Staying Calm and Collected

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stil370

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How do people stay calm during a tournament? After playing for a few hours and I am getting near the bubble...these are the times when I start to get a little anxious. What do people do to remain both calm and focused?
 
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MrDeko208

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I like to always keep a .02 sit and go as I play, keeps me focused.

Hope it helps!
 
1putnik

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Set a minimum goal - the final table, that is, play on the principle of "all or nothing." Then the fear of flying out at an earlier stage is not so stressing your nerves. It helps me.
 
shinedown.45

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How do people stay calm during a tournament? After playing for a few hours and I am getting near the bubble...these are the times when I start to get a little anxious. What do people do to remain both calm and focused?
:canabis::canabis:, Some would ask how I can stay focused, but if you smoked regularly, you wouldn't have to ask such a question.

At the later stages, you have to try and stay focused, it's at these stages players are switching gears.
 
Lerts

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Some ppl do get anxious approaching the bubble, but all that is needed despite the anxiety is just for u to keep playing a solid. Would tighten up your range as it comes if you have an average stack, if you are short stack, your range should be wider as you are looking for coin-flip situations, if you are deep stack look to win most blinds as most would be folding regularly just to make the money, easy for pot steals.
 
sergik1992

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At first you must play tournaments, that are suitable for you! First of all I mean buy-in. In case, if your buy-in is no critical for you, you can play more composed and comfortable and the main factor of your success will be not psychological part of game but your skill!
 
James_Moria

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As for , I also think that it better to play poker tournaments which you prefer most and try to set ''your min goal'' etc. And listening to my favorite music is ,also, helpful for me during playing games! this helps me to relax and be focused at the same time. Good luck!
 
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I only sweat when I'm short stacked and know that I'm shoving with any two. Otherwise I stop playing till after the bubble or try to exploit smaller stacks.
 
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stil370

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Thank you for all the replies. I dont play for buy in amounts that make me anxious-I think it is a fear of losing all the time I have invested into the tournament that makes me anxious. I hate to walk away with nothing
 
Matanzima

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They usually do not take it too seriously but take about 5 minutes or 10 minutes for some meditation or self hypnosis.
 
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ph_il

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Stop paying attention to and worrying the bubble. The bubble is meaningless​ less and, honestly, so is min-cashing.

Instead, focus on decisions that'll allow you to build big stacks and get deeper in the MTT. MTT pay is always top heavy, so the goal is to get as deep as possible.

Min-cashing will never give you the same ROI as a deep run ever will.
 
alienat3d

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Thank you for all the replies. I dont play for buy in amounts that make me anxious-I think it is a fear of losing all the time I have invested into the tournament that makes me anxious. I hate to walk away with nothing

Well you have to learn not taking your looses so close to heart. Especially if you are playing MTTs. That happens just so often, that you are walk away with nothing, but on other hand if you play good and in addition was lucky in a few situations, you might make it to the final table, where you get paid for all of your investments that you paid and lost in past and much more. You have to concentrate yourself on a distance profit, not on daily results. Some days you could loose like 40 tournaments one after another. But who cares if at other day you could win a tournament and earn by that like 150 buy-ins. :deal:
 
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bigjay2007

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I like to play a couple of games simultaneously which helps me keep busy and not try to think about cashing in on the bigger tourney. The PS .10 and .25 free rolls work well for me and I have also won the .25 ones numerous times. The 2 cent ones are actually a bit of crazy fun but you have to gamble early and try and build a big stack.
 
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Bubble? what's a bubble. Only kidding. I have had a difficult time with bubble until I realized something very important in tournament poker. All players that are winning in MTT's have absolutely no fear when it comes to the bubble. Bubble play can be exploitative and can be seen very easy.

Thinking of the bubble in a way like you have a cut on your leg and you are in the ocean swimming in sharks? Anxious? yeah. The problem is many players who are winning are looking for that very blood and stomp.

Now with that said, I would say that . you want to be the shark, you don't want to be the person cut on the leg. I used to be that guy with the leg cut. The problem is it took me awhile to change roles to be honest and didn't come easy.

I have figured something out though. By the time of the bubble, be aware of your opponents and how they play? To make it easy, watch the play, when do they typically open first or when the call or 3 bet. Note it. (This is where HUD is helpful). IF the opponent opens a lot in early position but they call in late position and fold to cbets a lot, this is the player that you can prey on and swirl around especially at bubble time. They will open up early position for their play and you apply pressure on them and boom, you will get chips.

