Playing bad when starting a session

[so sick bro]

I've noticed a trend from analyzing my play in pokertracker and being able to visually see how a session actually went by using pokergrapher. When I start sessions, I lose. Unused to the players (at NL50 you see the same people around but the tables are usually comprised mostly of unkowns), and brain still warming up I do not play good poker at the start of my sessions. I feel like I have made progress in that I do not let it tilt me anymore. I had to move down from NL50 two months ago because i started off a session bad, went on monkey tilt, and dispensed of 11-12 buy ins. Instead of opening up 12 tables and just spewing I will close the tables that suck, maybe hop into some new tables that look juicy and tell myself "You are playing like complete [censored] right now. Just play good poker." I relax myself, settle into the tables I'm at, and usually finally get myself into a nice groove.

I believe this is a great step forward for me but I can't help feeling like I can improve. I think the 10-15 minutes, or however long it takes to warm up to every session is screwing me out of a lot of money in the long run. 10 bucks here, 15 bucks there, 9 dollar river bet paid off when you only beat a bluff - I make it back in the same session but this might be a big leak. I understand it is completely unreasonable to expect to sit down cold at your tables and immediately play A+ poker but I'm thinking about ways to cut back on early spew. I also highly highly doubt I am the only one with this problem.

I feel like a mental warmup would for sure help out. You don't just hop out of your car and go run a race. You have to prepare. You have to stretch, get yourself psyched up, get ready for the race. One way to warm yourself up for a session would be going to whatever forum (uNL, SSNL, etc) and going over other peoples hands, thinking about those hands, and giving your advice. I tried this for the first time today and I think that it's a good start. Not immediately sitting in when you join a table, but waiting til you reacquaint yourself with the stats of anyone you have them for is a good idea too (definitely observe how the table is playing too)


If you actually did take the time to read all of that tyvm, it's just my thoughts on what is probably a hole for many people even if they don't know it.

Thoughts? Suggestions? Your own techniques to get prepared for a session?

[omaha]

If you need a warmup, then why not just play say 2 tables, while you hunt on some other ones?

[the_main]

I like to start with a quick HU SNG to get my mind working right.

Really, any kind of mental activity should aid this problem. I just picked up a rubik's cube, and its a fun thing to do before I start a session.

[Poker Plan]

10 minutes on Nintendo's Brain Academy or Sony's Mind Quiz.

[Rainclouds]

Keep in mind that - when players at your table at least pay some attention - your lost bucks at the beginning of your session are not entirely lost. Making a bad call or a really bad bluff may be noticed by some players, who will pay you off very well in subsequent hands where you really do have the best hand.

When I sit down at a table, I love to make a dumb donkey call of a few bucks just to make my opponents think I'm stupid. Most of the time no one notices, but sometimes it really pays off - which makes it profitable.

I also always start on 2 tables, and once I am feeling comfortable with my play, I open up my other 2 tables.

[lucky_mf]

I actually have the same problem it makes you feel any better, particularly when I'm coming of a very good session. I think it has to do with unrealistic expectations.

This mornings graph - all at 1/2 NL (-1.2k in <100 hands [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img] ).

[CallYNotRaise06]

maby start off playing more straigth forward in the beginning of your sessions. just make standard plays untill you get reads on the players, then start playing poker.

[swingdoc]

I'm really glad you posted that sick, cause I figured I was the only one. I noticed a few weeks ago that I really needed to get my brain warmed up before I started playing or I would just throw money away playing stupidly. I do like to open up 2p2 and read a few hand histories or respond to questions in the beginner's forum. A lot of times I'll watch a little TV and play a half dozen blitz games on ICC. I try not to rush myself, but just let my mind get going and into it's normal flow.

As a follow up question for any other chess players: do you find that how "on" your chess game is highly correlates to how well you play poker for that day?

[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.

[Wak3UpTheK1ng]

[ QUOTE ]
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.

[/ QUOTE ]

Nice Post