blonde poker forum

Do you wear shades playing in cash games? Why/ Why not

What is your opinion of players that do

Tourneys yes, cash games no. I just don't see the point at the levels that I play it (lowest possible).

Never, really really no need, unless I'm really out of my comfort zone which isn't very often. I do laugh at the dudes fully kitted out in shades/hat etc playing 1/2nl at DT (http://www.dusktilldawnpoker.com/index.php?affiliate=blonde)D (http://www.dusktilldawnpoker.com/index.php?affiliate=blonde) LOL.

I tried wearing them but I couldn't see the screen very well  :(

No - the reduced light gives me a headache.  Plus I struggle sometimes with the suits, particularly clubs and spades.

As for other players, there is a type of player widely derided for turning up with 'the full uniform' and then playing awful poker.  Then there are top name players that swear you give info away by not wearing them.  So no real judgement about others wearing shades - I just find it daft that some wear shades for the interview afterwards - presumably they are worried that the interviewer will get some sort of read..

nah not me.  I'd just feel like a (bigger) tit if I wore shades indoors.

Each to their own.  I've never worn them, but I can see why people do.

Not something I've ever tried so I don't know. I think, like Claire, I'd feel weird (nice way of saying tit) wearing them.  I feel funny putting the hood up on my hoody too


did make me lol :D

I should just clarify that I don't think people who wear shades automatically look like tits - just how I would feel.  Poker player looking gorgeous in shades:

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=10540&g2_serialNumber=1)

(think I got away with that!!)

Somebody once said, and I can't remember who (think it may have been one of the well known poker names)

"Only 2 type of people wear sunglasses indoors, blind people and arseholes"

I was about to say same thing but replace arseholes with c***s

People wear combat trousers with pockets for K-rations and hand-grenades sewn on to the outside at knee level.

Hoodies, overcoats and scarves under studio lights.

Jacket and tie but no shirt.

Tops and bottoms that lack enough material to meet in the middle.

Caterpillar boots when they have never been on a tractor in their lives.

Safety pins but no nappy.

Fur from endangered animals.

Dog chains that connect their legs together.

Baseball caps with the peak sewn onto the side...







...and pants that hang below their arse FFS!

(http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/img/08-06/0817liv_fish2.jpg)





Come on guys, let's cut the shade wearers a little slack.

Deffo shades - don't know if I give off any tells but just makes me more confident when I get the stare down!!!

I tried it once, just to see what it was like.

Have to say that it did help me focus a lot and i didn't get distracted so easily.

However would only wear them for a big game as I did feel a bit of a prat and i enjoy the social side of things at the stakes I normally play.

Never worn them, and can't see myself wearing them in the foreseeable future.  I really don't see the need.

Shades are for gaylords.

PULL UP YOUR PANTS!!!! - Denis Leary

shades definately not but whats everyone's opinions on

a) baseball caps?
b) MP3 players?

Ban that bloody shaaaark FTW

...and very camp hetero's.... ;shame;

 ;iagree;

I used to wear shades, so I could watch people without them knowing - no other reason.

Now I dont bother. It is possible to watch people without them knowing and not wearing shades

I also have no opinion on people who do/dont wear shades - it is up to them at the end of the day.

I do think that alot of people wear shades because they see Pro's on the TV wearing them though.

Wearing shades is not real poker playing imo. What, I intimidate you so much that you have to hide behind your shades to find the confidence you need to stare me down? If you don't have the ability to look someone in the eye and still retain control then you can't play poker imo.

Players who listen to ipod's confuse me. People who use shades AND ipods confuse me a lot. Poker is a game of information. You get that information from ONLY two sources, your ears and your eyes. These guys think blocking out 100% of ear info and shading their eye info is clever. I think it's ridiculous.

Players who listen to ipod's confuse me. People who use shades AND ipods confuse me a lot.

Perhaps they just do it to confuse you.  :D

The reason for the thread was to ask about whether you believe extra info can be either gained from wearing shades or not given away from hiding behind them.

