Study shows you can win more at poker just by smiling

A scientific study that was recently published by Harvard University has shown that maintaining a neutral or stern poker face does not work. However, it was demonstrated that opponents played less well against players who smiled.

The research paper which was published by Erik J. Schlicht describes an experiment where beginner poker players were given the job of playing a simplified version of Texas Hold’em. Everyone who took part in the experiment was screened before hand and they all scored at least 70 percent in a poker test.

During the experiment, players had to decide whether to call or fold based just on the cards and the face of an opponent that was shown to them. If the called it resulted in them either winning or losing 5,000 chips and if they folded they would lose 100 chips.

Schlicht and his colleagues discovered that if the opponent had a threatening or inexpressive face it would make no impact on the decision made by the player. However, if the players were presented with a trustworthy face, normally one wearing a smile, the players took longer to decide what to do and made less productive decisions.

In a summary of the results Schlicht said, "Mistakes against trustworthy opponents resulted from increased loss aversion, suggesting that participants believed trustworthy opponents were betting with hands of greater value than neutral and untrustworthy opponents.”

Schlicht conducted the study during his time as a post-doctoral student at Harvard University, it was published under the title “Human wagering behavior depends on opponents faces” Others involved in the study were Shinsuke Shimojo, Colin F. Camerer, Peter Battaglia and Ken Nakayama.

If these claims prove to be correct then professional players might find themselves winning even more just by smiling, and perhaps poker tables will stop looking so threatening.