Can players wearing headphones win pro poker tournaments?

Interesting comments from Daniel Negreanu that young players blame variance when they should be worrying about their own lack of concentration:

http://www.pokerjolt.com/news/poker-...in-headphones-

http://www.fullcontactpoker.com/poke...t_from=&ucat=&

Is there anything in this - or is it just an old-timer having a rant at the younger players?

Anyone know of any decent counter-examples (ie, players who routinely win on the pro circuit wearing headphones)?

I use my iPod when playing live - which is only once-a-month. But I'm thinking twice about it after reading these comments

I have played some lower stacks live tourneys and it has always had me wondering what they were doing. When I play live I like to not only see what is going on but also hear. I have gotten some good tells from what people say not just how they act. I have seen a couple of people sitting there with their head phones on and music loud enough for me to hear it across the table. Me personally, I do not care what they do, I actually like that they can not hear what is going on. I feel that it gives me an edge over them because I get that much more knowledge. YOu will never win just looking at thecards you wil need to out play some people at some point to make it in the money and if you plan to win then you need all the information you can get.

Of course they can and do.

However I have no clue how lol. There is no way in hell I could play a live tournament while listening to music.

I have always wondered if they might actually have someone "feeding" them other player"s card information or maybe getting some input assistance from another person.

I don't think it should even be allowed to have ear-plugs, much less having something that is emitting a signal to ones ear.

Wally

In that case then you must also be against any observers being anywhere close to the tables.

I would have no problem with people using mp3 players and headphones at the tables, if they want to be distracted thats their issue. Now there should be a house rule that anyone at a table can check the mp3 player to make sure they aren't cheating. Of course if they are getting information from some other source its the other players at the tables faults for allowing their cards to be seen.

yeah they can...i love listening to music at the tables i zone out a little where i coast to the top 30...

Of course you can win a tournament like this. I've FT'd some of the local casino's live events while listening to MP3's. I think OP is misinterpreting what Negreanu is saying. He isn't saying you can't win if you don't listen, he's saying you can't win if you don't focus and apply yourself. Headphones was just a symptomatic example, as was reading and generally not paying attention. Contrasted to what he says about Ivey who is always trying to pick up any loose info there is.

On a tangent: I think online players who transition to live (especially younger ones) don't give much credit to physical tells. Body language and things like that don't have carry much weight when your entire game is predicated on ranges, tendencies and stats. Not only that, but they're often so used to using HUDs that they aren't good at tracking "stats" live...the very VPIP/PFR/whatever they often use to assist in decision making aren't just there and they have less practice at paying attention to estimate them. So they sacrifice some sources of information and aren't practiced at gathering other information they normally use regularly. ===|> Thus the need to work more on your game and pay attention.

I bring mine just in case there's that one annoying guy who sits at my table. There's always at least one.

seems like younger players can multi-task better with headphones

live televised poker tourneys are on a delay so nothing can be transmitted to headphone devices

observers shouldnt be close enough to see the cards anyway

I have never seen anyone wearing headphones win a major tournament. I'm not sure if it is necessarily because they are banned at the final table, but I would not be surprised. I think Negreanu brings up a lot of interesting points, and the fact that these players are more likely than not distracted by what they are listening to is a valid point. If someone could research this topic more in-depth, I think the results would be pretty interesting.

some people wearing headphones are more focused in as there's no background noise that they do not control. It's all different according to the person. Again, Negreanu is not saying that players that wear headphones aren't focused, he's just saying that it can be a sign of a player that isn't focused.

I've seen Ivey wearing headphones before at MTT, too.

This for me as well. Only there's always more than one.

I agree with this as well. One reason I love online is that I control the environment. Something that is harder to do live but headphones can help with.

for sure


maybe someday they'll let you stream its always sunny in philadelphia while playing live so i could actually play without being bored to death

I heard an Interview with Johnathan Little where he said he listens to Classical Music and music that is made to help your concentration ... whatever that is.

Jason Mercier always has headphones on and he wins big tournies.

I never used to get bored live but online has ruined me for it. So slow.

i do listen to my ipod when playing live but only when not invloved in hands i still keep my ear buds in my ears but i will pause or turn off my music when playing i theres also some circumstances where i dont even turn it on but still have my ear buds in letting people think i cant hear whats going on

If I'm playing online, I may turn some mozart or erik satie at a very low decible level to control the background noise. Whether it helps me or not is another story but I do think it helps you concentrate.

I agree with some of the posters above and would think headphones during live play inevitably hurts you because your brain is not operating at all cylinders and you have this added distraction away from the tells and body language of the field.

Never played a live tournament before but I don't think I could listen to music during the actual game. Like people have said, what people are saying and doing will help you get a better read. It may work for some people but hey I dunno.

I always listen to music when online though, for some reason I get bored a lot quicker with no music playing. Keeps you more focused!

I play in a once a month live game (usually 2-3 full tables) and I never wear headphones or sunglasses.
I always want to be paying attention to what's going on around me.

As Daniel said in his blog, guys live Ivey are always watching.

Even playing on-line, I may have some music playing in the background but I am NOT checking emails, surfing the web or watching TV, I am playing poker!

Just my 2¢

it depends on the player, alotta of players like using headphones

They can and do win games with headphones although it is not something I would use or encourage. In fact I would go as far as banning them from live games. I played a live game a few weeks ago and the guy wearing them kept having to take them off to hear what bet amounts etc. He had them off more than he had them on so what was the point.

The times I have worn headphones the "music" selection included poker instructionals such as - "Final Table Play" by Daniel Negreanu.
Twice now I just happened to be at a section in the tutorial that totally reflected what was happening at the table and took it down. I have also had the phones in the ear, at least it looked like it (nothing coming through), and pretended to not be paying attention to provoke opponents.

But online - I think my biggest leak is not paying attention. Surfing, reading poker blogs, watching TV, reading books, posting here or there - even if it's all poker immersion the best I can do is ABC. These "punks" Negreanu addresses pretty much 100% came from online and these habits are developed and practiced there. Lately seems I do much better live because there are less distractions and I can focus on the table.

I use mine in one ear but not both. As well, I can chat and have no problems paying attention. The music keeps me in check really. Otherwise, I would analyze everything. Reading people is probably my best ability. So, the music helps me focus on that rather then simple conversation that isn't needed.

Daniel is trying to use his pull as a face of poker to eliminate both headphones and sunglasses believe it or not. He's even said sunglasses are a kin to cheating.

He's simply doing this as an angle and to give himself an advantage. He clearly plays a certain style and some of that relies on reading people, this is why he talks so much. He's having trouble with some players that are tuning him out, or wearing sunglasses to shade their eyes.

This is pretty low of Daniel, IMO. I've been around just as long, if not longer, than him and sunglasses have too and this is pretty lame to see him taking this angle.

Eh, When I play Live I enjoy the social aspect of it. I remember once when I was really down and listened to my iPod, just wanted to be in my own head space, but after a little while I realised it was detrimental and turned it off and ended up playing a helluva lot better and taking 2nd.

I think another disadvantage for using headphones live is that
it changes your table image in a negative way.

But of course if you WANT the table to think you're an
internet nerd who isn't really paying attention ....... go for it

I think my only "tell" would be turning the music up louder if I caught my card!

I'm sure a lot of them either have nothing playing or only turn it up when they're folding, folding, folding. Maybe Daniel should concentrate more on his own game than distracting himself by worrying what tune they're playing on their i-pod.
Anyone who ignores him completely, whether listening to music or not, will give him less to read surely.

Daniel has an agenda?!?!? SHOCK - DISMAY - SARCASM