Everyone knows that a master poker player should have the ability to give nothing away about his or her hand, however good or bad that hand may be. A straight, unreadable face is vital for intimidating your opponent, as well as ensuring they cannot predict the cards you’ve been dealt. But, if you’re new to the game, the poker face can be tricky to master. Luckily, with a little preparation (and some help from our expert tips), you’ll soon be able to bluff with the best of them … your opponents at your next Texas holdem poker match better watch out!

In order to perfect the poker face, the first thing you’ll need to learn is how to act calm and confident. Even if you’re full of nerves, it’s important to eradicate any trace of this from your face and actions: so no nail-biting, fidgeting or shifting in your seat. Nerves will make your opponent feel as though they have the better of you, and that’s exactly impression you don’t want to give. It’s also important to look your opponent straight in the eye, this shows confidence in your own abilities and can easily intimidate a less experienced player. Practice on a friend to hone your technique.

It’s also important to have a few things stored in the memory bank, to think about if you start feeling anxious or are struggling to conceal your emotions. Try not to think of anything too complex (you need to concentrate on the game, after all), but something comforting and simple should be enough to relax you and ensure you don’t give too much away. Your favourite meal, a hot bath or even your favourite outfit can all work: studies have found that our pupils dilate by nearly 50 per cent when we think of something we like, and a skilled opponent will be looking out for this. Think happy thoughts to fool them into believing you have an amazing hand of cards.

Aside from facial expressions, a massive part of hiding your true feelings in a poker match lies in your body language. A poker face is attached to a body, after all, and while your mouth may be giving nothing away, the same may not apply to the rest of you. A top tip here is to remain aware of your body language, adjusting and altering where necessary. If your body looks or feels tense, for example, then a skilled opponent will be able to read this and act accordingly.

To counteract this, take a deep breath and try to relax, shifting into a comfortable position and keeping your shoulders down. The trick is to synchronise your body and facial expressions, and with a little practice this will soon feel natural: sit in front of a mirror whilst you get used to the idea, or ask a friend whether your body language is matching your facial signals. As you become used to this technique, you may find your ability to fool opponents improving dramatically, as your body language won’t be betraying your real thoughts!

While getting that perfect poker expression just right can take practice, once you’ve got it sussed you’ll soon feel more confident about your gaming skills. Whether playing with friends or in the casino, the ability to maintain a straight face will give you that edge over your opponent, especially if the hand you’ve been dealt leaves a little to be desired.

Even if you go for the high-tech option and chose to play online, you may still find your poker face comes in handy as a method of keeping you confident and alert, even if no-one else can see you! So sit up straight, take a deep breath and put your best poker face on: you never know what it’ll do for your game.