Being unpredictable

[tyz]

Is there a way that you can ensure being difficult to predict at Poker? For example, if you never bluff, people will eventually get to known that and it will reduce your ability to profit from good  cards? Anyone there knows techniques or trick to avoid being easy to read?

No, because there is a reason why hardly any casinos use computerized poker opponents. Simply because they do not play according to feelings but only according to probabilities. A bluff of yours is immediately exposed when the computer calls. Then you have to go out.

[Lucasgabd]

Is there a way that you can ensure being difficult to predict at Poker? For example, if you never bluff, people will eventually get to known that and it will reduce your ability to profit from good  cards? Anyone there knows techniques or trick to avoid being easy to read?

No, because there is a reason why hardly any casinos use computerized poker opponents. Simply because they do not play according to feelings but only according to probabilities. A bluff of yours is immediately exposed when the computer calls. Then you have to go out.

that is a curious point to bring to the discussion, differently than chess, on poker a computer may not be as good or have an edge on the game,
is it possible that a this statement doesn't hold true at all times?
will good human poker players always have an ede over computers on the long run?

[joker_josue]

Is there a way that you can ensure being difficult to predict at Poker? For example, if you never bluff, people will eventually get to known that and it will reduce your ability to profit from good  cards? Anyone there knows techniques or trick to avoid being easy to read?

No, because there is a reason why hardly any casinos use computerized poker opponents. Simply because they do not play according to feelings but only according to probabilities. A bluff of yours is immediately exposed when the computer calls. Then you have to go out.

that is a curious point to bring to the discussion, differently than chess, on poker a computer may not be as good or have an edge on the game,
is it possible that a this statement doesn't hold true at all times?
will good human poker players always have an ede over computers on the long run?

If the game is not addicted to the computer. He will never know the cards that the other players have.
Therefore, it will only play based on its probabilities and the type of programming as it was built. And in that sense, it will depend a lot on who was the strategist who set up the AI for the game. Whether or not you are a good real poker player, and whether you take more chances or not. Normally the computer has been programmed with several strategies, the AI's ability to choose the best one for the game.

Now, since poker is more unpredictable and depends a lot on each human player, it is usually not as effective in poker.

In the case of Chess it is different, that there are defined rules and finite probabilities, cheating the well-programmed AI makes the game very difficult for an ordinary human.

[Smartprofit]

Is there a way that you can ensure being difficult to predict at Poker? For example, if you never bluff, people will eventually get to known that and it will reduce your ability to profit from good  cards? Anyone there knows techniques or trick to avoid being easy to read?

No, because there is a reason why hardly any casinos use computerized poker opponents. Simply because they do not play according to feelings but only according to probabilities. A bluff of yours is immediately exposed when the computer calls. Then you have to go out.

that is a curious point to bring to the discussion, differently than chess, on poker a computer may not be as good or have an edge on the game,
is it possible that a this statement doesn't hold true at all times?
will good human poker players always have an ede over computers on the long run?

The computer has long learned to beat a person in a game of chess. 

People now play chess too, using computers to calculate combinations.  Recently, the computer beat the world champion in the game of go.  It is believed that the game of go is much more difficult than chess.  It is a game with a huge number of possible combinations, and until recently it was believed that a computer could never beat a human in a game of go, since human qualities such as intuition and creativity were needed to win. 

However, things turned out differently ...

With poker, everything is more complicated, because the game is based on bluffing.  However, when poker is played online, the player has fewer opportunities to cheat and bluff. 

Therefore, in online poker (in my opinion), modern AI will have an advantage.

[Welsh]

Don't play with the same people, that's really the only way of being unpredictable, even then if you've ever participated in high level sports, or anything for that matter as the skill level increases, you expect your opponents to be better, and therefore they will generally follow similar strategies, since its proven to work.

Going back to poker specifically, at higher leveled games, and therefore higher stakes at hand, its not unknown for the players to have studied the psychology of humans, and therefore attempt to look for these triggers which the player isn't even aware they are doing themselves. The fact is, our body gives off more indications off subconsciously, than we do while we are consciously thinking. The only way you can truly become unpredictable, is learning what your body does, identifying it, and then training it via muscle memory to prevent "leaking" these indications. There's a few books out there, and podcasts which talk about this side of the game, and generally we are talking about the higher staked games here, rather than your local pub get together game.

[Smartprofit]

Don't play with the same people, that's really the only way of being unpredictable, even then if you've ever participated in high level sports, or anything for that matter as the skill level increases, you expect your opponents to be better, and therefore they will generally follow similar strategies, since its proven to work.

Going back to poker specifically, at higher leveled games, and therefore higher stakes at hand, its not unknown for the players to have studied the psychology of humans, and therefore attempt to look for these triggers which the player isn't even aware they are doing themselves. The fact is, our body gives off more indications off subconsciously, than we do while we are consciously thinking. The only way you can truly become unpredictable, is learning what your body does, identifying it, and then training it via muscle memory to prevent "leaking" these indications. There's a few books out there, and podcasts which talk about this side of the game, and generally we are talking about the higher staked games here, rather than your local pub get together game.

