Learn Texas Holdem

The poker uniform has become as ubiquitous as the garb professional athletes wear (in fact, a basketball jersey is often part of the ensemble). Clearly there are no requirements as to what to wear to your no-limit Texas hold'em game (and if you are playing online poker, no requirement to wear anything at all), but you might ask yourself what the merits are of various poker accoutrements.

The Jersey

Many players enjoy wearing some form of basketball or football jersey when they play no-limit Texas hold'em. These jerseys may display the name and number of their favorite athlete, may be personalized, or may even display the name of a poker player. There are actually some benefits to wearing a jersey to play poker. For one, they may put you in a "sporting mood," making you feel more confident and focused. For another, they are comfortable, and comfort is important when you are sitting in one spot for hours at a time facing some very stressful decisions.

The Sunglasses

The sunglasses are an issue of much dispute. The ostensible point of the sunglasses is to hide your eyes so that you do not reveal any tells to your opponents. The secondary point is some players may just feel it looks cool. The reality is many players are blocking out more information than they are hiding when they strap on the sunglasses, and the sunglasses may give a player a false sense of security, resulting in more obvious tells coming out in other ways. However, some very successful players wear the sunglasses, including WSOP all-time bracelet winner Phil Hellmuth, Marcel Luske and Victor Ramdin.

The Headphones

Most pro players frown at headphones as they make it difficult for players to hear the action, which slows down the game. Other players feel adding their own soundtrack pumps them up and gets them to play their best. Still others use the headphones to drown out ambient noise so they can focus. Be aware that if your music-playing device doubles as a phone, you may not be allowed to bring it to the table if you are playing a tournament.

The Hat

Many players like to wear different types of hats to reflect their personality and style. The baseball cap suggests the youthful play of an internet ace or hot prodigy. The ten-gallon cowboy hat brings to mind the old-school gambler. You may wish to wear a hat to create an accurate image of yourself, an inaccurate image or simply because it is just your style, but remember it can get kind of hot at a casino after five or ten hours of play.