I went to Las Vegas one summer to cover the World Series of Poker. I sat off the shoulder of Phil Hellmuth, one of the best tournament players in poker history.
He’s won 17 bracelets at the championship event. I watched Hellmuth play for hours that day. He studied his opponents. He pored over their mannerisms. He studied how they wagered, how they held their cards, what they said between bets, how they sipped water, and how their body posture changed.
“People try to look relaxed when they’re not,” he said afterward.
I noted two significant things that day.