What to wear at a Poker tournament?

I'm out here in the Bahamas for the Pokerstars PSPC tournament. And no, I will not be buying in for $25,000, a little too rich for my blood. But who knows what can happen in the future.

The mood is electric out here and I'm enjoying one of my favourite past times; people watching. I'm also fascinated with what people are wearing to these events. You might think that every casino looks like something out of a James Bond movie with everyone walking around in Jenny Packham dresses and Brioni Tuxedos. Trust me, that's just for the movies. 

In an article by Lee Davy on 'Dressing for the Win in Poker' Shannon Shorr, a professional poker player from Birmingham, Alabama, is quoted as saying, "One of the appeals of poker is anyone can do it and that there is no dress code.”

One of the biggest thing I've noticed around the rooms, is the different styles of sunglasses and indeed, the amount of people wearing them. In my opinion, I don't think sunglasses should be allowed at the table. It's an ongoing debate within the Poker world, but I think the eyes are a significant tell (more than the mouth) and if you're a poker player worth his salt you should be able to play without them.

But if you want to know some stats if you're thinking, will I win more at poker playing sunglasses? Then this quote I saw online, will give you some steer. 

Seven winners out of nineteen from the Money-maker boom onwards wore sunglasses - roughly one-third. 

"Poker players that wear sunglasses are likely doing so in an attempt to disguise physical tells. Sunglasses conceal the areas right around the eyes, along with the eyes themselves." 

If you want to wear them to give you more confidence then fine. I think one of the main reasons people wear them here at the tournament is because it makes them feel powerful. You do whatever you can to get an edge over your opponent and wearing sunglasses can intimidate people, on or off the poker table. 

From what I'm seeing out here in the Bahamas most people are more focused on remaining comfortable at the table that making a fashion statement. There are people who will making a point of wearing ostentatious accessories to try and inflame their opponents. Any distraction you can give your opponent will be a small win for you. As Bond would say to Vesper, 'I want them to be looking at your neckline and not their cards.' 

However, at this stage, if you're buying in for $25,000, most of the players here would have seen it all before. Having a Pokerstars badge sewn on the sleeve would probably put off an amateur at Vegas, but here it's really par for the course. 

What about headphones? 

There is a lot of background noise here in the casino. It's not like chess or golf where absolute silence must be respected or adhered to. In fact players often chat to each other. Of course you don't have to talk back. And one way to ensure you don't get embroiled in any back and forth with your opponents is to wear headphones.

But getting back to the clothes. It really is a shame actually that the lack of a dress code exposes how awful peoples personal standards are. I get it that you want to be comfortable, but athleisure in such a public setting where big money is at stakes, and a lot of eyeballs are on you - it just feels like people rolled out of their pyjamas onto the poker table sometimes! Can we not wear a shirt lads? Is there something in your wardrobe slightly tailored? Am I starting to sound like Carrie Bradshaw? Yes is the answer to the last one. 

Summary 

It’s all mind games and perception. Smart people trying to dress stupid etc. Some people haven't thought twice about their outfits and just came to play. The inclusivity of poker means you don't have to think about your clothes. And that I respect. However, I do think a decent suit for the final table would make everything a little more interesting. Even if a brand sponsored it. Hello TOM FORD?