Many people believe gambling to be a game of the wits – or, like chess, a game of math and calculation. The truth is that a lot of gambling comes down to personality, manipulation and showmanship. And, it’s not just the face-to-face games either.
Matt Damon is a good example of this. His acting skills, which coincidentally have translated to gambling scenes in films like Rounders, helped him with his success in the 2004 California State Poker Championship. For someone who isn’t a pro, it was clear that his acting skills, along with Ben Affleck’s, gave them an interesting advantage in real-life games.
And, as we will later see, even the unlikeliest of games like online pokies in Australia for real money can benefit from some acting skills. This is highlighted by the variety of features available online, where players can explore different online pokies, learn about gameplay strategies, and understand the odds associated with various games. Win exciting prizes when you play at joker123 today!
Mastering the Poker Face
A poker face has become a popular way to describe facial stoicism; a neutral expression that gives nothing away. This sounds easier than it is, particularly under large amounts of pressure. Having full control over one’s facial expressions is something that actors like Matt Damon get a lot of practice in, and it directly translates to the poker table.
Unfortunately, there is no real way to practice this without either playing lots of poker or to practice acting. One way might be to play jokes or temporary outrageous lies to your friends to see if you can last 30+ seconds without breaking. Or, play SA Game like baccarat. This could build up your skill at staying calm and not giving anything away. In other words, containing your excitement or nervousness.
Regulating your emotions could also be done through actual stoicism practices, or perhaps meditation, where you learn to stay in control of your thoughts.
Developing a Persona
One way to achieve a good poker face and/or make good strategic decisions is to take on a persona. This way, it’s not “you” that is playing, but your character. This can immediately remove some of the emotions, or perhaps tap into artificial ones, by creating a different personality.
This is where it’s not just about poker. Playing pokies or table games against the house requires a lot of discipline. Having a persona may allow you to remove yourself a little from the emotions, meaning you make better decisions. As financial advisors always claim, they’re better than you at managing your money simply because they aren’t you. It’s not their money, so they’re less prone to bias. In this sense, creating a persona may help you stay more objective.
Improvisation
Improvisation is a difficult skill that many actors train hard at for years. They’re often warm-up exercises in drama school, but they’re often promoted on set depending on the director. When playing games against others, like Texas Hold’em, improvisation skills can help you think on your feet. It may even help you calculate risk faster because improv is all about processing information super quickly. In fact, even avid Dungeons & Dragons players may possess this skill.
Improvisational skills can also help you banter or toy with your opponents. Being able to come up with quick responses or even gags may distract or disarm them. Or, if they’re trying to intimidate you, you’re more capable of turning the situation around, especially when in character. Plus, you’re less likely to get flustered or overly heated when in character.
Emotional Resilience
Emotional resilience is really important for high-pressure situations. Sometimes you’re approaching a big jackpot in pokies or there’s a lot of chips down on the poker table. Having good breath control and managing emotions is going to allow the player to stay calm under pressure.
Perhaps more importantly, it should help when facing losses. Many players have a tendency to try and win their money back or have a sense of sunk costs. But, practicing actors can see this simply as a blooper that won’t make the edit – you will have a chance to correct it and there’s a familiarity with small failures. Actors are extraordinarily resilient because of the number of rejections they face.
Final Word
There are many acting skills that can translate to real-world gambling scenarios. It’s not only the improvisation or keeping a poker face but the type of robust personality that actors end up developing – ones that can withstand failures or high-stake emotional situations. And, while many people believe the likes of Magnus Carlsen taking to poker well, it should be remembered that he has built up acting skills during his chess career – a career laden with high-steaks, quick-thinking, and not giving his opponent any clues that he’s baiting them or is close to victory.