Are You Bluffing? We're Ranking the Myers-Briggs Personality Types By Who Has The Best Poker Face

You don’t need to be sitting at a poker table in Las Vegas to benefit from a good poker face. From boardrooms to family dinner arguments, there are plenty of situations where hiding your justifiable opinion on Tom's new haircut might be the most prudent choice.

Some people excel at wearing a mask of mystery, while others—well, their emotions might as well have a LED display for all to see. 

Using the Myers-Briggs personality types, we’ve ranked all 16 based on their poker face game. Who can keep the world guessing and who spills the beans with a single eyebrow raise? Let's find out!

1. INTJ - About as Expressive as a Brick Wall

INTJs are the ultimate enigma. While their brains may be calculating, their faces could probably pass a CAPTCHA, because – and this is important – you cannot stay three moves ahead of the competition if you give your game away. Their victory is statistically inevitable anyway given the variables at play.

Even if you do detect the slightest twitch of an eyebrow, good luck interpreting it. An INTJ's micro-expression could mean anything from "I'm bluffing on this hand" to "I'm secretly planning a hostile takeover of your company".  Your attempt to challenge them is cute though. May the odds be ever in your favor.

2. ISTP -  'Good Luck Figuring Me Out'

There’s something to be said for keeping your cards close to your chest, and ISTPs have it down pat. These cool cucumbers are secretly analyzing every twitch and blink of your face, all while maintaining a face so impassive it could be mistaken for a very lifelike wax figure. ISTPs wear a permanent "I'd rather be anywhere but here" expression that’s impossible to decipher. That's if they bother to show up at all.

Here's the kicker – when an ISTP finally does show emotion, it comes out so big and so straightforward it makes a sledgehammer look subtle. So expect one of two states from this opponent: furniture or firecracker. There is no in between.

3. INTP - The Accidental Bluffer

INTPs aren't trying to have a poker face; they just forgot they have a face at all. These walking encyclopedias are so lost in their own thoughts that their expressions often resemble a computer's loading screen. You might catch a slight furrow of the brow as they ponder the existential implications of their hand. Or they're mentally redesigning the casino's ventilation system, it’s hard to say.

The INTP's poker face is less about strategy and more about being genuinely oblivious to the social cues around them. They might burst into laughter because they just solved a complex mathematical equation in their head. Everyone else at the table will be wondering what they missed. It's like watching a glitch in the Matrix - you know something's off, but you can't quite put your finger on it.

4. ENTJ - Bluff is a Battlefield

ENTJs, while not as naturally stoic as their introverted counterparts, can certainly hold their own in a poker game. These natural-born leaders approach the poker table like a battlefield, strategically controlling their expressions to manipulate their opponents.

Their poker face is less unreadable and more deliberately misleading. A slight smirk could mean they're bluffing with a pair of twos and they make it look so convincing that you'll fold with a full house. Your only hope of winning is to strike at their Achilles' heel – their competitiveness. If pushed too far, an ENTJ might crack that poker face just to prove they're the smartest person at the table. After all, what's the point of winning if you can't gloat about it a little?

5. ISTJ - Looks Perpetually Unimpressed

ISTJs aren't trying to have a poker face; they just naturally look like they're perpetually waiting in line at the DMV. These dutiful introverts approach poker - and all other battles - with the same enthusiasm they reserve for filing taxes. Which is to say, none at all.

Their poker face is a default setting of "mildly inconvenienced." An ISTJ's slight frown could mean they're holding a royal flush, or they're mentally alphabetizing their spice rack. They'll wear the same expression whether they're winning big or losing their shirt. And if they do hit the proverbial jackpot, don't expect any victory dances. The most you'll get is a slightly less disapproving nod.

6. INFJ - The Enigmatic Empath

INFJs might seem like an odd choice for a great poker face, but hear me out. These mysterious introverts are the ultimate paradox at the poker table: they're empaths playing a game of deception.

Their poker face is less about being unreadable and more about being so complex that you tie yourself in knots trying to figure them out. An INFJ's slight smile could mean they're bluffing, they're genuinely happy for your good hand, or they're imagining a utopian society where poker chips are used as currency. Their secret weapon, however, is their mirroring abilities. Think you've got a read on them? Plot twist: they're actually reflecting your own poker face back at you.  Nice try, but you'll never outsmart the mastermind of emotional intelligence.

7. ENTP - The Confidence Trickster

ENTPs are the wild cards of ... well, everything really, and high-stakes poker is no exception. Their poker face is a constantly shifting canvas of micro-expressions designed to keep you guessing. While casting a nose twitch of misdirection, they'll start a verbal commentary that manages to say the exact opposite of what their face is implying. Their opponent will be too busy trying to figure out what’s up and what’s down to notice they've just raised the stakes ... again.

You won't get a straightforward game with an ENTP, so be prepared for some head spinning. It's like playing poker against a very articulate, very caffeinated chaos theory.

8. ESTJ - The Take-No-Prisoners Face

The ESTJ has a poker face; it just isn't like everyone else's. Instead of hiding their feelings beneath an impassive mask, these commanding extraverts let it all hang out. And what's hanging out is a single, unwavering expression that says "I will crush you."

