[nawhead]

I have sort of the same problem, but instead of too loose with my chips, I'm too tight. I just feel a little bit nervous at the very beginning of my sessions and don't feel very aggressive or in-tune with the flow of the game. So I start off playing a little too tight, not looking to get myself into confrontations or marginal but +EV 60-40 spots. Raise preflop, cbet, get called, shut down. Rinse, repeat, reload 20-30 bb's half an hour later.

I tried reading the forums for 10-15 minutes before my sessions but that didn't really help. I tried going through hand histories of good/bad plays I made in the previous session, but that didn't work.

But recently, I get home and play a session of this game I have, World Championship Poker 2. Standard poker video game, but instead of just tournies, you can start up 6-handed no-limit hold'em cash games with 200 bb stacks. The computer players play like aggressive NL25 players. Tight-aggressive, Loose-aggressive, just plain aggressive. Pushing good draws, 2-street cb's with overcards, not folding to a little raise, chasing versus gay "gotta protect my hand" turn bets, not slowplaying their made hands very much, etc. You know, in terms of real poker, a bad table because of the high variance play.

This game used to give me such fits cause I'd hole up into a weak-tight nit and get sucked out on constantly. I didn't understand it. As sad as it sounds, it's this game that gave me the confidence to open up my game, to become the aggressor and the bully at my tables. I play straight up LAG on full ring tables, and I'm quadrupling up a lot these days. That never used to happen to me when I played like a nit.

So I load up the game, play half an hour, stack 5 computer AI donks (if it takes me two, three rebuys, I do it), then head to the real tables. Everybody's game is sharper after they win a couple of big pots or go on a huge rush. Confidence level is high, balls feel heavy, posture's laid back. I'm not desperate, I feel good and loose, ready to find my spots and act on them without a second's hesitation. My mind's sharp, my hand reading antenna is on full alert, my adrenaline's pumping, I'm ready to play! Whatever happens in the session happens.

You know how to play (good or bad). Your mind knows. Reading how to play KK on an ace high flop before a session won't change anything. You just need the right mindset before playing, that's all.