I have a pet peeve with a growing number of poker players. It has to do with what they wear.
When I first began going to Las Vegas, there was a special clothing store on Las Vegas Boulevard that catered to gamblers. It was called Frenchy's and I loved to shop in the place.
There you could buy silk shirts, sequined jackets, gambler's suits, hats and many other accessories that made you look and feel good.
I would drive to Las Vegas and play for a while at my favorite casino or poker room. I would test my favorite games -- blackjack, dice, poker and the horses -- and if I won, I would pay Frenchy's a visit. I always found something there worth buying.
One of the 'tells' of a poker player is how the person dresses. This was especially true of some of the old time players like Amarillo Slim, Dolly Brunson and a guy called Eskimo Clark. If a person wore a western outfit and a hat, you could count on a lot of action at the table.
Eskimo Clark always dressed like he came out of an igloo or a tent. He was a bit uncouth but he was colorful and fun to play against. And, yes, you could expect him to jump into a pot with both feet. There was nothing shy about Eskimo Clark.
This may lose me a few friends, but I don't care: most poker players today don't know how to dress.
Most of them look like they bought their clothes at a Salvation Army Thrift Store. They wear ragged jeans, tee-shirts, baseball caps (which they generally wear facing backwards) and hoodies. They are plugged in to something and have wires coming out of their ears. They would definitely not be finalists in any awards contest for the best-dressed poker player.
When I sit down at a poker player, I pay close attention to what the other players are wearing. If a person is colorfully or outlandishly dressed, I expect his play to match his garb and it generally does.
A well-dressed person in a suit generally plays conservatively and I adjust my game to deal with that kind of player.
If a woman comes to the table with plenty of jewelry and a low-cut dress, she will try to seduce the other players -- especially the males -- into surrendering their chips to her.
A guy wearing a hood is different. He will be sneaky and use the hood to throw off his foes. If he doesn't win quickly, he will probably leave the table.
Watch out for anyone who wears bib overalls. This is probably a farmer or rancher who values his money. You'll have to work hard and over time if you want to take it.
A cowboy carrying a beer and a grin will generally be fun to play against. He will keep you off balance since he doesn't know from hand to hand what he will be doing. The alcohol makes the decision for him.
Clothes definitely make the player at a poker table. I once played against a well tanned man in his 50s who wore a brown suit, a tie and who kept a smile on his face during the four hours he sat at our table. He turned out to be a cattle rancher from Hilo, Hawaii. His ranch was one of the biggest on the big island. We became table friends and he gave me his card. He also invited me to visit his ranch if I ever was in Hawaii.
I would love to see some casino stage a masked tournament where all the players would wear costumes and masks. Just think -- you could be playing against some of the world's best players and not know it until they removed their masks. That would take away some of their intimidating tactics, wouldn't it?
No, it grates on my nerves to see a player who has just won thousands of dollars in a tournament wander up to my table looking like a homeless bum and taking a seat. It's like he has no respect for himself, the game or the other players.
The last time I was in Las Vegas, I searched for Frenchy's, but couldn't find it. I hope it springs up again. Since my heart attack over a year ago, I lost 30 pounds and none of my clothes fit me. Clothes make the player and when I play poker, baby, I want to be well dressed.
Author: Geno Lawrenzi Jr.
(Geno Lawrenzi Jr. is an international journalist, magazine author and ghostwriter and poker player who lives in Phoenx, AZ. He has published 2,000 articles in 50 magazines and 125 newspapers. If you want to share a gambling story or book idea with him, send an email to glawrenzi@gmail.com ).
