Is it normal to always feel quite nervous before a game

BB in context to winrates in Limit is usually Big Bets, winrates in NL are BB = Big Blinds. If you hear BB in the context of preflop play/position, it is Big Blind.

[jzpiano14]

"I'm mostly working to payoff debts"

Maybe this is why you are nervous, because you are in debt and the money you are playing poker with if you should lose it you might feel could be spent paying off your debt. just my .02

[einbert]

If you are a competitive person, being nervous before any kind of competition can be normal.

You can't really *get rid* of your nervousness--it is a mental factor that you will have to deal with. As something becomes more routine, you can learn to work through your nervousness so it doesn't affect you adversely. One important step is to realize that nervousness like this is indeed normal, and that you are always going to have to deal with the nervousness--but in spite of these things, you can indeed learn to work through it. Good luck.

With a $400 bankroll, the absolute highest limits you should be playing are $1/$2 - and even that is a stretch. A good ratio is 300X the big bet - so for 4/8 you should have $2400.

I know that others have pointed this out, but this simply cannot be overstated. I have read your posts and you are clearly rationalizing - but it won't work. Eventually, you will go on a MAJOR downswing - it has happened to pretty much everyone on this board no matter how good they are - it has nothing to do with skill - it will just happen that you will hit a run of bad cards - and when that happens, if you are not sufficiently bankrolled, you WILL lose all your money - and it will be compounded by the fact that you will be constantly nervous about losing your bankroll.

Your entire approach is terrible - you should NOT be playing poker to pay off debts - you should be working to pay off your debts and playing poker to build up a bankroll.

Here is my suggestion.

1) drop your limits - if you can't find a B&M place that has a 1-2 game, then just play online.

2) take a percentage of each of your paychecks from your job and use it to pay off your debts - say, 10% - every single paycheck. IF you want, take a MUCH smaller percentage and add it to your bankroll - perhaps 2% of each paycheck - but only do this AFTER you have paid the 10% to your debt.

What I am wondering is that, given all you have said, how is it that you have any debt at all? You live with your parents, you said you never bought any "big ticket" items - so what did you spend your money on?

[pyedog]

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What I am wondering is that, given all you have said, how is it that you have any debt at all? You live with your parents, you said you never bought any "big ticket" items - so what did you spend your money on?

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He said earlier that he used to live in residence so maybe he means paying off debts from school.

I enjoy playing poker and I consider myself pretty good at it but I definitely wouldn't want to rely on my winnings to try to pay off debts. When you're getting started I would advise playing primarily for fun and hoping to win a bit of extra spending money. Then when you gain experience maybe you could start to rely on poker as an extra income to help pay off debts. Just don't expect the earnings to be consistent, some weeks you will lose and go more in debt. But if you instead consider your bankroll as more of a challenge rather than expected income, then losing some of it won't be as devastating.

[bernie]

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FYI: BB usually means big blind in these forums. You should specify "big bet" next time.

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During a hand history, yes. When in reference to Big Bets bankroll-wise, something like 300bbs is very common and accepted on these boards and has been for quite some time.

b

[tonypaladino]

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FYI: BB usually means big blind in these forums. You should specify "big bet" next time.

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BB always means big bets when discussing bankroll.

Limit BR is discussed in terms of BBs and NL in terms of Buy Ins

What's the confusion?

[Python49]

I stopped reading after hearing your bankroll was $400.

[sandsmarc]

I know you think you are in control and you, unlike everyone else, are immune to a 100-200 bet downswing. You are smart and conservative and fairly tight. 100+ bet downswings happen to aggressive and loose players. Right? Right?

Wrong. Your bankroll is TOO SHORT. If you keep playing at 4-8 with $400-$800, you are definitely going to bust and you are going to have the Mike McDermott look on your face, the one where Teddy KGB tables AA.

Just hope your father still has the truck...

[noggindoc]

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I've been playing and studying the game for quite some time - playing regularly for about 5 to 6 months.

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