4 Reasons Growing a Mustache Can Cure Your Poker Ills

Struggling to master the complex art of poker? Growing a mustache can help you get going in the right direction.

Poker is the ultimate game of skill, requiring mathematical reasoning, visual recognition skills and above all, the ability to manipulate one’s opponents. These abilities are difficult to master, so making the transition from casual player to money-making poker professional can be frustrating. One night you win a big pot, the next night you get crushed and humiliated by a savvier opponent. When honing your skills, nothing substitutes for good ol’ fashioned practice. But this little trick can give you a much-needed boost: growing a mustache. Let’s take a look at why.

Mustachioed men command respect

When sitting down at the poker table and introducing yourself to your opponents for the evening, being mustachioed has an advantageous psychological effect.

• Mastering the art of poker can be tough, but growing a mustache can certainly help
• Mustached men earn more money on average, and studies show that having facial hair gives off the impression of strength, trustworthiness and assertiveness
• Cinema legend and poker aficionado Sean Connery wears on the world’s greatest mustaches

Research has shown that having a mustache gives off the impression that you are trustworthy, strong and assertive. This means that your opponents will respect you, making them think twice about trying to use deception. Would you try to bluff against a mustachioed man? Probably not.

The advantage of the stache also lies in the fact that the assertiveness is present but understated. Your opponents will be wary of you, but not so much that they will scrutinize you excessively. There is still space to maneuver around them. It should be noted that not just any mustache will do. Keep yourself groomed and professional looking, or you risk diluting the magical effect provided by the mysterious facial feature. As for iGaming, the effect is not as strong while playing in an online casino in Britain or the US, but at least you will feel more confident.

Mustachioed men have a knack for acquiring money

Research shows that on average, mustached men earn higher salaries than their clean-shaven and bearded counterparts. A study by the American Mustache Institute (yes, that’s a real thing) found that men with mustaches on average earn 8.2 percent than bearded men and 4.3 than those clean shaven. An article from Reuters even recommended that men grow a mustache in preparation for a big upcoming job interview.

If this applies to the working world, why shouldn’t it apply to the American poker room ? Having a great piece of facial hair on your upper lip should help you gain access to higher stakes tables, up your chances of being comped by the casino, and induce croupiers and opponents alike to give you the benefit of the doubt. If research is to be taken seriously, this hairy device simply has a way of funneling money into your pocket.

Sean Connery sports a mustache

Cinema legend Sean Connery may have retired from acting, but he remains in the public spotlight due to his impeccable mustache. The highlight of his career was his performances as the original James Bond, which he reprised several times (other Bonds such as Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig have worn impressive mustaches as well). While James Bond is known as an expert gambler, Connery’s portrayal of him never actually involved a mustache. No matter, because the Scotsman is a fine poker player in his own right.

He told a Playboy interviewer that he developed an affinity for the game while serving in the Royal Navy in the South Pacific. While Bond is most commonly seen playing chemin de fer (the French name for baccarat), Connery’s rough-and-tumble Scottish upbringing inclined him more toward blue-collar games; poker being his favorite. Poker aside, wouldn’t you want to emulate Sean Connery anyway?

Facial hair can hide your emotions

We aren’t advising you to go all out Rasputin-style here, but while playing poker it is important to hide your true feelings; hence the term “poker face.” This is pretty tough to do when you are sitting at the table looking like a twelve-year old. Having a thick layer of hair on your lip forms a physical, and more importantly, psychological barrier between you and your opponents.

In a sense, a mustache is a stage prop used as part of a performance. And playing poker effectively is akin to acting. You pretend to be someone you aren’t; you look like a bumbler when you are an expert, look confident when you have nothing in your hand, and vice versa. Why do you think so many hipsters wear mustaches these days? The entire lifestyle is about acting, about playing a part in order to obscure who you really are, and facial hair is an important component of that. The same principle applies at the poker table.