Poker Articles

Poker Counselor - Who was that Masked Man?
By John Carlisle

While playing a live No-Limit Hold 'Em tournament, a guy on opposite end of the table called my large pre-flop raise. When everyone else folded, I was staring him down as the dealer prepared to show us the flop. When the cards showed 10-10-7, I figured my beautiful black pocket aces where still absolutely golden. My opponent was to act first. He studied the flop for a moment before flatly stating, "I'm All-In." His all-in move was a large overbet of the pot. My mind started to wonder if he could possible have pocket 7's or a 10 in the hole, to be besting me. My attempts to get him talking provided no help. As I looked him over again and again, I realized that I had absolutely no read on this guy at all. Even though we'd been at the same table for over an hour, I could hardly remember any hands in which he'd played. I did not know his name, his occupation, where he was from ... he was a blank slate. He had been nearly invisible to me over the past hour. I could not help but curse myself for allowing this player to slip under my radar. I could not peg this guy for being tight/aggressive, tight/passive, or whether he was able to make such a bold bluff. I wasn't even sure if the guy knew how to play the game at all!

I was struggling to make a decision. A loss would certainly cripple me, as I'd barely have more than a big blind or two left in my stack. A win would nearly assure a cash finish. I was facing the biggest hand of the entire tourney, and I had no background information to go on. I usually pride myself in my ability to be observant and tuned-in to my opposition at the table. Yet this totally unassuming young man had managed to sit at my table for quite some time and garnered little/no attention from me. It was as if he was camouflaged with the scenery. His dark clothes never caught my eye. He chose to rarely speak. He made no motions other than an occasional shift in his seat to reach his water bottle. His face wore little emotion whether he had won or lost a pot. Like a hypnotist, he had lulled me to sleep. His all-in move at this extremely critical juncture was the unwelcome alarm clock that awoke me from the slumber.

After much thought, I guessed that he had an underpair and thought they were good after the flop. I supposed that he was putting me on a hand like A-K or A-Q, and thus assumed I had no pair. I pushed my chips out toward the middle and quickly flipped my pocket Aces. Without an expression on his face, he showed his Jack-10 of diamonds. His trips were crushing my hand. His play had crushed my emotions, as well. My stomach instantly knotted. My voice cracked as I forced out the familiar congratulatory remark, "Nice hand." Even as this occurred, he never made straight eye contact. His only acknowledgement of my call and comment was the slightest of head nods. I have to admit his stone-like personality and behavior astonished me and somewhat unnerved me.

I almost hate to reveal that I got amazingly lucky and caught runner-runner spades to catch an improbable flush. The sight of the last spade caused the adrenalin to rush through my body. I clapped one oddly loud clap and yelped out a "Yes!" On the other hand, the "masked man" simply nodded once as he silently took his leave. As I scrambled to apologize to this fellow for the ugly suck-out, I realized it was just best to allow him to disappear into the night with no fanfare. That is how those veiled, mysterious-types do it best, I suppose.

Please learn from my mistakes. Never allow the quiet, unassuming wallflowers to avoid your focus. Be sure to invest time and energy in identifying every player at your table. The young guns with goofy sunglasses and bold T-shirts often hog most of our attention. Maybe it is one of the beautiful new female players that often distract your efforts. Work to stay mentally sharp. Play as a true predator, with a hungry focus on your opposition as the prey. Never allow yourself to be wondering, "Who was that masked man?" Now go make it happen.

In addition to being a poker enthusiast, gambling columnist, and lecturer, John is a National Certified Counselor (NCC). He has a Master of Arts degree in Counseling from West Virginia University, and a Bachelor's degree in Psychology with a minor in Sociology from Lock Haven University. You can arrange for interviews or speaking engagements with "the Poker Counselor" at carlisle14@hotmail.com.

About the Author:
John Carlisle is a National Certified Counselor (NCC) with advanced degrees in Psychology and Counseling. He writes on the psychological aspects of the game.