You see them all the time. Pros wear them. So do young kids trying to look like their favorite superstar. They’re sunglasses. Some they they’re cool; others say they’re ridiculous. Here’s a look at the pros and cons of wearing them at the table.
PROS
1. Stop Opponents from Reading You
They hide your eyes from the inquisitive stares of others, keeping your eyes from giving off any tells. If your opponents can’t read your eyes they will have a harder time reading you.
2. Allow You To Stare Without Detection.
You don’t want people to know when you’re checking out their eyes. Sunglasses allow you to look without being obvious. Stare as long as you want at whomever you want and no one is the wiser.
3. Peak with Impunity.
If you have someone sitting next to you who flashes his cards, this allows you to glance over without anyone knowing. I think it’s OK to glance at a flasher (as opposed to leaning). But I don’t want anyone to see me do it either.
4. Get and Eyeful Without an Earful
One of the nicest parts of playing poker in many casinos is the constant eye candy from the servers and, increasingly, from the other players. Self respect and decency often prevent us from staring too boldly at other people – fearing they’ll take offense and tell us off. Sunglasses provide the perfect cover. Who knows where you’re ogling when your eyes are concealed?
CONS
1. Harder to See
It’s not just harder to see the board when you have a dark shade in front of your eyes. It’s also harder to read expressions and see flashed cards. Wearing sunglasses can literally keep you in the dark about much of the game.
2. Your Cards Can Reflect Off Them
No joke. If you’re not careful your cool shades can expose your cards to careful observers with good vision (who probably aren’t wearing sunglasses). This is especially true of the mirrored kind.
3. Some Players May Tighten Up Against You
Hey, you look like a serious pro. Some players are intimidated and play tougher in that situation. Be careful about what image you want to project. You may not want what you get.
4. Harder To Have Conversations
Sometimes it helps both for lightening up a table and for getting opponents to reveal something about how they play to be able to strike up a conversation with an opponent. It’s tougher to do this when you look somewhat inhuman in sunglasses. It’s also tougher to appear friendly –making it harder to get your opponents to relax into their natural loose play.
The bottom line for me is that I used to wear them, believed they helped my game, but then decided that I just didn’t like playing with them on because they took some of the fun out of the game. Since then my win rate has remained about the same and I enjoy longer sessions, with fewer headaches and more nice conversations. I can’t say that my win rate wouldn’t be better with them on, but I know that I am having a better time without giving up much of anything by not wearing them.
Ashley Adams has been playing poker since 1961 when he learned it literally at his grandfather's knee. He started playing seriously in 1993 when Foxwoods Resort Casino in Ledyard, Connecticut opened their poker room. He can usually be found there at the $20/40 stud or the $2/5 no limit hold 'em table.
Ashley has played poker all over the world, winning money in ring games and winning tournaments in Hungary, Austria, England, the Bahamas, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Nevada, California, Washington, British Columbia and the Yukon Territory. He was the most prolific writer of poker articles in 2005, 2006, and 2007 and has written two poker books. His first, Winning 7-card Stud (Kensington, 2003) is available on Amazon.com. His no limit hold 'em book, Winning Low Limit No Limit Hold 'em, is an ebook and most readily available directly from the author for $10.00 at asha34@aol.com.
Ashley also runs charity poker tournaments, teaches poker privately and at the Boston Center for Adult Education, is a frequent guest on radio and television programs (having appeared on WBZ-AM, WHDH Channel 7 TV, WGBH-TV, NECN-TV), and has a regular radio show that can be heard 24/7 on www.houseofcardsradio.com.
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