Poker Players Please Assist Me?!?

I have been with this sites for months now and have received much needed and helpful advice. I play more home games then I do casinos and sites due to the area that I stay. My problem is what's been going on lately. I have been told that I can read players very well, that I can manage a poker table easy but it seems to me that whenever I play with a lot of money I lose and with less I win. I know that people play more aggressive when they have the insurance to do so , and play more careful when they don't but at times I feel I do the opposite. I do run into some bad beats and sadly it usally when I have a lot invested. Like most bad beats Im usally playing on Tilt after but sometimes I bounce back quickly. So I guess my question is Do many of you players deal with a sense of nervous feelings? I think I do too much and really need some advice of getting that feeling out the way. I feel that my nervous feelings can be seen and also give a "tell' of my game. I m sure players here play for thousands of dollars and know some remedies to knock out that feeling but Im telling you I know I can't and It really is causing me thousands of dollars . Im really playing against people that aren't that good and really believe once this issue is solve I can once again be a winner.

Not sure how how much you are playing for, but you need to create a poker bankroll. Money that is just used for poker. You can't think of the money as "real" money. It's just chips. You need to be making solid poker decisions and know you are making solid decisions. The money and outcome shouldn't matter, only that you made a good solid decision with all the available information you had at the time of the hand.

Also, playing in home games, make sure the game is fair. Bad beats, ie variance is a nature of the beast. But you never know when it comes to home games. So make sure you really trust who you are playing home games with. If I'm playing live, I'd rather pay rake and tip a dealer in a Casino and know I'm playing in a fair game. That's just me.

I agree with everything TPC says. Home games are questionable, even amongst friends. So, keep them friendly. Don't look to make money at a home game....just invest what you can afford to lose, and have fun.

If you are looking to play serious poker for profits, the first thing you need to realize is that you will be nervous if you are playing above your bankroll. If your bankroll is $1,000 and you are playing at a $1/$2 table, the buy-in will usually be $100-$200 dollars, which is way too high. Think about the swings TPC mentioned...some days you will be walking on water. Other days, your aces will never come through.

The other thing you need to realize is that making a lot of money takes time and effort...just like any other job. Unless, of course, you get really, really lucky.

Here's a rule I learned from reading articles and talking to experienced players: Never invest more than 5% of your bankroll at a table. Right now, my FTP account is around $185.00. I started with $100.00. I've been playing .02/.05 tables, where the buy-in is $5.00 max. If I bust out, its no big deal. I play better poker knowing I won't be seriously broke if I bust out once in awhile. I'm thinking in about a year or so, I'll be able to have a little income on the side, if I stick to this rule (in other words, don't get greedy or impatient). Once I hit $200, I will start playing at the .05/.10 tables, with a buy-in of $10.

OR, if you are a casual player, just don't gamble with more than you can afford to lose, and have fun

Hope this helps. See you at the tables

Your answers seem so simple but major at the same time. My down fall has been trying to hit it big and also taking too much with me to the table where as I could and should just wait until I have a bankroll large enough to feel comfortable playing and knowing if I lose I haven't cut in to my personal money. Until reading the replies I never really thought about how much a bankroll can release stress. For the most part I know these players and the bad beats that have occurred more than two have taken place when I was dealing. Not to say that maybe players do give hints or signs, like you guys said it is better to pay a rake but sometimes you are stuck with what you got. House games have so much negatives , which I know adds to my nervous ways ( no security, players drinking too much, to many arguments, too many rules changes, and lack of control of the game.) With all that being said It's prolly no wounder while I am nervous. I do plan to start taking weekend trips too a near by casino and give the house games up totally. It's so much easier to say I'm gonna give it up then to actually do it, maybe this will be my first test to achieve my goal.