Their poker face is all about intimidation. An ESTJ's stern glare is designed to have their opponent shaking in their boots, sweating profusely, and throwing in the towel before the first card is even dealt. Their secret to maintaining this take-no-prisoners face? They genuinely believe they are better than everyone else. Whether they're right or not doesn't matter - they'll bluff it until it becomes reality.

9. ENFJ - The Master Manipulator

ENFJs may not seem like natural-born poker players with their quick charm and easy grin. But don't be fooled by their seemingly effortless social skills - these personalities know exactly how to read people and work a room for maximum advantage.

On the surface, they'll be laughing and sharing stories with their opponents, like they're everyone's best friend. But behind that charming facade lies a master class in misdirection. Think you've spotted a tell? Surprise! They planted that just for you. Think they're on your side?  Nope. They've been buttering you up so they can take you down when you least expect it. You'll leave feeling so weirdly inspired to follow your dreams to care that they've just cleaned you out.

10. ESFP -  Expressions Change as Fast as Their Attention Span

ESFPs think they have a poker face but it's more performance than deception. These natural entertainers can't resist getting dramatic when the stakes get high. Every card is a plot twist, every bet is a cliffhanger, and their reactions get more over-the-top as the game goes on.

Oddly, the strategy works. Their opponents quickly write the ESFP off as a flake and miss that they're actually a poker prodigy. When they win — and somehow, they always win — everyone assumes it was just dumb luck. Either way, you all leave the table feeling like you just had the time of your life, despite your empty wallet. It's poker with a side of party.

11. ENFP - The Poker Face of a Kid on Christmas Morning 

Oh, ENFP.  You bring an electrifying energy to the poker table, but those emotions are written all over your face. No one needs to know the state of your hand because they can tell how you're doing by reading your mood swings.

When things are going well, you're bouncing off the walls and tossing out quips that dazzle even the most jaded players. But when things go wrong? Oh boy, it's a whole production. There will be tears, tantrums, laughter, anger, regret, despair and triumph, sometimes all within a single hand. It's like watching a toddler navigate the terrible twos, but with more expletives and less drooling.

12. ESFJ - An Open Book, Complete with Illustrations and an Appendix

Another mood ring on steroids is the ESFJ. These social butterflies approach poker like they approach life — with warmth, enthusiasm and a complete inability to hide how they're feeling. They're so reactive to their hand, the table, and the vibe of the room that they may as well just announce their cards. Their face is basically a live-action emoji of every emotion they're feeling.

But what they lack in subtlety, they make up for in charm. Their genuine interest in everyone at the table will have them chatting and laughing with their opponents like old friends before the first round is over. Sure, it makes them easy to read, but who can stay mad at someone that friendly? You might find yourself winning hands simply because they feel bad about taking your chips.

13. ESTP - The Drama Queen

ESTPs should have a leg up on everyone else at the poker table. They're the natural hustlers and schemers of the Myers-and Briggs world who approach poker like it's an extreme sport. In their heads they're James Bond in a high-class casino, taking down the house with a hot supermodel on their arm.

In reality, they're more like an over-the-top reality TV contestant caught up in the drama of it all. Their poker face is a cartoonish wink that screams "I'm up to something!" and they might let out a loud whoop when the cocktails get flowing. But don't underestimate them - they're more than capable of winning big, even if it's mostly through sheer force of will and a healthy dose of luck.

14. ISFP - Too Authentic to be Sneaky

ISFPs are notoriously private and introspective, which makes them difficult to read at the poker table initially. But as soon as they get comfortable, their expressions turn pure and unadulterated. They'll get so immersed in the full-body experience of game play that it's hard for them to be anything but  genuine. Even if they are more focused on a fellow player's interesting tattoo than the cards they're holding.

ISFPs are terrible liars, but entirely endearing. They may not know the meaning of the word cutthroat, and they will cry if you raise their bet, but they're also the only ones at the table who will tell you that your poker face is ugly. It's like playing with a puppy - no one can be mad at them for long.

15. ISFJ -  Heart Over Hand

The ISFJ is another terrible liar who can't keep secrets. Their flinches, finger tapping and face-scratching speak as loud as words about the hand they're holding. And they keep getting up to feed everyone snacks leaving their cards quite literally on the table.

Imagine an ISFJ trying to bluff: they raise the stakes, then immediately start fretting about whether they've upset anyone. They make a perfect hand, then fold out of guilt because someone else at the table needs the win more.  They know it's in their best interests to do a bit of acting and lean into subterfuge ... but they'd rather be remembered for their home-baked cookies than their poker prowess. 

16. INFP - Playing for the Storyline

For INFPs, the face is a window into their soul ... and their cards. Their wide eyes, furrowed brow and wistful sigh reveal every thought and emotion that passes through their mind. They'll react to every card like it's a matter of life or death – which, for them, it kind of is.

These sensitive souls approach poker like they're writing the great American novel, full of inner turmoil, unexpected plot twists and elaborate backstories for their opponents. They got dealt a pair of aces? The poker gods must be sending a message! The gruff-looking player across the table got dealt the winning hand? That's great because he's secretly playing to save his family's farm, and who are they to stand in the way of such a noble cause? You'll win, they'll win and the stories will be epic. The end.