What is a poker face?

A poker face is an expressionless face, one that shows no emotion. It's designed to conceal a person's true feelings, thoughts, or intentions, making it impossible for others to read their hand (in the context of poker, this literally means guessing the value of their cards). Key characteristics of a poker face include:

• Lack of visible emotion: The person's face is still, with minimal movement in the eyes, mouth, or eyebrows. They avoid smiling, frowning, furrowing their brows, or any other expression that might betray their thoughts.

• Controlled body language: A poker face isn't just about the face; it extends to the whole body. The individual will maintain a neutral posture, avoid fidgeting, and control their breathing and other subtle movements.

• Neutral micro-expressions are suppressed: Even highly trained poker players occasionally flash micro-expressions, tiny, fleeting expressions that reveal true emotion. A truly effective poker face strives to eliminate even these.

• It's a learned skill: Most people aren't naturally born with a perfect poker face. It's something that takes practice and self-awareness to develop. Many poker players spend years honing this skill.

• It's not necessarily a sign of deception: While often associated with lying, a poker face can also be used to simply maintain privacy or project confidence, even when one is feeling insecure.

The effectiveness of a poker face is debatable. While it can make it more difficult for others to read you, skilled observers can still detect subtle cues that might betray someone's true feelings. The best "poker face" is often one that appears convincingly natural, even if there's some underlying emotion.