Noverbals of the Tongue
What’s one thing we use every day that adds so much to our lives yet we rarely think about? It’s something that we seldom ever see at the poker table, but with every snack we eat or sip we take, we ultimately realize the importance of… the tongue. Yes, the tongue. What will I think of next? It’s out of the way. It’s hidden. So how could anything involving the tongue assist you with poker tells? Just like any other part of our body, the tongue can give away information and I would be remiss if I didn’t increase your poker education by mentioning the tells associated with the tongue.
For the most part, our tongue helps us to taste food, moves food along our alimentary tract, cleans our mouth, keeps out foreign objects, and calms us down. Wait – rewind. What? Calms us down? I bet you already know where I’m going with this as I’ve explained in many other BLUFF columns that in poker we need a lot of calming down. In previous articles I have spoken at length about pacifi ers and how our mouth – especially the very visible lips – is involved in the important process of maintaining a calm exterior in stressful situations. The tongue has a large role to play in this process as well.
As babies we are born prepared to suckle, making perfect suction with our mouth and our tongue which is used to stimulate the milk out of the breast. The pleasure that we derive from this releases oxytocin, which helps us to bond with our mothers and pacifi es us. As we get older we suck a thumb or a pacifi er to achieve the same reaction. By the time we are teens we have outgrown our need to pacify so overtly (although I have seen coeds sucking their thumb on a college test day) and we choose other things to occupy our mouths (e.g., pencils, chewing gum, kissing, etc.). We have merely substituted one thing for another. We bite our nails or the end of a pen to accomplish the same thing we sought as babies: to pacify us when we are stressed.
Watch players who lick their lips. Although this column is on the tongue and not the lips, the action of lip licking is how we use our tongue to stimulate nerve endings in both the lips and the tongue. By licking our lips, signals are sent to the brain to calm us down and soothe our emotions. When one licks their lips, the tongue moisturizes the parched tissues of the outer lip. When there is no lip balm being used, saliva is our natural solution. We often see this action all the time on airplanes where the air is so dry. Up 30,000 feet on a fl ight, of course the cause is the dry cabin air, not the stress of a rag hand.
You’ll see this often when a player attempts a bluff. They’ll go all in and then immediately lick their lips in a subconscious attempt to calm their anxiety. The stress of bluffi ng requires a pacifi er. No matter how talented the player, they will calm their stress using some sort of pacifi er and given the secrecy of the tongue, many lean towards this behavior.
Now, that does not mean everyone does it, but I have observed this behavior in my local card rooms, my home games, and especially on TV. I’ve done the research and this action typically only appears when a player is under stress.
Our tongues are activated on an as-needed basis. When the brain says, “Look, I’m stressed here! Help me out, but… you can’t let anyone see it,” our tongues respond. As we already know, the tongue is hidden and is a tool the body uses in extreme situations.
To pacify, the tongue will move around, massaging the insides of our mouths. If you were an observer, you’d notice the tongue creating a movement along the cheek or right in the front of the mouth as the tongue brushes against the front teeth. If you’re not sure what you’re looking for, take a look in the mirror and practice observing what you’d see in your opponents. Although these movements are subtle, they are noticeable if you’re paying attention. They are all pacifying actions, but they tend to be more covert. Just remember when you see them: they are pacifi ers, but of what? Daily stress or the lousy bet the player just made?
One behavior that is often mistaken for pacifying is called the tongue jut. This occurs when the tongue is subconsciously produced so that it juts out between the teeth, usually not touching the lips. We see this with individuals who are caught doing something they shouldn’t be – making a mistake or getting away with something.
The tongue jut is visible in poker when a player with a really strong hand gets other players to commit to the pot. As they bring their chips forward, the strong player will jut out the tongue between the teeth, indicating he has gotten away with something – in this case, inducing his opponents to put more chips into the pot.
Away from the table, have you ever seen someone dangle their tongue out of mouth while attempting a challenging task? Of course you have! Remember Michael Jordan going up for a slam dunk or layup? That tongue sticking out of his mouth had nothing to do with the layup and everything to do with his brain. This begs the question: Why would he do it each and every time? It’s the same reason that my accountant does it when working with numbers: It helps him to concentrate. It’s a soothing feeling, just try it. Touch your tongue to the corner of your mouth and feel how sensitive that area is. It really does send strong signals to the brain. In reference to poker, I’ve witnessed players who are calculating the math in their head perform this action as well as those who are trying to fi gure out if they should stay in or fold. Be aware that it is not a sign of confi dence or strength but rather deliberation and intensive thought.
Be aware of the actions that most believe are negligent – especially when it comes to the tongue. As with everything I’ve written, the licking of the lips, tongue movement, tongue jut, and tongue sticking out to the side have everything to do with context. If you’re paying attention, you’ll be able to pick apart those who are nervous while you wait for a better chance to bust the strong ones.
