Quote:
Originally Posted by JJJJeb
Hi guys.
I am a recreational poker player. This year, I am playing my first EPT (Monte Carlo). I reached one good ITM and won a few BIs on 2/5 EUR cash games.
Here is the psychological trap I am facing now. Whenever I go to a cash table, I feel like I am playing with a lot of fear of losing, which badly affects my decisions. I know this sounds very obvious (who on earth is okay with losing, right?). To protect my well-being, I like stopping playing cash when I won one of the last hands or at least won a big pot. It has worked so far, but I tend to keep playing until I win, which can be dangerous. I feel like I am even afraid of going to the tournament/cash hall to play just because I am obsessed with protecting what I won so far. This may sound like a paradox, I admit. I like playing, I came for this, but now I am afraid, even after winning something. Still, I thought it could be good to share and hear your thoughts on going more relaxed to a cash table/tournament without letting the fear affect how I play.
Thanks.
JJJeb
Hi JJJeb:
When playing poker, especially if you're becoming serious about your game, you need to get a good understanding, among many things, of the large short-term luck factor that is present in the game and how it can impact your results. As I point out in my book
Cardrooms: Everything Bad and How to Make Them Better experts, assuming four hour sessions, should be able to win approximately 2 out of 3 times, and recreational players, perhaps like yourself, should be able to win 1 out of 3 times. So, improving your understanding in this area should be the first step you'll need to take to solve this problem.
Mason