Mantis I disagree that only our eyes and ears tell us what our opponents have. My sixth sense tells me what he has as well. Have to trust your gut.

i wear em in big mtts as I suck at eyeballing people. 

 i used to wear shades and watch people without them knowing...now i just enjoy watching them and have them know i'm staring them down...most that i play with regulalry give off more than they should when they know your watching

 ;iagree;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJYUSdX-Rps

sometimes talent just shines through

This is my fave Ray Charles song. (I felt like this about someone once)

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFvTnNnqfUs

MP3 players are  defintely good if Pete Linton is on your table :)

So online poker is not REAL poker because no one can stare me down when I'm bluffing?

Ban hoodies? MP3 players? Caps?

lol wtf?

i've never worn sun glasses and rarely use an mp3 but tht post is pretty absurb.  its not the 1950's any more.

(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Phil_Hellmuth_2006.jpg/230px-Phil_Hellmuth_2006.jpg)

FTW

i wear them while i play online tbh, but never live. Online i feel more confident making moves donning the shades and an added bonus is that it makes the rooms in the porno im watching look a look more dingy. Shib online shades imo.

Rumour has it the woman next door noticed and a restraining order is forthcoming, tough break paul

Posted by: George2Loose

Online poker isn't real poker, it's just half a pint of poker. Yes, I think it IS much easier to bluff by clicking a button while wearing pyjamas in your bedroom than to actually sit in front of the person you're bluffing. This point is supported by the fact that people feel the NEED to hide behind props when they play live. If you feel that you can't control your tells at the table then why not seek to improve matters rather than hiding? Would I find it easy to kill someone in real life? No way. But I played Grand Theft Auto the other day and found it really easy and enjoyable to kill people while sitting in my pants.

Posted by: LeKnave

I don't really follow this LeKnave? What difference does it make what year it is? Wearing an ipod deprives you of information whatever year it is. Let's say it was possible to listen to Doris Day in 1950, you're still going to miss your oppo saying he's got to go and watch Dixon of Dock Green so is all-in blind next hand. It would be as stupid in 1950 as it is today. And not being able to look at someone without wetting yourself would be just as embarrassing in 1950 as it is today. The only difference in 2008 is that we have an abundance of zit-faced bedroom dwellers who think ordering pizza while clicking all-in is real poker. It isn't.

rotflmfao

agree with some points of Mantis's as I have tried to Use an MP3 player but it just doesnt work for me- I need to concentrate so much on what other players are doing, to get my gut feeling, and by using an MP3 player its just too hard. But I can see why players will use an MP3 player- I think it depends on the type of players you are. Some players will play and make their decisions on a purely mathematical basis-its these type of players who will not need the use of their ears. But I agree the more information you can get the better. Also if the only tells you look for are physical rather than verbal it may help.

What works for one wont for for another-the variation of people and their characteristics is what makes poker so great tho(and why I much prefer playing live than online)

 ;iagree;

The only difference in 2008 is that we have an abundance of zit-faced bedroom dwellers who think ordering pizza while clicking all-in is real poker. It isn't.

I'm not saying I agree or disagree, but I love that quote for it's sheer descriptive brilliance.

No shades for me but maybe they do help for preventing a tell personally not for me though would end up misreading my hand a4=aa ect

lol funny thing is he is being serious!!!

surely has to be a level?

I want to really be clear on what your saying

Online poker is not "real poker"

Live poker players who use anything to aid their play- hoodies, baseball caps, shades, MP3 players are not real poker players. Hellmuth, Raymer, Hachem, Brunson, Chan.

You yourself, would never ever, no matter what the stakes, would never use any of the above to gain an edge because winning wearing shades etc is not REAL poker?

i would've probs posted something like that if mantis' post didnt scream of being a huge lvl.

you must be high if you can't see the benefits of shades and mp3's. You trade a little loss in info off against not having to listen to the tit next to you/the terrible cabaret singer the casino have hired/alleviating boredom/giving your brain a rest.

