Mental Block

[novi]

Is it just me or do a lot of poker players end up with a mental block over certain things. Mine is the bubble. What I mean is I have been bubbling a lot lately (5 times in 8 tournys) and its really starting to affect how I play when its getting close to that position. It doesnt matter how many players are in or how many places are getting paid out I am really allowing it to get to me and affect me. Top 5 got paid I came 6th, top 20 got paid i came 21st, top 150 got paid I came 151st, top 3 got paid I was 4th etc......................grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr rrrrrrrrr.


I am not really sure how to deal with this and I thought id ask for some advice from you guys. I have just come 10th in a tourny and yes top 10 got paid but from about 16 left it really played on my mind and I folded 3 hands that would have won if I had had the bottle to push.

Any advice is much appreciated

you must be concentreted when you go to the final. but i have same trublle . its all about psychic if you know that you are in stres or something like this , go sit out on smoke 1 cigarete a drink a tea a then go back and play with free mind

[vegasjj]

Originally Posted by novice49

Is it just me or do a lot of poker players end up with a mental block over certain things. Mine is the bubble. What I mean is I have been bubbling a lot lately (5 times in 8 tournys) and its really starting to affect how I play when its getting close to that position. It doesnt matter how many players are in or how many places are getting paid out I am really allowing it to get to me and affect me. Top 5 got paid I came 6th, top 20 got paid i came 21st, top 150 got paid I came 151st, top 3 got paid I was 4th etc......................grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr rrrrrrrrr.


I am not really sure how to deal with this and I thought id ask for some advice from you guys. I have just come 10th in a tourny and yes top 10 got paid but from about 16 left it really played on my mind and I folded 3 hands that would have won if I had had the bottle to push.

Any advice is much appreciated

I think you just need to give it some time. I had a period when I was bubbling all the time too. Tried to make fun of it. Even siggested we should have a bubble queen/king tournament. And I agree it did effect me just the same as it effects you. I first tried to "fight" it. What I did was say " I will not let this thing intimidate me" and I was playing more aggressively then ever - and bubbled even more. So, I changes strategy, and I folded and hated it and took all of me at times to fold. This did work better. Eventually, I lost the big worry and I play reasonable now.
Not sure if this helps, but it is my story on the subject.

Good luck
Cheers
Judith

[katymaty]

think it depends how much money it is for, some of the freerolls with large fields pay really small amounts so you shouldnt think about it all.

Also depends on how many chips you have, alot of the big stacks deliberately pick on the smaller stacks if they keep folding because they are always thinking about getting in the money.

Similar thing happens when you are already in the money and the money can rise quite quickly where you will play really tight just to get higher amounts and you always curse when small stacks double up lol

Maybe you should not even look at where the bubble is and just play normal game then you can swear later when you realise you was won the bubble again lol

[welshgit]

Originally Posted by vegasjj

I think you just need to give it some time. I had a period when I was bubbling all the time too. Tried to make fun of it. Even siggested we should have a bubble queen/king tournament. And I agree it did effect me just the same as it effects you. I first tried to "fight" it. What I did was say " I will not let this thing intimidate me" and I was playing more aggressively then ever - and bubbled even more. So, I changes strategy, and I folded and hated it and took all of me at times to fold. This did work better. Eventually, I lost the big worry and I play reasonable now.
Not sure if this helps, but it is my story on the subject.

Good luck
Cheers
Judith

WE WERE THE BUBBLE KING AND QUEEN ( I WAS THE KING HONEST )

ME AND JJ ALWAYS SEENED TO BUBBLE ABOUT 8/9 MONTHS AGO I THINK
SOMEHOW I JUST MADE A JOKE AS WELL - DIDNT CHANGE ANYTHING DIDNT PLAY DIFFERENT GAMES

IT JUST CHANGED ITSELF AND NOW I MAKE BUCKS FROM ALMOST EVERYGAME I PLAY .

SO MY ONLY ADVICE AFTER ALL THE IS - KEEP PLAYING THE BUBBLES WILL FEK OFF SOON ..

[Dori113]

When I bubble for a few times it usually means a nice win is soon to follow. I hope that means the same for you.

Certain hands (their loss) have hung around a little longer than they should too. Always feels nice to have them pay off and turn them around.

I seem to have the same problem, I start getting a lot more gutsy, even though i think im being tight, i call when other players push high on hands that i normally wouldnt. But practice shall hopefully pull me out

[Dori113]

maybe you could follow how many folks are in the tournie up to the point of the break. Once you make it to break play the game only and don't look at the standings. I know it will be difficult but it might just be what you need to break the bubble curse. Then once you have cashed that is when you can start looking back at the standings as the tournies play out.

I know what you mean....I have done the same thing so often. Finished on the bubble and then it effects my games. I tend to play tighter when it gets closer to the pay out and then after I reach it I start playing my game again. But other times, I get so frustrated and lose my patience and concentration that I end up playing hands I shouldn't. So, I just try to not look at it and just play my game.

I think your problem is before the bubble. I think you see it comming up and go into survival mode too soon. Your chips stack gets eaten from the blinds or re-raises.

If you are always out near or at the bubble you need to start punching the big chip stacks in the mouth. When they bully you push back..... Don't let those big cats push you around. A couple of punches in the mouth and they will leave you a lone.

Usually bubble money don't pay very well anyway. So go for it and try and get in the good money!