There are so many different games to train your communication skills.  I have already written about one of these games, this is the Russian-Ukrainian psychological game "Mafia".  The game "Mafia" allows you to train the skills of bluffing and lying. 

This popular game has even been featured in a sci-fi feature film (Mafia (Survival Game):

https://youtu.be/IRrN5MQoxpQ. 

It is also helpful to get training in acting.  If you are a professional player, you can pay for the services of an acting teacher. 

The instructor will purposefully teach you the art of bluffing while playing poker.

[South Park]

Is there a way that you can ensure being difficult to predict at Poker? For example, if you never bluff, people will eventually get to known that and it will reduce your ability to profit from good  cards? Anyone there knows techniques or trick to avoid being easy to read?

No, because there is a reason why hardly any casinos use computerized poker opponents. Simply because they do not play according to feelings but only according to probabilities. A bluff of yours is immediately exposed when the computer calls. Then you have to go out.

But that is the thing we are not computers but humans, I think what the OP is looking for is for a systematic way of being unpredictable and while achieving that in a perfect fashion is impossible you can in fact become harder to read by simply adjusting your playing style and even the way you manage yourself at the table, one day you could be very talkative and the next time you face the same opponent you could be very quiet, small things like that confuse your opponents especially if they know you well and can give you a small edge when it matters.

[Lucasgabd]

Is there a way that you can ensure being difficult to predict at Poker? For example, if you never bluff, people will eventually get to known that and it will reduce your ability to profit from good  cards? Anyone there knows techniques or trick to avoid being easy to read?

No, because there is a reason why hardly any casinos use computerized poker opponents. Simply because they do not play according to feelings but only according to probabilities. A bluff of yours is immediately exposed when the computer calls. Then you have to go out.

that is a curious point to bring to the discussion, differently than chess, on poker a computer may not be as good or have an edge on the game,
is it possible that a this statement doesn't hold true at all times?
will good human poker players always have an ede over computers on the long run?

The computer has long learned to beat a person in a game of chess. 

People now play chess too, using computers to calculate combinations.  Recently, the computer beat the world champion in the game of go.  It is believed that the game of go is much more difficult than chess.  It is a game with a huge number of possible combinations, and until recently it was believed that a computer could never beat a human in a game of go, since human qualities such as intuition and creativity were needed to win. 

However, things turned out differently ...

With poker, everything is more complicated, because the game is based on bluffing.  However, when poker is played online, the player has fewer opportunities to cheat and bluff. 

Therefore, in online poker (in my opinion), modern AI will have an advantage.

I'd bring this point on AI.

how long do you think for us to have modern AI being able to bluff effectivelly?

DO you remember how google translator was worse like 5 or 10 years ago?
translation is much better now and probably in 10-30 years human translators will have a hard time finding new jobs...

[joker_josue]

I'd bring this point on AI.

how long do you think for us to have modern AI being able to bluff effectivelly?

DO you remember how google translator was worse like 5 or 10 years ago?
translation is much better now and probably in 10-30 years human translators will have a hard time finding new jobs...

The problem is not that the AI is able to make a good bluff. This will certainly not be a very difficult thing. The problem is in AI being able to understand the bluff that humans are making.

Poker is not a game with finite options, such as chess. In poker, the player can have the worst hand in the world and still take a risk.
It will always be difficult for an AI to understand whether or not the signals that the player shows during the game are true or not.

[KTChampions]

I'd bring this point on AI.

how long do you think for us to have modern AI being able to bluff effectivelly?

DO you remember how google translator was worse like 5 or 10 years ago?
translation is much better now and probably in 10-30 years human translators will have a hard time finding new jobs...

You talk about the past  
As far as I know, neural networks have long defeated people in limit poker and the only stronghold where people still win is no-limit (although I have not been interested in this topic for a year, and perhaps this bastion has already fallen). And as I understand it, the AI should not be able to bluff to effectively beat people.

[Alucard1]

I am not an expert in poker but the best solution for your problem is just to play randomly, control your emotions and always consistent with your plan. People may read your cards based on your emotion and how you act once you see your card, you may also trick them whenever you got bad cards then make your emotion good or whenever you got good cards then pretend to be not good. You may trick them by doing these things, but you should not do it continuously because they will know to read you as well if you do it continously.

[Kittygalore]

Just practice poker face and limit your movements or make a lot of movements so they can't find the pattern on your moves. I think that those are the only things that matter in a game of poker, make a really flamboyant one so they think that you are cocky or be tacit and have them question your next move.

[joker_josue]

Just practice poker face and limit your movements or make a lot of movements so they can't find the pattern on your moves. I think that those are the only things that matter in a game of poker, make a really flamboyant one so they think that you are cocky or be tacit and have them question your next move.

