Jump to content

What Does It Take? Is Your Personality Your Destiny?


Recommended Posts

I have been a member on this site and rarely post. The times I have posted your comments have been a Great help. I play Omaha and HU on-line and in the B&M's. I have read the books, studied the math, etc. My question boils down to this...Even when I know I have the nuts, I fail to pull the trigger and make them pay. Is this because in life I am timid and have a fear of failure so this hampers my abiltiy to play serious poker? I watch people go all in and take chances on crap and bulid the big stakes in tournaments. I get dealt pocket AA's and I know I need to raise but the voice in my head holds me back. Of course slow play equals no pay and I know this. HELP Do I need to just get drunk and pray or am I doomed because of my personality.

Link to post
Share on other sites

A good friend of mine (a doctor) has indentified this condition. Apparently you are not alone as many suffer from the same affliction.'It's called "Tinius Ballsius".There is hope, but you have to figure it out for yourself.GL! :club:

Link to post
Share on other sites

I'll try to be a little more serious. It might be your personality, but I know a lot of shy and timid people who are very aggressive when it comes to poker, so I don't think that's it. The more you play, the more it will just come natural. You'll see a certain flop, and you'll know you have to play it strong. However, it's a thin line between being a timid player and being a bad player. If you're timid you're almost always bad, but being bad doesn't always mean timid. My guess is that you just haven't played long enough to get a good feel for when you should be doing what.

Link to post
Share on other sites
I'll try to be a little more serious. It might be your personality, but I know a lot of shy and timid people who are very aggressive when it comes to poker, so I don't think that's it. The more you play, the more it will just come natural. You'll see a certain flop, and you'll know you have to play it strong. However, it's a thin line between being a timid player and being a bad player. If you're timid you're almost always bad, but being bad doesn't always mean timid. My guess is that you just haven't played long enough to get a good feel for when you should be doing what.
True dat....Away from the table in real life, I'm the nicest, friendliest, most easy going guy you could meet. But I have a killer competitive side that comes out at the table. When I got the cards (And sometimes when I don't) I betting, bluffing and check raising. You have to learn to go against your personality. Might I suggest reading the Philosophy Of Poker by Alan Shoonmaker. It will show you the four basic poker personality types, why they play the way they do, and what you need to do to take advantage of them, but it will also show you how to rate your own play, and how to make adjustments in your game. Read the book, and go for the jugular! :club:
Link to post
Share on other sites

Oh, I get it "Tiny Ball Syndrome" HAHA However, I am a female so that can't be it. I do like the saying "Chips is what you gamble with!" I think I will try keeping that in the back of my mind - if all else fails then I will consider having a sex change operation and asking them to provide me with some really BIG BALLS to correct what appears to be a common condition effecting the poker world.

Link to post
Share on other sites
I have been a member on this site and rarely post. The times I have posted your comments have been a Great help. I play Omaha and HU on-line and in the B&M's. I have read the books, studied the math, etc. My question boils down to this...Even when I know I have the nuts, I fail to pull the trigger and make them pay. Is this because in life I am timid and have a fear of failure so this hampers my abiltiy to play serious poker? I watch people go all in and take chances on crap and bulid the big stakes in tournaments. I get dealt pocket AA's and I know I need to raise but the voice in my head holds me back. Of course slow play equals no pay and I know this. HELP Do I need to just get drunk and pray or am I doomed because of my personality.
My advice would be just practice what you feel your lacking. Go into the freerolls, lowlimit and/or play chip games and force yourself to be an absolute maniac. Just do it and break yourself from the habit of playing timid, when you get used to it you should be able to be aggressive in the situations you need to be. Practice makes perfect. GL.
Link to post
Share on other sites

Two things:1) Slow play <> no pay , slow play = getting cracked2) You must look at the chips you play with live or online as game pieces. I am completely serious when I say you must find a way to have a complete lack of respect and disregard for the money in a poker game. The minute you think about what those chips can buy, you are screwed. I'm not saying play stupid, because those with he most game pieces wins :club: If I think back to when I started playing, I would likely have thrown up if I were to lose what I now regularly win or lose in a session (hopefully win more than lose). The reason for this is a session does not matter. The very shortest time frame I evaluate my earnings is monthly, and that's just a quick review to make sure I don't have a major leak. Quarterly is much more reasonable, or if a tourney player maybe even longer. Do evaluate your play more often, but don't worry about short term variance.It's not about winning or losing days or session, it's about net over time.

I have been a member on this site and rarely post. The times I have posted your comments have been a Great help. I play Omaha and HU on-line and in the B&M's. I have read the books, studied the math, etc. My question boils down to this...Even when I know I have the nuts, I fail to pull the trigger and make them pay. Is this because in life I am timid and have a fear of failure so this hampers my abiltiy to play serious poker? I watch people go all in and take chances on crap and bulid the big stakes in tournaments. I get dealt pocket AA's and I know I need to raise but the voice in my head holds me back. Of course slow play equals no pay and I know this. HELP Do I need to just get drunk and pray or am I doomed because of my personality.
Link to post
Share on other sites

there is alot of concern in my family with poker. the main concern is "it is wrong. you are deliberatley tricking people out of their money". and at first (due to growing up in this house) i had trouble tricking people and taking money from them. but then i thought "well they would do the same to me. if he bluffs with 7 2 and takes down alot of doe then why shouldnt i". you just have to not care about the other person i think??? no not really you just have to shut down and think about that later. its war at the table

Is that sort of like Reverse Elephantitis?
that guy! the elphant man. kinda off topic but i will share:when i was aobut 10 i was at blockbuster picking out a movie and i picked up "the elephant man" and looked at the back of it and saw his face. it has actually haunted my dreams and i needed a shrink for it. no joke and im not a nut job but they say it has been a recessive something in my head.anyways thats all from me
Link to post
Share on other sites

Pretty simple I think. You're not a gambler. You have no gamble in you. The most successful poker players in the world have "gamble" and I believe that if you have no gamble you will probably never be a great poker player.

Link to post
Share on other sites
I have been a member on this site and rarely post. The times I have posted your comments have been a Great help. I play Omaha and HU on-line and in the B&M's. I have read the books, studied the math, etc. My question boils down to this...Even when I know I have the nuts, I fail to pull the trigger and make them pay. Is this because in life I am timid and have a fear of failure so this hampers my abiltiy to play serious poker? I watch people go all in and take chances on crap and bulid the big stakes in tournaments. I get dealt pocket AA's and I know I need to raise but the voice in my head holds me back. Of course slow play equals no pay and I know this. HELP Do I need to just get drunk and pray or am I doomed because of my personality.
Want some advice that helped me? Read as many books on tells as you can read. Once you start learning what others have or don't have, you will feel more comfortable in pushing in. Knowing how others play is what really helped me from getting pushed around. Once you get a feel for players and when they are bluffing and when they are not, it will no longer feel like a risk.
Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...