How much thought have you put into picking out your nickname when joining an online poker venue? Probably not much. While we’re taught that first impressions are important when you meet someone face to face, we often fail to follow the same social rules when we play poker online.
All while your chosen screen name and the avatar you create allow you to remain anonymous, the persona you create online can still say a lot about who you are as a player. By examining those details, poker pros can learn a lot about your poker play and gambling habits – and use it to their advantage, unless you get there first and use this underappreciated tool to get the upper hand!
Learn more about what your moniker and avatar say about you and how you can create the right first impression upon joining an online gambling venue.
Creating an Online Persona
Both the nickname and the avatar you choose to represent you at a gambling venue can majorly influence the way your opponents interact with you.
First, let’s talk about choosing a moniker. The first thing every casino requests during the sign-up process is a name you wish to represent you. The nickname you use says a lot about who you are as a person and as a gambler, which is why you need to put a lot of thought into choosing the right nickname. Here are a few things you should consider:
- The most straightforward moniker includes some variation of your name and date of birth. Fred1973, Monic89, ShayShay94 – those are all examples of classic nicknames players use.
Such a nickname tells a story of an uncomplicated person, who probably can’t bluff. It also gives your opponents an indication of how old you are, which can be a disadvantage if you’re young and inexperienced. - If you want to intimidate your opponents straight off the bat, you can use a short nickname, which delivers the right message straight away: AAKK, Thunder, and Dream Crusher are examples for names used by serious and tight players.
You can also use a more playful nickname, like BluffUAll, GetReady, and The Poker Brat, which create an image of a more relaxed and looser player. - Complicated monikers, like M0n3yGr@bb3r, can often confuse your opponents. While this type of nicknames is more creative and fun, it creates the impression that you are not a serious player, which will affect the way other players treat you.
However, you can use this approach to trick your competition into believing you’re an unseasoned recreational player and surprise them with some good moves.
The second thing you should pay attention to is the avatar you use as a visual representation of yourself. Unfortunately, virtual stereotyping is a real problem, and it can affect your gambling experience.
Plenty of poker players reported in the past that when using a photo of a woman as an avatar, they were treated unfairly at the table. If you want to avoid unnecessary drama, you should use a neutral avatar.
When picking out the picture or photo to represent who you are, think about what kind of message you’re sending.
- A photo of a pet or your family will convey the message that you’re probably a cautious player, that you won’t place big bets, and that you’re more likely to second guess yourself.
- A photo of your favourite sports team can tell your opponents that you’re no stranger to adrenaline and that you’re willing to take risks.
- Some use photos of poker pros as their avatar in an attempt to intimidate the competition, but it sends exactly the opposite message. If you go down this path, people will immediately think that you’re an amateur who tries too hard to look tough.
- A funny picture sends an unclear message to the rest of the players. On the one hand, it creates the impression you like fooling around and that you don’t take the game too seriously. On the other hand, it creates an image of a wild person, and your opponents won’t know how to treat you.
In Conclusion
Putting a little bit of thought into the nickname and the photo you choose once you join a casino can help you as you get better at the game. You can use your online persona to intimidate your opponents or trick them into believing that you’re not a strong player.
Either way, you shouldn’t underestimate the power of first impressions in the online gambling world.