elderly gentleman seated at my table offered a small white jar labeled SmoothMoves to me. With a wink he said, “Honey, try this, it will help with that pain in your hands.” I was astonished that he noticed the pain I thought I was hiding. I was wrong; I was in fact showing an obvious weakness.

I was hesitant to try SmoothMoves. I used topical pain relievers in the past only to find that they made my hands greasy and slippery, did not work, and made me smell like Grandmother’s medicine cabinet. But I did not want to offend his kind offer, so I gingerly rubbed a dab of SmoothMoves into the palms of my hands.

SmoothMoves absorbed quickly into my skin, was not greasy, and a pleasant subtle aroma of light citrus lingered on my hands. I was impressed; so far, so good. After several hands, the pain in my hands had all but dissipated and I was on back on my A-Game again.

I was delighted to extend my playing time. I thanked the gentleman for alerting me to this obvious “tell” in my play, in addition to providing me with a viable solution to correct it.

If you suffer from arthritis, you may give off hidden tells that you would rather keep under wraps. Every time I head to the poker tables, I arm myself with SmoothMoves. I can enjoy extended play because it helps me keep my annoying friend Arthur Ritis at bay.

The regular use of this natural shea based body butter also resulted in much softer skin and much improved appearance of my hands. There is something to be said for table image too, but that’s another story.

You will find SmoothMoves Pain Relieving Body Butter online at http://stores.ebay.com/SmooothMoves. I rarely endorse products or dispense advice, but in this case, SmoothMoves proved to be a winner for me. It helped my game, and may help other arthritic players too. The next time you play, bring some

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