[johnnyjersey]

we all know that when some people have a huge hand...their hands tremble. I admit...my hands still tremble when i turn some monster hands. I'm assuming this is going to go away after time and discipline? Any techniques you guys use to calm yourself down?

[boondocker96]

Originally Posted by johnnyjersey

Any techniques you guys use to calm yourself down?

(not me though..its this friend of mine. I swear)

[Brewster]

LOL!!!!! Damn that is funny. Many of my buddies are chronic (I used to be but not any more) so I can attest to the power of the smoke. My shakes come after I win a big pot and am raking in the chips. Last week I put two others all in and won with the nut straight. I got a major case of the shakes when I was stacking up my winnings afterwards. Someone commented on it and my response was to tell them that was probably the biggest rush I was going to get all week. It was even better than sex.

[Spaceman Spiff]

I think it is something that goes away with experience and discipline. Those first few monsters are something you probably haven't experienced before and anyone will get a rush out of that. Once you've been there a few times, it's not as big a deal. I don't know, I still get a little trembly (is that a word?) sometimes, but like someone else said, I can usually hold it together until I'm raking in the pot!

One recommendation I can make though would be to come up with some kind of routine for your betting and really, all of your actions during a hand. Whether it's stack and push, stack and place in front of you, etc. Make it look the same no matter what hand you're playing. Not only will you disguise any tells you may have by betting actions, but I think it can help act like a pre-shot routine in golf. It's something you're comfortable with, you can go to at any time and feel the same. If you've got a good routine in golf, in theory, a putt for triple bogey should feel just the same as a 4 footer for a $100 skin. I don't see any reason why that same theory shouldn't carry over to the table.

[VARoadstter]

I have this problem, but my hands are steady normally. It get's worse when I get a huge hand, though. For me, the longer I'm playing a session, the lesser the problem is. In the first hour, or perhaps until I hit my first big hand, it's a problem.

The only thing I consciously do to try to make it less obvious is to make sure I keep my hands touching the table as much as possible. When I'm getting ready to make a bet I will tip my hand off if I'm not calm by then.

It does make sense that it would gradually diminish after playing thousands and thousands of hands, though. Sort of like sex - it's always great but it's never as exciting as the first time.

[jamby]

Originally Posted by johnnyjersey

Any techniques you guys use to calm yourself down?

Concentrate on steady breathing (as yoga teaches) and it should resolve the nervous shaking.

[enough]

Originally Posted by jamby

Concentrate on steady breathing (as yoga teaches) and it should resolve the nervous shaking.

he speaks the truth - focused breathing will get you to calm your nerves, but I have a problem where my jugular dances clear off my neck when I've got a monster hand, so I've taken to wearing collared shirts when I play.

Breathing works for my shaky hands, but I can't seem to do anything about the vein dance, so hiding it is the best I can do...

[Daniel]

i will attest to the marijuana smoke, albeit i believe it will hinder your ability to think clearly and might even get you paranoid during play....


believe me, a few times i could've swore that the guy to my left took the POT and never passed it around.....
matter of fact, i dont think i saw the POT all nite?


anyhoot,
the "ROUTINE" suggestion was a good one....IMO

if you get into a steady routine, it becomes habitual with the movements, timing and schedule you make your bets, calls, raises or folds....
a good bit of advice...

but know, some keen players can also pick up on your routine...so switch it up.
d

[OnTheButton]

Last night at our tourney, I "faked" the hand trembles (along with a clenched jaw and leaning forward into the table) with an all-in bluff against a veteran player and got him to fold to his own raise.



Of course really only time and exposure will relieve the shakes. Think about how nervous you were the first time you were alone with a girl (or guy) compared to how you act now.

Or do what I do and have a couple (JUST A COUPLE) of adult beverages during game play. I usually alternate a beer (Sierra Nevada) and a Perrier throughout the game night. It has a real nice balance of enough to calm the nerves, but not too much to impair my judgement. But I only reccomend this if you feel like you've got a decent game to begin with. I never drank a drop of beer during the first 6 months or so of learning to play. Once I felt somewhat confident in my game, then the beer just helped to keep me from getting bored and antsy while folding 12 hands in a row.

[boondocker96]

In all seriousness, I think my overall attitude towards the game helps me in 'big-hand' situations.
I used to look forward to the thrill of raking in a huge pot with a winning monster, and I believe that for me this anticipation creates far too much emotion. I end up 'getting my hopes up' and this can lead to trembling.
I have a pessimistic way to handle this. Unless I flop quads, Im pretty much resigned to the fact the holdem is a 5 card game and until that river hits, I havent won. I can be an emotional player at times, and it almost always hurts my game.
So I find that (as sad as this is)if I go into a hand, almost expecting to lose. Im not as pissed when I do, and am always relieved when my cards are good. I basically just try and avoid the emotional highs and lows.
Balance is key, grasshopper.