Do this, without becoming theatrical. If not, it will give you the clear idea that you are playing a meaningless and logical game, and that way it will be easier for opponents to be able to understand what you are trying to do.

[Kittygalore]

~

Do this, without becoming theatrical. If not, it will give you the clear idea that you are playing a meaningless and logical game, and that way it will be easier for opponents to be able to understand what you are trying to do.

Yeah, I forgot to add that you should look natural when you are doing a poker face because a bad one is a good tell that you are hiding something and makes you easy to predict. Another one I think you can do is play risky all the time but that is if you can handle the stress of playing risky.

[Pamadar]

~

Do this, without becoming theatrical. If not, it will give you the clear idea that you are playing a meaningless and logical game, and that way it will be easier for opponents to be able to understand what you are trying to do.

Yeah, I forgot to add that you should look natural when you are doing a poker face because a bad one is a good tell that you are hiding something and makes you easy to predict. Another one I think you can do is play risky all the time but that is if you can handle the stress of playing risky.

Poker face and make it looks natural, that's truly hard to predict what encircling inside your minds.

Lots of gamblers practice this and make it realistic, they use this skills to take advantage with those gamblers who played against them,

if you able to practice this and managed to make it more realistic from time to time, you really got the opportunities to collect winning stats each time you made a call.

[swogerino]

You should try to play mostly with different opponents.Just like the NSA can track anyone using TOR browser and having the same browsing habits,if you play with the same opponents always they will start to read your play patterns.I used to play a lot in Zynga Poker in Facebook a few years ago and I liked the tournaments because usually there were new opponents.

[KTChampions]

I am not an expert in poker but the best solution for your problem is just to play randomly, control your emotions and always consistent with your plan. People may read your cards based on your emotion and how you act once you see your card, you may also trick them whenever you got bad cards then make your emotion good or whenever you got good cards then pretend to be not good. You may trick them by doing these things, but you should not do it continuously because they will know to read you as well if you do it continously.

Sticking to a plan and being random is somewhat contradictory, don't you think?  The problem of reading a card by emotion is a thing of the past. Now the conversation is mainly about online poker and programs that collect statistics on players which makes it possible to predict their actions with a greater degree of success.

[nitrobetting]

In my case, I've learned that unpredictability is complex in such a way that a lot of factors can affect how to anticipate your decisions like timing, momentum and reaction to certain situations. There are a lot of ways to play poker, you can be aggressive or passive but never forget it's still a game of chances. I think being unpredictable comes easy at first set of hands just because it's all fair game until someone builds a stack and by then the real poker game really starts.

[Lucasgabd]

I'd bring this point on AI.

how long do you think for us to have modern AI being able to bluff effectivelly?

DO you remember how google translator was worse like 5 or 10 years ago?
translation is much better now and probably in 10-30 years human translators will have a hard time finding new jobs...

You talk about the past  
As far as I know, neural networks have long defeated people in limit poker and the only stronghold where people still win is no-limit (although I have not been interested in this topic for a year, and perhaps this bastion has already fallen). And as I understand it, the AI should not be able to bluff to effectively beat people.

interesting, out of curiosity I went searching a bit about it and found these 2 articles:
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/feb/05/artificial-intelligence-ethics-poker-libratus-texas-holdem-ai-deepstack
https://www.forbes.com/sites/bernardmarr/2019/09/13/artificial-intelligence-masters-the-game-of-poker--what-does-that-mean-for-humans/?sh=331e5695f9ea

so you're right this is not new info since the second article was published in 2019.

so by that we just proved that:
math = true > bluffing
?

that may generate some quite interesting paradigms on society...

[AicecreaME]

Anyone there knows techniques or trick to avoid being easy to read?

Sometimes in the game of poker theory is not enough, but from experience losing and making changes (practice) can have good results in the future.

You are right, playing poker must have tricks and techniques to see the opponent's card, it is very difficult to explain here, without directly involving in the game.

Sometimes google provides a little description of the practice of doing poker betting tricks and techniques, for that this way: 9 Basic Poker Strategy Tips for Beginners, can add a little knowledge in determining the direction of the game of poker, at least to be better than before.

Poker like most things in life requires both, you need to have some theoretic knowledge about the game to be able to play it at a good enough level, but after some time your biggest improvements are going to come from putting in practice that knowledge and this is something that can only be achieved by playing, some of those lessons you will learn are going to be incredibly expensive but at least you are never going to forget them due to the cost you will need to pay.

Correct.

I've seen a video of poker in which Kevin Hart plays poker with his colleagues, and Kevin just acted like the way he does, being a funny guy, and he won the game by bluffs. My conclusion is that in order to make a bluff successful, don't change your facial expression and the way you play your bets in poker even though you have a bad cards for your opponents to be confused on what you have, that's only based on my observation though.