| Pressure
Pressure
There is no greater thrill than making your first big final table. The term 'big' means different things for different people of course, but let us assume that we're talking about the highest level of play and highest prize pool you've ever seen. There's a lot up for grabs here: Glory, cash, and bragging rights to name a few of the rewards.
The novice will tend to modify their play in one of two ways. They'll either enter a pure survival mode, where everything gets folded in hopes of moving up the ranks as people get knocked out, or they'll become over aggressive and usually get picked off as soon as someone gets a premium hand.
In order to avoid that temptation to screw up the play that got you this far in the first place, you may want to use some tricks to help you relax. It is important to note that these tips should be used at all times, not just when you have a big hand! Don't turn your relaxation technique into a blatant tell.
Breathing is very important. Deep, steady breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth will help to relax you. It brings down the heart rate, helps prevent the jitters, and will aid in clear thinking.
Only check your hand just before you're about to act. You should be spending your time focusing on the reactions of others, rather than your next move. The rest of the table can wait a few moments after action comes around to you. It is far more important to get used to the people who are sharing the table with you, and look for potential tells. Not to mention, checking your hand early can result in a tell, or worse, nervously acting out of turn.
Don't talk too much. Pressure can make one's mind race, and it is better to keep your thoughts to yourself than allow them all to spill out. Your opponents will be trying to use your novice status against you, using all sorts of tricks to get you to talk and give away information that you would rather keep secret. Be silent. If asked for a chip count, you can do a couple of different things: Either silently stack your chips in plain sight of your opponent, or have the dealer count them for you. Either way, use the same method every time, to avoid a potential tell. Nobody can force you to speak if you don't want to. In poker, your actions are a demonstrative measure of intent, or to put it another way, though your verbal actions are binding, so are your non-verbal ones.
Online, where physical tells are not important, there are other ways to relax that are quite beneficial. Drinking water or tea can be a great balancing factor. Anything that maximizes your comfort level, and keeps you hydrated and attentive, is an advantage. The reasons you might avoid this at a live table are shaking hands, and drinking patterns. But over the Internet, take full advantage of the things that relax you, as long as they don't distract you. One exception to this rule: No alcohol or drugs. These needlessly impair your judgement.
Using tricks to mitigate pressure will allow you to at with a clear mind, and maximize your chances at a high finish.
Bill Ricardi ? Internet Gaming Guru
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02-01-2008, 05:40 PM
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