Good Afternoon. I am pretty new to playing poker. I have a few months of experience and started playing in my friend's garage not too long ago. My biggest issue so far has been nerves. For example, my heart beats really fast and I have somewhat of a hard time staying calm and still when I am engaged in a hand. What are some good tips on how to control your nerves? Is there an immediate fix or will it go away as I become more experienced? Thanks in advance

R/
SG0125

As someone who is also into chess and golf (two things both known for dealing with "the nerves"), I can attest that they eventually lessen with experience and time. Poker is the same way. I say "lessen" because the professional poker players don't show it, but they are anxious too: maybe not in every spot, all the time, but it is natural to feel emotion and poker is a very emotional game.

Maybe the stakes are too big for you? Try playing smaller

It will definitely improve over time with more experience being in these situations. Looking down and seeing AA can get you really excited just like flopping a set and then seeing runner runner for a four flush can piss you off. Both can really jump start your heart and until you see and experience this situations multiple times, you will get the rapid heart and sweats. You could always try some online poker where this won’t matter to your opponents to be able to read you until you get more experience.

Just like professional golfers going for their first win and walking to the 18th green needing to make the 5 foot putt to win $1 million dollars. Nerves can get the best of you.

You can also try deep breathing and meditation exercises that you can then do at the table without being obvious after some practice.

Best of luck and welcome to the game!

Your post about controlling your nerves brings back memories for me. I began playing 16 years ago in my friends basement, similar to your playing in a garage. At first I was nervous playing a game for money, since I was not much of a gambler. We only played for $20, and small bets, but I was quite nervous. It did not take long to overcome the nerves as I focused on playing the game and paid less attention to the money.
Then, a couple of years after starting in the basement, my friend convinced me to try playing in a casino. The stakes were 4 times higher than we played in the basement, and my legs and hands were absolutely shaking. Thankfully, the table was solid, so my shaking didn't move the table. I won a hand very early on and I wondered if everyone noticed how my hands shook as I pulled in my chips and struggled to stack them. It probably took me a full hour to settle down. Now I enjoy playing in casinos and seldom get nervous, although the nerves sometimes come back when I am in a stressful hand.
Good luck and continue to learn. As you focus on your game and the play of the hand you will have less time for nerves.

hello there, it pretty normal. i have been playing for 12 plus years and it still happens to me in big hands!

I think there are no cases that such thing is being improved.

It's because worries don't disappear even if it's brought along.

when I play live I concentrate me of the other players to find out they play loose or tight or they have a god hand or make a bluff ,do not concentrate so much of your hands ,try to play all time the same ,rise sometimes with a not so good hand ,try to see the flop and pass when someone raise big and you have not so good card ,you can loose orwin with all hands ,so why you should get on your nerves when you get AA par example you must say to you it is a hand like other hands ,I think it get better when you have more experiens

Thank U 4 posting

There are 2 books that you should get, The Mental Game of Poker Vol 1-2.

The underlying issue you are having that is causing this reaction is you are focusing on the outcome of the hand not each step in the hand.

This is detrimental to you because you are moving from the reasoning brain to the emotional brain. It will effect your ability to win beyond Just getting the shakes now.

By reading the above books and focusing on understanding what is happening in your mind you will accelerate your skill set and hopefully your results

Hope this helps

I appreciate all of the feedback and suggestions in this thread.