Shades is obvious, some people aren't confident looking people in the eye (i'm one) for whatever reason and this will make you more relaxed. I've never worn shades but always think i should but can't help thinking i'll look like a tit.

I would think it's a level but seeing some of Mantis's previous posts I can't help but think he's being serious.

Looking like a tit or playing with an edge?

For me I'd much rather wear shades. I look like a tit without them anyway :D

;iagree;
although i like to wear my ipod and listen to some good tunes, but its on low enough for me to listen to the table too :) 

I have just assumed Mantis's whole account is a level, prob one of the mods trying to lighten the mood. As his views are very funny.

Posted by: ACE2M

Not being able to hear is a little loss of info?

People who play a lot of internet poker don't hear anything and so think they're not missing much. This is the problem. You miss loads. You always get some loudmouth telling you exactly how he plays. "I raised in that spot because of such and such" or "I would have called if only such and such". You guys think that listening to your oppos complete strategy is a little loss of info? Lol. You hear people talk about business/hobbies/lifestyles and you can build up a character profile of everyone around the table. I would suggest that knowing what people are like is rather important when you're playing poker against them. But you want to miss ALL of that to save yourself getting bored. Fair enough. I don't get bored playing poker.

Why do internet players check oppos stats? Because you want to find out about their history. But then when you play live you're not interested in listening to what tournaments he's played in recently? Lol.

Like I said before, if I lacked confidence I would want to work on it and improve, not use a crutch to help me. It doesn't matter what the stakes are I wouldn't use aids to give me an edge. The fact that I don't need to rely on aids means my edge is significant enough.

The guys who think it's not worth listening to the live game will be interested in this http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070514183610AAMq6ms

Posted by: George2Loose

Just to clarify. You think those spooky specks Raymer wears when he's in a hand give him a poker edge? Really? You believe all that "When Raymer put his specs on it really freaked me out" stuff. You think Brunson's big flopy hat helps him play better? Or when Laak pulls his hood up he's suddenly a better player. They're all gimmicks George.

yes

lol

Fortunately, (althought they are stated as such) these are not facts, but merely opinions. FACT.

My first ever final table I wore some sunglasses. Liam Flood made fun of me so I never wore them again lol.

I think your trivialising the point a little. Your basically saying any professional player who wears shades is wearing them as a gimmick OR that they're not playing real poker.

If someone wants to play poker with shades, baseball cap and listening to an MP3 player, then wtf has it got to do with anyone else (it's their cash) there has been a load of tosh discussed on this thread, please lock it ,

NOOOOO!!!! Next you will be telling us its okay to be welsh and drunk to play pfft!!

on internet yes, live no ;)

lol at this thread.

Ridic statement to say its not real poker. Props are now part of poker however way you look at it, if you like it or not.

Think some1s been trapped in a time warp imo.



YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdu7xoHU9DA


Someone was bound to do it...

Posted by: George2Loose

OK let me be serious instead of trivial for a moment. I think wearing an ipod is to play sub-optimally. Now a pro like Phil Hellmuth can afford to play sub-optimally. He is a millionaire, has probably been bought into the tournament he's playing in, plays so much the game is a drag in the early stages of big comps, must get pestered all the time, and his experience and edge are significant enough to make this plausible.

When things get serious though, such as a Final Table, Hellmuth is now interested in listening, because he knows how vital it is. He wants to bring his A-game to the final.

If I was going to copy what Hellmuth does I would want to mimic his end A-game play not his start of a tournament B-game play. I don't have the edge and experience Hellmuth has so think listening from the start is more important for me than it is for him.

Those amateurs who think wearing an ipod because Hellmuth does and so feel it will make them a better player are on the wrong track imo. The conditions for us are not the same as the conditions for him. Don't know what this has to do with timewarp though, and although I enjoyed the video, maybe the boys can explain the point further.

What if your shades have prescription lenses ?

Is it okay for spectacles-wearers to have tinted lenses without being a tit ?

Or is the degree of titness directly related to the lightess/darkness of the tinted lens ?

We need to know or the FACT key may become redundant on this issue.

