Nervous!

I have this problem.
I sit down at a table and I feel like I'm dominated before we even start (playing fixed limit on the net).

It's almost as I expect to lose. Sometimes when I'm doing really well I get more agressive and not bullied so easily. When i'm doing so-so or even bad, I'm scared as soon as someone bets. Not to mention if someone raises my bet.

What can I do to play more secure? I hate being scared most of the time.

[SheridanCat]

You need to really figure out what is making you nervous/scared when you play. You might want to ask this in the Psych forum.

If you are nervous becaues the money means too much to you, then I suggest you immediately drop in limits. But I expect that's not really the issue.

Do you generally feel uncomfortable in new situations or in situations where you think others know more than you? If so, this feeling will probably pass as you gain more experience.

The real key, I think, is to get to the root of why you feel this way when you play. Have you tried playing live? I wonder how you'd feel if you could see your opponents.

Again, probably the folks in the Psych Forum can offer more insights. There are real psychologists there who can at least give you some direction.

Regards,

T

[AASooted]

I sometimes felt a little bit like this when I was starting out. The two things that helped me the most were learning the proper way to play the game and winning money from people using that knowledge.

You may also need to play at a lower limit. If you're scared of losing the money, you're playing too high. You may even need to play at the play money levels just to get more comfortable with the game.

Eventually you want to get to the point where you're just assessing each action based on its probability of making you money. If you get raised, but you think you probably have the best hand or have good odds to draw to the best hand, you shouldn't fold just because you might lose. That's one way to guarantee you will lose long-term.

As a side note, don't be surprised if this feeling comes back a little as you move up levels. I recently moved up, and it took me a week or two to get completely comfortable with bets that were twice as big as I was used to.

I'm not afraid of losing money as I'm playing the nano limits.
However, when I go from $50 to $ 35 in a day or two, that tells me I'm playing poorly.

What frustrates me is I want to get better, I don't care about the money but still they're a sign of how you're doing in poker.

Losing $15 in nano-limits is pretty steep - even at .10/.20, that is 75BB.

I remember the first time I sat down at a live B&M table - it was the scariest experience of my life - and I lost $140 in about 3 hours - so I know how you feel.

Its just important to remember to play the game correctly from a conceptual perspective. Play ABC poker for a while until you feel comfortable with that.

Another good suggestion is to keep a copy of the SSHE starting hand charts there and not to deviate from it - not at the start at least.

Thats one of my problems yeah [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]
I tend to play K [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 8 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] from early position if I get it.

[AASooted]

[ QUOTE ]
Thats one of my problems yeah [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]
I tend to play K [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 8 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] from early position if I get it.

[/ QUOTE ]

Then Hank's hit the nail squarely on the head. Use the SSHE starting chart. Value bet/raise good hands. Don't chase draws without good odds. Count your winnings. In my limited experience, that's about all there is to it at the low levels. Consistent success should eventually help you overcome your anxiety.

[SheridanCat]

[ QUOTE ]
Thats one of my problems yeah [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]
I tend to play K [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 8 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] from early position if I get it.

[/ QUOTE ]

Wow, yes, get ahold of a tight starting hand chart and follow it closely. I recommend Ed Miller's GSIH for that. I don't have my copy with me or I'd give you the list of playable hands, but K8s isn't on it from early position.

If you really are playing that loose, then you have every reason to be nervous. Tighten up and gain some confidence.

Regards,

T

Thanks guys [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]
I know what to work on.
I've read SSHE 1.5 times so far and I'll just use the starting hands from there.

I'm a new player too so if anyone with more experience contradicts what I'm about to say, beleive them not me! [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

It was your comment about being bullied that struck me. One thing that it has taken me a while to understand is that at the micro limits (I play $0.10/$0.20 No Limit Hold'em) there is very little going on in the way of 'moves'and bluffs and world class 'plays'.

I got the impression, from watching a lot of poker coverage on TV, that everyone was guessing, second guessing, third guessing and fourth guessing every play and pulling off complicated moves all the time. From looking back over hand histories in Poker Tracker I've discovered that most of the time this is just not true. If the guy checks on the rag flop and rag turn then bets big when a King comes on the river, most of the time it's because it's improved his hand. I'm not saying that nobody bluffs I'm just saying that you need to keep it in perspective.

The times when you believe you are being bullied is probably because you have entered a pot with a less than spectacular holding yourself and the guy really is beating you. If you wait for good hands it will do several things:

It will give you the confidence to bet back if you believe your hand to be winning (and there is more chance of this if you start with a some good cards)

It will mean that even if you loose a showdown people will see that you had something rather than nothing. This will give your hands more credibility in thier eyes and reduce the times they will go at you with nothing.

It will reduce your loses as I'm guessing that most are coming from starting with a bad holding and then either having to fold it or call it down for a loss.

But hey, what do I know!

Good luck and don't give up.