Sex in an Ice Cube
Years ago back in my college days, I remember reading a book about subliminal suggestions and how the author saw the word SEX formed in ice cubes located in liquor ads in magazines. I was only nineteen, and it was easy for me to see sex anywhere as well. But I’m not sure how much of an impact those ice cubes had on me since I don’t drink hard liquor all that much. And I don’t meditate on ice cubes. I do have a lot of kids though – so maybe there is something to this.
The power of suggestion intrigues me. Just take a look at any magazine, this one for example, and browse through some of the ads. Note the colors used, the wording, the images and how they are positioned. Take a look at a magazine that carries cigarette or liquor ads – notice how the people are positioned and what they are doing. Your mind will invent a story about what has happened before the photo was taken, and what will happen after you turn the page. All these ads are suggesting something – nothing is placed or positioned by chance. Everything is there for a reason, and your mind is like a sponge.
This is one reason why I think there might be something to Catchtheriver.com’s poker relaxation tapes. The “No Tilt” audio series consists of four 45 minute CDs that are designed to help you relax and improve your game “subconsciously.” Now they claim that there are no subliminal messages being used, but they include suggestions targeting the subconscious. From the website: How Does it Work: It’s really pretty simple. As you relax and let your mind wander, positive suggestions are made to the subconscious part of your brain. Because you aren’t really paying attention to the words, your brain accepts these new positive suggestions as the correct way to behave and allows your body to respond accordingly. Since the brain controls the body, you now have more control over how you act and respond to different situations.
The “No Tilt” series includes CDs entitled “How to Eliminate Your Tells,” “How To Recover From a Bad Beat,” “How to Survive the Short Stack,” and “Remain Focused to The Final Table.” You’re warned not to listen to these while driving, and they have a money back guarantee. Sounds worthwhile to try – my mind could sponge up as much as it can handle.
Besides looking for sex in ice-cubes, or other inferred ideas, one can go for something more explicit. I was checking out bet365poker.com the other day, and I noticed that they have downloadable “Poker School” video clips that you can check out for free. What joy! The animation is sharp and there is information that any player can find useful.
My mind sponged off of “Top Tips” for a bit. One tip I’d like to share with you is “Look for a reason to fold.” They state that a good poker player is looking to play only one in ten hands. In other words, for every ten hands dealt – nine of these hands should be folded. You are limited on betting on premium hands which will significantly limit your losses.
Wow.
Well, that ain’t me by a long shot. It makes me wonder if that’s the reason I get my ass kicked a bit too often (for my liking). I’m too easy to please I guess, and I sometimes hold cards just to see the outcome of the river. Pretty stupid eh?
Bet365poker.com‘s Poker School also notes that good players are always seeking information on how to become a better player. Feeling like a dummy, I picked up a copy of Richard D. Harroch and Lou Krieger’s Poker for Dummies and began to dig through the pages.
I didn’t find the “fold 9 out of 10 hands” tip, but there are many others that make the book well worth the modest price. Besides the basics, there are chapters that cover money management, setting up home games, reading opponents, and real life poker lessons – how what we learn in poker transfers to our personal relations and careers. As the authors point out, poker is a metaphor of life. And this is probably why the game is so popular.
I feel poker is a mind game with explicit and implied meanings. Is your opponent making movements that are “telling” what her hand is, or is she that ice cube? You may be reading into something that really isn’t there.