What do you think might be a good avatar image for online poker, or is it best to keep anonymous and have no avatar?

If you want people to assume you're bad and play against you accordingly, use a picture of a baby. If you want someone to know you study the game and play against you cautiously, use a picture of a donkey or some other inside 2+2 reference.

Doesn't really matter though, people will start playing you based on your stats within 50 hands anyway.

I've sometimes wondered that myself when selecting an avatar at FTP. Maybe picking the rock might give you an extra .0001% chance of stealing blinds.

I strongly believe images can have at the very least a subliminal effect. I usually block them.
Maybe beer or something stupid/humorous.
Or something you really like. In the end its probably best to have something you like looking at if you are going to be looking at avatars.

in my experiene anyone with "golf" in their name or avatar has been a fish.

I think no avatar is best since people are slightly less likely to remember you.

I have my cat as my avatar on stars and Im sure people view me as a fish at first glance. When Im playing and someone has an avatar of a dude staring at me then once I lose a pot to them I tilt more than normal so I always turn those avatars off.

I feel the same way too. Also, you give some information with your avatar, while you would rather have a misterious image, so that people ask themselves: "Who is this guy?" when they play against you.

I don't bother with an avatar, too much effort for no gain imo

What stats? Are you talking about poker tracker? How long after you start playing at a new site do people have stats on you? Don't you have to play several times against someone to get stats on them?

Every hand you play v's someone with poker tracker is recorded into their database. Stats start to become meaningful after 50+ hands.. although it's pretty easy to get a general idea after only a few.

Thanks. I still don't have the full version. I'm doing ok without it, but everyone talks about it so much it makes me think I need it.

Would it tell me what to do in the below situation?? And if so, how? I still wouldn't know what villain had.

I'm not gonna lie - it was messing with my head. He did it several times, until the second hand posted below.

Full Tilt Poker No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t120 (3 handed) Hand History converter Courtesy of PokerZion.com

SB (t2535)
BB (t2480)
Hero (t3985)

Preflop: Hero is Button with Q, A.
Hero raises to t300, SB calls t240, 1 fold.

Flop: (t720) K, 5, K (2 players)
SB bets t2235 (All-In), Hero folds.

Final Pot: t2955

Results in white below:
No showdown. SB wins t2955.



Full Tilt Poker No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t120 (3 handed) Hand History converter Courtesy of PokerZion.com

Button (t2955)
SB (t2360)
Hero (t3685)

Preflop: Hero is BB with Q, A.
1 fold, SB raises to t360, Hero calls t240.

Flop: (t720) 2, 5, Q (2 players)
SB bets t120, Hero raises to t1000, SB raises to t2000 (All-In), Hero calls t1000.

Turn: (t4720) T (2 players, 1 all-in)
.

River: (t4720) Q (2 players, 1 all-in)

Final Pot: t4720

Results in white below:
SB has 9c 5c (two pair, queens and fives).
Hero has Qh Ad (three of a kind, queens).
Outcome: Hero wins t4720.

it would not tell you what to do.
First of all, it doesn't take into account bet sizing.
If you played with him a lot, however, it could tell you something like he bets the flop 9/9 times, and he folds his SB to steal 0/8. This would mean he is never giving up a blind and he is always betting the flop (very extreme example)
Thus, you could call him very light

i got a lucky charm as my avatar i have been getting some nice hits though also a few bad ones but still whatever helps me
where the gold at???

oh yeh, if you don't believe in leprecauns watch this vid if you haven't lol http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nda_OSWeyn8