How can you apply psychological warfare to poker? Lester

Answer

In lighter terms I'll take this to mean how you can influence others at the table beyond just the actions of calling and raising. There are of course many things to do, but remember foremost to remain civil. Rude and offensive players tend not to be tolerated.

The most common form is obviously the size of a bet. You can make underbets, overbets, min-raise, and more. But we'll ignore those here since they aren't strictly psychological. The amount of time it takes to act however can have an influence. You could appear to be thinking to seem weak, or making a quick bet to appear strong. Be careful with the fake thinking however, nobody likes to wait around forever.

Another simple way to influence opponents it to simply lie about what cards you had. This is an option when you don't need to reveal your cards, either you fold, or everybody else folds. In such cases there is no need to be truthful and giving false information can lead your opponent to make a mistake in future play. This is one of the few that can be used in online play -- but be careful that mucked cards at showdown can still be seen on many sites via the hand history.

Another common tactic, particularly when play is heads-up, is to think aloud. Rather than keep your thoughts secret, speak lightly, or directly at the other player. Here mention the cards you think they have, or question whether your specific hand is good. Again, there is no need to be truthful here, even if you don't have a straight can say "I wonder if my jack-high straight is enough". Now you need to watch closely how the other player reacts, you might pick up a tell or two.

Again, never be rude or offensive. Also never be dishonest when it comes to factual items of the game. If somebody asks you how many chips you have left, you have to give an honest answer. Be aware as well that verbal declarations are usually binding, if you say you are raising, you must raise.