Adrenaline Shakes

[CAPPARELLA]

Keep calculating more odds, the more occupied you are with that the less you think about your winning hand, maybe try to get a better read on your opponents as well...play your opponents not your hand

[Iceman37]

I get the adrenaline shakes ANY TIME I'm in a big hand...and not exclusively live games either. I shake even playing play money online. I attribute this to just being a pretty high strung player. For me it's not a tell because I am shaking whether I've got a monster or I'm on a stone bluff. The only thing I've found that really seems to help it at all is to focus on breathing (which is something else I have difficulties with if I'm in a big hand). Breathe in, breathe out...slowly though, and as deeply as you can get away with without giving yourself away.

Oddly enough, the biggest hand I was ever dealt in live play caused me to STOP shaking. I don't know if it's because I was absolutely certain I wouldn't be beat (I WAS--read all about it on my blog @ icemanpoker.blogspot.com) or what, but when I hit my straight flush I stopped shaking entirely. My only tell at that time was a raging woody at the prospect of taking down a huge pot.

Whatever you do, though, don't think of adrenaline shakes as something "weak" or other silliness. Adrenaline amps your body, and there's nothing you can do about that. Likewise, intense pressure situations pump the adrenaline. Nothing you can (or should) do about that either. Minimize the shaking as much as you can and then move on. Being a solid player more than makes up for the shakes and any "tell" you might be giving away anyway.

[bbh]

I agree with the drinking idea. Three or four beers keeps the shaking down and really makes me play well.

[Iceman37]

I agree, though I find that beer takes a little too long. Nothing beats a bottle of scotch and two or three tequila shots when you just want to cut those shakes down a bit. And it has the side benefit of making those K6os look pretty damned good...kinda like the girls all getting prettier as the night wears on at the bar.

Seriously, though...I firmly believe drinking while you're playing is suicidal. THAT SAID, I don't think a SINGLE drink before play is necessarily a bad idea--unless its the first drink you've had since prom night and you weigh 85 pounds soaking wet. The calming effect outweighs any (should be minimal) impairment of the judgement, I find.

Or a quaalude or two before play. That does it, too.

just play more. at first i would shake but then the more u play u realize one hand isnt very important in the big picture and you will loose ur excitment

I know its hard, But don't look at it as Money. If its not in my pocket or bank its just chips.

I had to learn to teach my brain to not react. I look at it like this, its not over till the last hand is played.