If you don’t like the idea of wearing shades while playing poker, you are not alone. While they can boost your confidence and hide tells they aren’t a necessity for the game. Some players feel that wearing shades at the table can make them invincible. They can also make it harder for opponents to read your cards.
Sunglasses are a great way to hide microexpressions and other small signals of body language. This is important, especially if you are bluffing. They can also make it more difficult for your opponents to read facial expressions and your eyes, which can be an advantage if they are beginners.
Some brands of glasses are designed specifically for poker. Some of these are designed by poker players themselves, such as Poker Armor and Blue Shark Optics. These glasses are more expensive than non poker-specific glasses, but can be a good choice for those who wish to protect their eyes against the harsh lights in a casino.
Another option that is popular among poker players is to use sunglasses with mirrors to protect their tells. This is common when playing live poker because it can be hard to see your opponent’s micro-expressions. However, this can backfire if you misread a hand and lose a huge pot.