Quote:
Originally Posted by feel wrath
OK, I'm convinced. I'm going to take a shot but I'm already feeling nervous and excited (like I used to be when I started playing 1/2 at the casino)
for the people who have recently moved up or taken a few shots can I ask...
did you feel nervous when you sat down?
if so, how long did the nerves last and did you have any ways to cope?
did you feel more self conscious?
one of the posters said that he tightened up his range pre flop. Did any of you others play differently in terms of pre/post flop range, bet sizing, aggression etc?
I definitely felt nervous and more self-conscious when moving from 2/3 to 2/5. But, for me, this transition took place over a six-month period (moving back and forth, for various reasons, largely because, in retrospect, I hadn't fully worked-out my bankroll). It wasn't until I was fully committed to 2/5, with an adequate bankroll behind me, that I felt like I played my best without that self-conscious element. At this stage, I genuinely believed I had an edge over most players and knew which Regs to avoid in certain situations.
At some point, the nerves do dissipate, which comes from, I guess, playing well, which for you, might mean ultra-TAG or adjustable LAG. For me it meant calling bluffs light, 3-betting in the right spots, making the right folds, knowing when you screwed-up and why. When I first started playing 2/5 I definitely played ABC TAG with only 1-2 BIs per shot, which meant I waited around for sets or would limp-raise a lot with AA and KK. This strategy didn't work for long because I was soon labelled a "2/3-taking-a-shot" player and I stopped getting paid, except by the recreational fish. I also started getting bluffed by the strong 2/5 and 5/10 regs (which, I've since learnt, is generally a good thing and I now have better bluff-catching skills, although, unfortunately I don't always use them).
I believe it takes time to learn the player types and bet-sizing tells and with this knowledge you become more comfortable at putting players on ranges. Also you learn that if you are nervous, then the better players will notice and exploit you accordingly (often with the aim of tilting you over a number of sessions), so it soon becomes apparent that you won't consistently win until you deal with these nerves. Befriending other 2/5 regs helps an awful lot, and once you trust them, they can help with hand-analysis against specific players they've been playing for years. But, take care with what you say to certain people, because if you give them information about your hands, then, well ... it can be used against you.
Bottom line, though, is a firm understanding of your own bankroll, for without it, you'll always be nervous, unless you run like god---and I hope you do, until you run into me