It surprises me just how often many players still rely on their ‘gut feeling’ or some superstition such as their birthday, to encourage good luck at the poker tables.  Of course it’s not only poker players that are superstitious, most games have players that believe in good and bad luck, I have a friend who loves to play online bingo at sites like Moon Bingo and she won’t sit down to play or chat with any of her friends unless she has a full cup of fresh coffee in her ‘Lucky Mug.’

Now don’t get me wrong, if it suits you then that is great, and if you have a lucky charm then there is really nothing wrong with having it close to you, but if you ever put your poker game into the hands of ‘outside forces’ then that is the time that your game loses its very soul.

Superstition actually plays a role in most gambling and sports activities with some players having totally unrealistic beliefs in an action which will supposedly affect their luck for better or for worse. Poker and Craps players are notorious for their superstitious behaviours which baffle our senses of logic but can also fortify the mind of the player maybe, just maybe appease Lady Luck bringing them back into good grace.

• Many gamblers wear the colour red for luck and the colour red is especially important to those with Asian roots, so if one of your opponents is of Chinese origin and they are not wearing any visible red, then it might be a good idea to have a side bet on what colour his or her underwear is.
• In Christian literature three sixes denotes the sign of the devil, the antichrist and some players will actually fold if this combination appears on the flop. If that is Satan’s work then the same people won’t play a lot of roulette as the sum of the numbers 1 through to 36 also add up to 666
• Some poker players will never sit against the grain of the poker table as this is supposed to bring bad luck
• But if you do sit against the grain of a poker table bad luck will be dispelled if you wear dirty clothes…go figure!
• Leg position is for some either lucky or unlucky, so don’t cross your legs as you may well ‘cross out any good luck.’
• The throwing of sweets on the floor is more common than you would expect as this is supposed to distract bad luck.
• Poker players believe that having sex before a big tournament improves their luck, and actually call it ‘getting lucky.’ Somehow I think that footballers have the rough edge of this one.
• Before smoking was banned, Johnny Chan used to bring an orange to smell at the table when the cigarette smoke began to bother him and since winning the WSOP way back in 1988 he has always brought an orange to the table, not the same one I hasten to add, but you can see the fruit with his winnings in press releases.
• Many poker players have a talisman, or charm often being in the form of a card protector. Charms include lucky coins, trinkets, almost anything that makes the player feel comfortable and relaxed works.  One of the most famous is the little black rock that cost Doyle Brunson $5.  He estimates that he has rented this lucky talisman out for at least $15,000 as the power of the talisman is supposed to be so great.
• Aces and Eights is known as the Deadmans Hand. Reputedly held by Wild Bill Hickok when he was murdered in Deadwood, South Dakota, many players believe this hand is a portent of bad things to come.
• A good deal of players also believe that pocket jacks is the worst hand that can be dealt to them when playing Texas Hold’em, and actually is probably one of hands that is most often misplayed so there is an element of truth to this one.

So there you have just a few of the superstitions that poker players use, there are many more, not only relating to poker players but to people in general, proving that we are definitely a superstitious lot, whether its playing poker, walking to work, or any activity that might benefit a smile from Lady Luck herself!