The 6 superstitions still alive at the poker tables

Superstition is a belief that is not based on human reason or scientific knowledge, but is linked to old ideas about magic or luck. According to a survey conducted by the travel agency Rumbo, 61% of Spaniards say they have some superstition, with Europeans being the most superstitious ahead of Italians (58%), Germans (56%), French (52%) and British (fifty%). Superstitions are present in practically all areas of life.

The world of poker is full of these kinds of irrational beliefs. Although it is a mind and skill game recognized by the International Mental Sports Association (IMSA), there is an element of luck in the card game, especially in the short term. And wherever there is luck, superstition will continue to be present. Many poker players think that there are things they can do to bring good luck or avoid bad luck at the table. In this way, the superstitions make players feel like they have control over random events.through a reading of reality that gives them security, so that they think they can improve their performance. In this article we will tell you about the six superstitions that are still alive at the poker tables.

Lucky Card Protectors

Protectors are small objects that serve to indicate to the dealer that the player is still in the game and that he must not take his cards into his hand. Although a simple poker chip has always been used as a card protector, this type of item became very popular after poker in 2003. Since then, players have started using anything to protect their cards and scare away. the unfortunate. One of the most famous card protectors over the years has been the Zippo lighter called "Casper", because it bore Doyle Brunson's Ghostbusters logo. The poker legend rented 'Casper' for a commission of $ 500 for 30 minutes, earning $ 15.000 from rents.

Wear the same clothes

Many poker players, even some of the best in the world, recognize that they have a piece of clothing that brings them luck in the game, be it a hat, hoodie, T-shirt or underwear. Indeed, card enthusiasts can recognize many professional players by their frequent style choices, especially in major tournaments and at the final table. Some players push this superstition to the limit, not doing laundry for months after winning a major tournament. As for the color of clothes, red is perhaps the color most used by poker players, since, according to Chinese culture, it symbolizes good luck.  

Stack the tiles in a certain way

Poker players are free to place their chips on the table as long as they do not interfere with other players' play. For some, the way the chips are stacked is critical to being successful at the table, as they believe it can affect the results. For example, there are players who only pile 20 tiles, while others never pile more than 10 tiles. In any case, the way the chips are stacked must follow the rules of the poker room. This superstition is not as prevalent today as it was in the past, mainly due to the new generation of players, who grew up playing online poker, so they don't pay attention to this aspect of the game.

It is forbidden to count the chips on the table

In 1978, American singer-songwriter Kenny Rogers released his song "The Gambler", which tells the story of a nocturnal encounter on a train between the narrator and a man known as "the player". The lyrics of this iconic song state that for luck at card games "never count money when sitting at the table." For decades, this part of the song has been interpreted by poker players as saying that chips should never be counted while playing poker, even when the player is actively participating in a hand. Nevertheless, card fans should keep in mind that knowing the number of chips is an integral part of the card game.

Lucky charm

Lucky charms are featured in all poker games. Since the birth of poker, players have always brought their lucky items to live tournaments. One of the most famous is Johnny Chan's orange, a living legend of world poker. The Chinese-American player won the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event, the largest poker tournament in the world, in 1988. At that time, tobacco was allowed in casinos. Chan, who was bothered by the snuff smoke, took it an orange to combat the smell caused by cigarettes of smokers. Since then, this fruit has accompanied the Chinese-American throughout his successful career at the poker tables.

The hand of the dead

Dead man's hand is a term used in the poker world to refer to two pair of black aces and black eights, as presumably it was the hand Wild Bill Hickok was holding when he was shot in 1876. According to legend, Hickok was playing cards with his back to the doors of a saloon when a man named Jack McCall approached from behind and shot him in the neck. At the time of his death, Hickok was holding a pair of aces and eights, a hand that became known as the dead man's hand. Although more than 100 years of this history have passed, many poker players still think this hand is a sign of bad luck.