Music at the Card Table

Everyone knows that music can have a profound effect on one's moods. Throw on some sad tunes post-break-up to help you wallow, or blast something happy to break you out of that funk. A little AC/DC to get you geared-up for a job interview, or some Barry White to help you and a loved one celebrate the new promotion. But does it help play poker?

Pros such as Phil Gordon, John D'Agostino, Robert Williamson, and Annie Duke will play certain genres of music to correspond to different levels in a tournament and the different gears of play that each level requires.

I can see a couple of possibilities. Over the years, I've read more than a few studies that indicate that listening to classical music while studying or before taking a test have a measurable positive impact on performance. I would imagine that the mental acuity promoted by this kind of music would also apply to some of the analysis elements of card playing.

But what about the emotional side of poker? I agree that depending on the stage of the game and the level of opponent it may be useful to promote different frames of mind, and I absolutely buy into music's ability to do just that. So it may be good to have an appropriate selection of songs on your iPod for when you want to play tight, be aggressive, or just have a little fun with your opponents. Just make sure that your mp3 player isn't stuck on automatic shuffle. It'll be a tragedy when you ride that pair of fours just because "Eye of the Tiger" is playing or if you fold pocket aces after the opening bars of "Tears in Heaven." Or even worse, your wife put a Celine Dion song on there and before you know it, you're beating your head against the table.

Can Music Make you a Better Poker Player? [PokerNews.com]

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