I think most major tournaments ban all electrical devices such as ipods when you get to the money stages. I know the WSOP does

So, what do you think when you see a player at your table and he has earphones plugged in?

Posted by: kinboshi

That they're not as tuned into the game as they could be, they are quite experienced, and may play the game from a maths perspective. But nothing of any substance until I see how they play.

Let me throw this question into the debate. Should players be allowed to use an odds calculator like a mini poker stove device at the table? If you are a maths star but struggle with confidence you can put on shades to help you with that weakness in your game. If you are a people star but struggle with maths an odds calculator would help you with that weakness in your game? So why are aids for some weaknesses allowed but aids for other weaknesses not?

because wearing sunglasses is a long standing convention of the game(ive seen em wearing them in 30s poker films so it must be true) and i'm sure not everyone shares your opinion about them being an aid for weakness.

I dont really think you can throw that question into the debate because it's not balanced, pokerstove is a comparatively new mathematical aid that coincides with the online development of the game and gives a clear edge as it allows a more precise calculation in comparison to someone doing pot odds calc in their head and working out it's "about" 4-1, sunglasses dont give an opponent an edge really, only in that it may make them feel a tad more confident in their live game and thats not an edge.

ipod's neither here nor there, as you concede, an ipod is an encumbrance to gaining information.

Just wondered.  If you form an opinion on them because they have earphones in, then they might have an edge on you. 

I was sort of thinking along the same lines as well.. Because


and thought that Liam Flood got you to do what he wanted, he did not like you having them on.. maybe

music can be a great motivator & that's the reason i tune in...a 15 min burst every so often can really give you a lift or, if needed calm you down.
when the spirit is low & every move is the wrong play a strategic beck's can also work wonders too  ;whistle;
i used to wear shades occasionally & they helped my confidence if there was a heavy hitter or two on the table - nowadays it's prob only on a bright tv table that i'd get them out as i think it is more intimidating eyeballing someone eye to eye...you lookin at me??

Tell us more about the details of the 'strategic becks' approach.  Is there an optimum level of frequency and quantity?  Is it restricted to Becks, or is Guinness a viable alternative?

(I'm only talking live poker here)

you can use vodka too.

after extensive research all i can reveal is that frequency/quantity-wise it is a 'fine line'.
i see no reason why guinness wouldn't fit the bill altho i do try to stear clear of the vino...too sleep inducing

I have been testing the Guinness theory out & as Julian said there is a fine line, too much induces calls with bottom pair, too little, folds with top pair. Obviously this is work in progress full report expected circa March 2045.

It is a very fine line indeed.  I think for me there are only one or two sips between super dooper poker player who owns the table to complete donk on the rail.

Interesting points.  I think I may have to do some research in this area.  This weekend seems like an opportune moment I reckon...

see you on the rail 4ish then :D

If it is sunny I wear sunglasses......
If it is cloudy I don't
If it is raining I wear a baseball cap....cos i do not like raindrops on my glasses
and when I want to confuse people I wear my shrek mask

So where do the shoes come into it

Stop you treading in doggy do's of course

Wow! even I would buy a pair of those.

i've found the optimum pints of guinness to cash finishes is 1 every hour:

drank 4 pints - no final table

drank 2 pints - final table but no cash finish

drank 3 pints - finished 2


perhaps the true optimum is 3 and half pints of guinness but there is no kin way i'm drinking a half pint :D

ah the secret is to  order a pint drink a half in one pull then get them to top it up....image problem solved

What about the shoes?

Of course if you wear a certain type of shoe you do not give a toss what anybody thinks anyway me thinks

you do realise that you can only drink guinness while wearing certain types of shoes:

you cant drink guinness while wearing sandals - sandals are more of a cider drinking shoe
you cant drink guinness while wearing white trainers - they're more of a cans of stella shoe
you cant drink guinness while wearing brown mocassins - they're more of a indian pale ale shoe

guinness - hard rugger boot or chelsea boot

how about silver winkle pickers

LSD