Shields Up, Mr. Sulu!

  Anybody who had even looked at a pocket protector is well aware of the old television series Star Trek. A common occurrence on this show is that Captain Kirk would sit in his command chair (that looked remarkably like a proper Lay-Z-Boy recliner) and order Mr. Sulu to raise the shields. The reason for this order was to keep a hostile Klingon ship from popping a photon torpedo in their ass. While the idea of protecting military vehicles from attack with some sort of force field is still something in the realm of fantasy, poker players have their own form of a shield.  The easiest way for an opponent to lock their phasers on you from across a poker table and fire a lethal volley is for you to become predictable. Predictability is the soft underbelly of even the most skilled poker player, and the best way to combat this is to "put up your shields".  Some of us just wear our emotions on our faces in a way that tells the entire world what we are thinking. The habits of a lifetime are very hard to change: it's much easier to just put a hat and glasses on.  Tells can be hidden with smart wardrobe decisions. Eyes that give away what you are feeling can be hidden behind dark glasses while a hat or hood can obscure anything else that is going on with your face. To date we don't think anybody has tried wearing a Kabuki mask or Kentucky Fried Chicken Bucket during a major tournament, but those would do the trick as well.  In short, there is no rule in the sport of poker that says you can't artificially hide your tells, and many players have done this to great success. Of course, if want the ultimate anonymity, just keep playing online and never leave your bedroom.