| Machismo is defined by Wikipedia as "a | | | | take advantage of this. |
| prominently exhibited or excessive masculinity." | | | | Getting personal about blinds and weak hands. |
| This expression is naturally associated with men, | | | | Once a good player figures out the macho |
| but as a dominant aspect of human culture, some | | | | pattern and starts attacking, machos get |
| women have adopted its traits. When playing | | | | offended and the personal drama starts, insulting |
| poker, both women and men can suffer if they | | | | others or complaining of unfair dealing. |
| apply a prominently macho strategy, which is not | | | | Challenging players for heads-up matches. This is |
| advisable. | | | | the most violent action you can propose in a |
| "Macho" poker stands on a basis of a few | | | | poker game. What follows is a duel against a |
| commandments, here described by author and | | | | cooler-headed player which may include a display |
| player Alan Schoonmaker: | | | | of fancy moves that will ultimately put the |
| - "You must have enough confidence in your | | | | macho's money in the hands of the other player. |
| judgment to act decisively. | | | | Taking revenge. The thirst for making others |
| - You must take stands to prevent aggressive | | | | suffer in a poker game usually blinds macho |
| players from running over you. | | | | players to their own mistakes, leaving them broke |
| - You must bet and raise to protect your hands | | | | more often than not. |
| and get the full value from them. | | | | Playing expert or big brother. Machos stimulate |
| - You must have enough cockiness to create a | | | | their ego with criticism or lectures to other |
| strong image." | | | | players, but what they are really doing is scaring |
| However, some players have taken those poker | | | | the fish away or educating them, both bad |
| principles too far, and instead of increasing their | | | | strategies. |
| bankroll, they harm it. Shoonmaker lists some | | | | Hiding their failures. A typical macho act is |
| dangers of poker machismo that can leave | | | | covering their messes to protect their ego; what |
| players (both male and female) empty-handed. | | | | they don't understand is they are not letting |
| Playing unaffordable games. A characteristic of | | | | themselves look at their mistakes and learning |
| machismo is having something to prove all the | | | | from them. |
| time. This ego-driven energy makes some players | | | | Schoonmaker has some recommendations for |
| get involved in poker games they cannot afford | | | | macho players who are now suffering from their |
| financially or psychologically, which results in | | | | actions and ready to make a change: |
| devastating loses and no learning experiences. | | | | 1- Show people what a wonder you are at places |
| Attempting to beat more powerful opponents. An | | | | other than casinos, where it will not only cost you |
| innate trait of machos is the fact that thy cannot | | | | your dignity but also your money. |
| accept the existence of players better than | | | | 2- Catch your destructive ego-tripping by thinking |
| themselves. Machos try to prove they are always | | | | about the reasons why you engage in any of the |
| better than everybody else, which more than | | | | previously discussed behaviours: most of the time |
| often results in humiliation when they have to | | | | you will discover you have wrong reasons for |
| empty their pockets to their "inferior" opponents. | | | | acting a certain way and you can actually start |
| Playing bad hands. Some macho players think | | | | changing your macho ways. |
| they can just play any hand by bluffing and | | | | 3- Focus on learning from others rather than on |
| expect a good result, which is a fallacy, since | | | | showing off or getting others to admire you; |
| good players only risk their funds when they have | | | | poker is about money, not people. |
| a large edge, not a large ego. | | | | Machismo is definitely not the best path for |
| Overplaying bad hands. A macho way of kicking it | | | | anybody; it can only assure to maintain personal |
| up a notch is proving they are big gamblers when | | | | insecurities and ignorance in people's relationship |
| they have a bad hand, which sets them up as | | | | with gender as well as in their relationship with |
| ideal victims for good players who notice and | | | | poker. |