THE WORLD'S #1 POKER MANUAL - Card Games

Poker Book, Hypnosis
calls the bet.
Scotty tries to smile as John pulls in the pot. Eventually he may become aware of that hypnotic
trick. But then John will simply use another trick.
John estimates his earnings per life of hypnotic trick range from several hundred to several
thousand dollars.
4. Distractions (88)
The good player can exploit his opponents more easily when they are distracted. A radio or television
for sporting events has excellent distraction value. A late newspaper is usually good for several hands of
distracted play from opponents checking horse-race results, the stock market, and the news.
Pornographic literature offers an absorbing distraction. Good spreads of food and assorted drinks
provide steady and effective distractions.
Availability of beer and liquor usually benefits the good player. One drink takes the sharpness off a
player's ability to think and concentrate. Even a single beer will reduce the effectiveness of a superior
player. That is why the good player never drinks before or during the game. And that is why the good
player is glad to see superior-playing opponents take a drink.
Moderate amounts of alcohol have less effect on poor players because their concentrations are already at
reduced levels. The poor player must drink enough to become intoxicated before his edge odds are
reduced to even lower levels. But the advantages of having intoxicated opponents are sometimes
canceled by disadvantages such as slowing down the game and causing drinking problems that may
drive profitable opponents from the game.
Each week, John Finn is a good fellow and brings beer to the game, along with the late evening
paper containing the complete stock-market closings and horse-race results. Ted and Sid read this
paper while playing their hands. Every now and then they lose a pot to John because of that
distraction.
Those newspapers cost John less than $15 per year, but are worth about a $1000 a year in
distractions--or about $20 per newspaper.
By encouraging and creating distractions, John Finn increases everyone's confusion. At the same
time, he keeps the action moving. In the Monday night game, however, he discovers his opponents
will play for significantly higher stakes when using cash rather than faster-moving poker chips.
(In most games, the reverse is true, and thus the good player normally prefers using poker chips.)
To offset this, John speeds up the game by alternating two decks of cards between each shuffle and
deal.
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