Why is everyone putting their hand on their shoulder while they play? (1 Viewer)

grandgnu

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Been seeing this for the past couple of years, especially in the Main Event broadcasts. Players taking an arm and crossing it over their body to rest/hold their opposite shoulder. Is this to protect against tells, is it because their arm is tired from playing 14 hour days? I don't get it?

Here's a pic I posted below to use as an example of what I'm talking about:

6a00d8341bf67c53ef0168e6e7c4bf970c-pi
 
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I dunno why, but I have noticed I do it too quite often.
 
Seriously I think there might be some unconscious body posturing here. Sort of like when someone crosses their arms when they want to shut themselves out of a conversation. This may be a subconscious attempt by the player to wall themselves off from the rest of the players.
 
Did you just start doing it because you saw it on tv or had you been doing it long before that?

I have to admit:

[video=youtube_share;YwhxeaVfk3s]http://youtu.be/YwhxeaVfk3s[/video]
 
I've been doing this for a really long time now, as far back as I can remember playing. For me it started as a way to keep my hands from shaking when I was playing at a casino and I think now it's just habitual.
 
i don't watch much if any televised poker, so i'm not sure i know exactly what you mean, but i did put my hand up to my opposite shoulder to get an idea when i read the post and realized that i do this on occasion in order to rest my chin on my arm without directly touching my hand(s) to my face. i do basically all i can to keep from touching my face with my hands in the casino since the typical sanitary condition is about two steps up from an ebola ward.
 
I've noticed that many players do this or something similar (hand on neck). I think some players are trying to hide the pulse in their necks, others are just doing it for comfort/soothing.
 
I dunno why they do it, but I think it looks pretty stupid.
 
too funny.... but if you really want to tilt me, snag a pic of those all-white chips with different color spots (Trihonda's favorite set).

The shot he posted would make for an incredibly difficult 1000-pc jigsaw puzzle.

And here's mine

clay-composite-115gm-dice-chips.jpg
 
FRAK! I forgot we got a tourney next night. Just started a tourney on P*. Oh well, I will get some sleep NEXT night then...
 
I think it's more of a "if I do this every time then no one can get any physical tells on me" thing. Kind of like how Hellmuth does this in every hand:

7-2-bluff-phil-hellmuth-vs.-mike-matusow-hsp.jpg


What tilts me is when people do this:

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I know, those Brazilians are the worst, running around wearing their flag and screeching BRAZIL, BRAZIL!

I'm going to play the WSOP-Europe events wearing an American flag and a garish America-themed outfit and chant USA! USA! like a jackass everytime I win at least 1.2 BB's.
 
While waiting to get called, it might be easier to become statue-like still with something supporting your head or neck?
 
I do this while reading and at work. I actually opened this thread while I was doing it. I don't think I do it playing poker though.
 
There's no need to do it at the poker table when you can rest your chin on 6 racks of $1 chips.
 
I believe this is my "normal" pose playing online. I'm supporting my weight in my standard bad posture pose leaving one hand free to mouse. I don't care about look or tells. Live, I do it less but still do it. I never noticed anyone mentioning it on TV until recently. It was either Norm and Lon on WSOP Main Event 2014 coverage and/or Joe Stapleton on EPT 10(?) coverage. If in fact it has become epidemic, I would suggest it could be due to online play carryover, or practicality. Practically speaking, there's some carotid covering going on (looks better than a scarf IMO) and it's a "closed" posture to indicate whatever a closed posture would indicate in the specific context when used.
 

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