Developing an "attack mode" mentality

[The Prodigy]

I've just been thinking about this lately. In the live home games that I play (few and far between), I nearly always perform well. In all of the games I've been in, I've finished:

2nd out of 9
5th out of 10
4th out of 12
3rd out of 9
3rd out of 12
9th out of 11
1st out of 7
7th out of 10

So for the most part, I've been very consistent, cashing in all but 3 of those games. I feel, though, like something is holding me back from taking it to the next level, and that is not being able to go into "attack mode".

To sum it up, I'm a very tight player. I usually stick to good starting hands, very rarely playing junk. I bluff occasionally, but when I consider it, and this goes for when I'm facing a huge call of a raise, or just a huge call in general, I second guess myself. I'm always afraid to risk a large amount of my stack. Thinking about getting knocked out literally scares me when I'm playing, and I know that risking large amounts could hurt me. I completely phase out the positives of what could happen if I do call, and I often find myself doing this when I think I have the other guy(s) beat.

Is there any way to overcome this? I can't think of anything I could do at the table to change what I'm doing. I'm pleased with results, but I know this could open up a whole lot of doors that were previously shut. Thanks.

[Niediam]

Play online for real money.

Being knocked out isn't a big deal when you can just start playing again... or when you get knocked out of your home game you can go home and play ten (or however many you want) SnGs.

[Poker Clif]

I would suggest buying "Small Stakes Hold 'em", which is a 2+2 book. I found it at my local Barnes and Noble. Find the loosest games you can, for example, a .01/02 cash game on Pokerstars with a table see-the-flop percentage of over 65.

Stick close to the "Loose Games (6-8 Players Average on the Flop)" starting hands recommendation on page 82.

This will accomplish three things. First, you'll have a structure to work from, not just someone telling you that you should play a wider range of hands.

Second, by reading SSHE, you'll understand the theory of when to play a wider ranges of hands (basically, when there are going to be enough callers to pay you off when you hit with more speculative hands).

Third, once you're acutally doing this in a real game, you'll see how it works, and all the pieces will come together.

The seoond or third time in a session where you play a small pocket pair, hit a set, and have two or three players with you at the showdown, you might decide that it's kind of fun playing more hands, and getting paid off when you do.

There are certainly times to be tight. If you're 5th of 5 in a sit-n-go and everyone starts pushing, just sit back and enjoy the show while they knock each other out, and you move up into the money.

The more different styles you can play, the less predictable you'll be, and the more you'll win. Give SSHE a try, use their starting hands as a structure to move out of your comfort zone, and you'll be a better, more confident player.

[Bad Beat Maker]

I assume you're talking about NL. If that is the case then SSHE doesn't apply. If you're doing tourneys then HOH. I dont remember which one is good for final table (SNG play).

[sharkstevie]

I have the same problems, I'm quite a tight/nitty player also in tourneys and i find it really affects my game deep. I rarely play low pairs and suited connectors (position dependant obv) because of this I'm the king of bubbling final tables!

I've been trying to drop stakes lately to try and change my style and change to a LAG player. It's been going decent for me so far, but i just find the players in the $5-$10 players awful so playing tight also works, very easy to get someones stack...

I recommend multi tabling a few low stakes MTTs and just practice opening up your game and see if you can get any good results,

gl

[knightmare_37]

It's very situational-dependent but I usually go from Loose to Tight and back to Loose again during a tournament. When the blinds are cheap I like to see a lot of flops in position with decent cards and right odds. With position you can be a little more aggro and get away with it.

As the blinds increase and the stacks vary I will tighten up for a few reasons. Often your M is in a weird range, theres less limpers and therefore flops don't come cheaply anymore. Also players will have me marked as loose aggressive so if I do have to tangle my new tighter persona should come up on top.

Late game is where I become loose again. Players won't know what to expect and I will steal and resteal fairly often, often times with trash. With a little experience you can find good spots to make stands and it will really pay off.

This is mostly mtt advice but could also work for sng's with a little modification. The HoH books helped me a lot too.

[parachute]

If you are mathematically inclined, The Mathematics of Poker does a good job of proving that aggressive play is actually mathematically optimal in a lot of cases. It really helped my game when I realized that I had a solid game-theoretical basis for playing aggressively, and wasn't just doing it to discomfit other players or something.

[Bad Beat Maker]

Oh, almost forgot. Do take a look at Psychology of Poker by Alan Shoomaker (I think thats his name). GREAT read.

[PantsOnFire]

If your opponents are observant, then you likely have a good tight table image which is a solid basis for starting to steal more pots.

The first job is to find players that are also tight. Observe carefully who is capable of folding. The second job is to find players who bluff. Start with the two most common bluffs: continuation bets and betting from the button. Decide which players are continually doing this and start raising them or check-raising them with anything.

[ QUOTE ]
I bluff occasionally, but when I consider it, and this goes for when I'm facing a huge call of a raise, or just a huge call in general, I second guess myself. I'm always afraid to risk a large amount of my stack.

[/ QUOTE ]
When in this situation, where you are considering a big move like an all-in re-raise, it is usually better to semi-bluff with a good draw. That way you have some pot equity to go with your fold equity. Also, remember to do this against those players I mentioned above, players who are actually capable of folding. And you should also consider how the play of the hand sells your story because remember the other guy is also afraid of going out. If he has top pair top kicker on a scary board, most players will fold to your all-in.

One last thing to consider is the value of your hand. If you have complete air with no pair, no draw, this actually a better hand to steal a pot that nobody seems interested in. If you don't win it right there, you just check/fold the rest of the way. Compare that to a hand where you a piece of the board and your hand is not strong but has some potential. If you get raised, you will have to throw it away which is a shame because you really would like to see one more card. So checking or calling with good odds is better there.

And here is one play you should try at least once per tourney. If there are several limpers and it gets to you in the BB, try a large raise of about the size of the pot. The first limper is the key. If you feel he is trying to see a cheap flop with a marginal hand he will likely fold. And if he folds, it is much mmore likely all the others will fold behind. And again, you should do this with complete trash. If you have a hand with potential like a suited connector, low PP or connected paint, you would rather call and see a flop. With trash, you are simply trying to steal a pot. And sometimes if you do happen to get a call, the poker gods will hit your trash and your hand will be as disguised as a hand can get.