It’s very easy to get stressed out when playing live poker, especially when you are new to the game. It’s easy to slip up and donk your chippies away if you get into a state. The following is an account of what I went through at one of my first live festival events.
I was one of around 30 players left in a £100 re-buy pot limit event at the Gutshot last September when I had what can only be described as a panic attack.
I was quite low on chips, but then doubled up twice. When I won another large pot knocking someone out, I was all-in with AK against QQ and started shaking, one of my cards hit and the dealer pushed me the pot. I tried to stack my chips but my hands were still shaking. It took all my concentration to get them in a pile. I felt like the room was getting smaller, people were talking but I couldn't hear what they were saying, I suddenly felt very hot and the shaking wouldn't stop.
I stood up and staggered away from the table, went outside to get some air, one of the card room staff asked me if I was ok. I could only muster a soft mumble by way of reply. They brought me a glass of water. The air and water were good, but I needed to sit down. There was a perfectly good seat at the poker table but I felt I wasn't ready to return yet. I didn't care that I was being blinded away, as I was in no condition to be in charge of my chips till I pulled myself together.
I sat down for 10 minutes away from the table to compose myself. One of the dealers who'd just got off duty sat next to me and I talked with him. It would be more accurate to say he talked to me, as I didn't say much. I was happy for him to do so as he was dead nice. In between rambling about this and that he said something, a little sound bite, that has stayed with me.
It wasn't a particularly wise or clever bit of advice. Nor do I understand why it has helped me so much. It's so simple and obvious, that if I saw it written down in a book or an article, or even in a post on an internet forum, then I would have been likely to instantly dismiss it. Something though, perhaps the way he said it, has made me take it to heart.
I'm pleased to say I've never had any similar problems since. I think what that dealer told me that day has had a lot to do with this.
I never did get that dealer's name, or thank him properly for helping me so much. It was the 2nd last day of the festival. The following day, at the main event, I looked for him to say ta but he was nowhere to be seen. Sometimes I'm not altogether sure it was a real person speaking to me that night. Perhaps he was a figment of my imagination, in my disorientated state I could possibly have confused the two and was speaking to myself (or listening to myself) the whole time. I like to think he was a poker angel though, who came down from up high to help me in my moment of need and give me a little nugget, one simple little sentence, that I will carry with me throughout the rest of my poker career.
Whether real, imaginary or supernatural I'd like to say to him... Thank you very much.
I went on to enjoy the remainder of the tournament, managing a 7th place finish before my number was finally up.
“Just play your cards, all you can do is just play your cards.”
I was one of around 30 players left in a £100 re-buy pot limit event at the Gutshot last September when I had what can only be described as a panic attack.
I was quite low on chips, but then doubled up twice. When I won another large pot knocking someone out, I was all-in with AK against QQ and started shaking, one of my cards hit and the dealer pushed me the pot. I tried to stack my chips but my hands were still shaking. It took all my concentration to get them in a pile. I felt like the room was getting smaller, people were talking but I couldn't hear what they were saying, I suddenly felt very hot and the shaking wouldn't stop.
I stood up and staggered away from the table, went outside to get some air, one of the card room staff asked me if I was ok. I could only muster a soft mumble by way of reply. They brought me a glass of water. The air and water were good, but I needed to sit down. There was a perfectly good seat at the poker table but I felt I wasn't ready to return yet. I didn't care that I was being blinded away, as I was in no condition to be in charge of my chips till I pulled myself together.
I sat down for 10 minutes away from the table to compose myself. One of the dealers who'd just got off duty sat next to me and I talked with him. It would be more accurate to say he talked to me, as I didn't say much. I was happy for him to do so as he was dead nice. In between rambling about this and that he said something, a little sound bite, that has stayed with me.
It wasn't a particularly wise or clever bit of advice. Nor do I understand why it has helped me so much. It's so simple and obvious, that if I saw it written down in a book or an article, or even in a post on an internet forum, then I would have been likely to instantly dismiss it. Something though, perhaps the way he said it, has made me take it to heart.
I'm pleased to say I've never had any similar problems since. I think what that dealer told me that day has had a lot to do with this.
I never did get that dealer's name, or thank him properly for helping me so much. It was the 2nd last day of the festival. The following day, at the main event, I looked for him to say ta but he was nowhere to be seen. Sometimes I'm not altogether sure it was a real person speaking to me that night. Perhaps he was a figment of my imagination, in my disorientated state I could possibly have confused the two and was speaking to myself (or listening to myself) the whole time. I like to think he was a poker angel though, who came down from up high to help me in my moment of need and give me a little nugget, one simple little sentence, that I will carry with me throughout the rest of my poker career.
Whether real, imaginary or supernatural I'd like to say to him... Thank you very much.
I went on to enjoy the remainder of the tournament, managing a 7th place finish before my number was finally up.
“Just play your cards, all you can do is just play your cards.”
Thomas 'thetank' Stott