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The Rhythm of Poker

Each of us has our rhythmic style, our preferred personal tempo, a measured manner that we feel comfortable with. If you watch tournament poker on TV closely, you will notice how consistently patterned the play of the top pros is. Howard Lederer slowly places a chip on his cards. He then stops, leans back slowly, and thinks before making a move. Chris Ferguson sits there motionless until it is his turn to act. Then he looks at his cards with that awkward elbows-out style of his, makes his bet, and then puts his hands to his jaw and does not move a millimeter, no matter how long it takes for his opponent to act.

These personal rhythms don't have to be slow and labored. Phil Laak jumps around like a total nut, falls on the floor, pulls his sweatshirt hood up over his head, talks constantly, they don't call him "The Unabomber" for nothing. But what the players have to be is consistent and reflective of what they are at ease with, and they have to ensure that nothing that the other players do will force them out of their own rhythm.

On the very opposite other hand, if you look closely at the amateurs who occasionally make the final table, you will typically see a distinct lack of rhythmic discipline. They move about; they shift positions. Sometimes they act quickly, sometimes not. If you think they are "mixing up" their game, you're wrong. They rarely have this level of sophistication. They are almost certainly not sensitive to the rhythms of the game, and it is unlikely that they appreciate their own. They are vulnerable to pressure from the pros, and their games invariably suffer.

How important are these rhythms in ordinary cash game play? Very, far more than most players appreciate. First, you need to find the pace in your game that you are at ease with. Do you feel most comfortable with a patient, measured style? Do you feed off a juiced-up style with split-second reactions, rapid-fire bets, and hair-trigger raises? It really doesn't matter which, just so it is something you feel is "yours."

Second, you need to learn to pay attention to yourself and the rest of the table. Scan your body, your mind; take the pulse of a game and sense how comfortable you feel in it. If the game is fast-paced and you prefer a more leisurely game, slow down a bit and try to pull the others back to something more akin to what you like.

Third, and most important of all, do not let someone else's play or antics put you off your rhythm. In all sports, a key element of defense is to try to disrupt the opponent's tempo, to get him out of sync. You will see this in virtually every sport played at a high level; it doesn't matter if it is a team sport like football, a one-on-one game like tennis or an individual sport like golf.

And, of course, you will see this strategic ploy in poker. One of the psychological arrows in a good pro's quiver of tricks is the ability to force the action, to get you to act in ways contrary to your preferred style. They will bet fast if they see that you favor a slow, measured game. They will take a long time to act if they sense that you prefer an up-tempo game. It is extremely important that you are aware of this ploy when it happens and resist it.