Here is who to look for....
opens a lot in UTG (Under the gun)
cbets in early position and then folds on the turn
avoids playing button and cutoff (yes, there are people will avoid being the "last to act") (THIS IS not just a cut on the leg, it's a leg that just cut off and blood spewing).

With just a little attention to the table in that scenario especially in micro games will take you far into the final table. You will run across these folks at bubble time, its one or two or three of the eight other opponents.

Chow!

weee3eee
 
7svetoslav

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Thats easy for me at most of the times. Its about personal psyche.
Staying calm is the thing everyone should know or learn by playing poker.
Its so important in live poker tables also online too. Ive learned this from the time i gave to this game, but i have alot more to learn about this and more things. No ones perfect of course, thats why learning from your mistakes.
Staying calm is not that hard, that to be collected and not give yourself to the emotions and make silly things.
 
Nr98

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At first you must play tournaments, that are suitable for you! First of all I mean buy-in. In case, if your buy-in is no critical for you, you can play more composed and comfortable and the main factor of your success will be not psychological part of game but your skill!

Indeed, if you play within your bankroll the bubble shouldn't give you too much stress.

However I disagree with the second part of your comment, if you get too anxious to make the right plays (even though you would have the skills for it normally), you will still lose alot. The mental game is at least as important as the skill level imo.

And if you get just too anxious try jumping up and down, do push ups or something else to release the adrenaline (at least online, live this looks ridiculous xD ). That works for me at least :D

Anyways good luck mate!
 
poliaris747

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Think about each new distribution, and do not pay attention to how much is left to the dough! If the thought of thought overcomes you, you will lose!
 
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How do you know how people feel on the other side of the Internet at the table. They also like you and are nervous and nervous at the game. Only everyone in different ways carries ups and downs.
 
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nittany182

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By the time you reach the bubble you should have several mental notes already on half the table. Calling, raising, and folding patterns. The bubble is just another step of a tourney, nothing else. I don't care who you are, bubble play scares everyone. I would hate to have 8 hours or 3 days invested just to be "1st place looser". I tighten up a smidge, but focus on paying my same game.
 
pashkawell

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Need to play more often. Each time it will be easier to do it. And play better, following bankroll management. Worry you less.
 
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stil370

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Thanks everybody some great advise in there
 
boomboxcafe23

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Dont even about the bubble. Make sure that it got good music on and some water beside and maybe a vaporizer to keep the mind off of things
 
alienat3d

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Bubble? what's a bubble. Only kidding. I have had a difficult time with bubble until I realized something very important in tournament poker. All players that are winning in MTT's have absolutely no fear when it comes to the bubble. Bubble play can be exploitative and can be seen very easy.

Thinking of the bubble in a way like you have a cut on your leg and you are in the ocean swimming in sharks? Anxious? yeah. The problem is many players who are winning are looking for that very blood and stomp.

Now with that said, I would say that . you want to be the shark, you don't want to be the person cut on the leg. I used to be that guy with the leg cut. The problem is it took me awhile to change roles to be honest and didn't come easy.

I have figured something out though. By the time of the bubble, be aware of your opponents and how they play? To make it easy, watch the play, when do they typically open first or when the call or 3 bet. Note it. (This is where HUD is helpful). IF the opponent opens a lot in early position but they call in late position and fold to cbets a lot, this is the player that you can prey on and swirl around especially at bubble time. They will open up early position for their play and you apply pressure on them and boom, you will get chips.

Here is who to look for....
opens a lot in UTG (Under the gun)
cbets in early position and then folds on the turn
avoids playing button and cutoff (yes, there are people will avoid being the "last to act") (THIS IS not just a cut on the leg, it's a leg that just cut off and blood spewing).

With just a little attention to the table in that scenario especially in micro games will take you far into the final table. You will run across these folks at bubble time, its one or two or three of the eight other opponents.

Chow!

weee3eee

Very well written! :deal:
However i have to add it's nice to have that opportunity to exploit table, when you are the big stack. But the things are much more complicated, when you are on or close to "push or fold" stack size. Then if you want or not, you gonna be bleeding, cause you have not much play there, except to shove it in the middle. Of course if you hate to be a shark that bleeding, you can gamble and shove anytwo, but if it's reasonable play then. I'm not sure...
 
alienat3d

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Dont even about the bubble. Make sure that it got good music on and some water beside and maybe a vaporizer to keep the mind off of things

Honestly i'm not sure that a vaporizer could help you play poker better. For a serious play you need a clear head.
 
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