Ask Alec: What to Do When You Lose Confidence In Poker? (Poker Tips)

[@hawkstrike2565]

I thought this was a super topic to address, Alec. As an amateur, I often question my knowledge and skill, and I have often wondered how players at higher levels deal with this sort of stress. Your insight on how inner dialogue and intuition should play into decisions on whether to play (or not) is valuable. Your videos on hand analysis, strategic thinking, and poker theory are always interesting, but I find the coaching you offer on subjects like confidence no less valuable. Great work...thank you!

[@MrZola1234]

The two recent appearances on Live@thebike had some sick hero calls. Amazing stuff, keep it up.

[@TheQuocy04]

Alec Torelli can you talk about that JJ call down on the Bike vs Doug ? would be interesting to see how you made that call down

[@Trias805]

Doug is obsessed with balancing his range. You can't just say "he's Doug, he must be bluffing". Do you seriously think it's that simple against one of the best players in the world?

[@benjamincleveland9717]

Quoc Pham have you never looked at a live player before and put a read on them or call down a tighter player with second pair because if you can't read anybody EVER then stay away from NLH

[@stebbiej]

Black panther underwater I'm here for it...oh damn I was just lookin at a commercial lol

[@NevardEQ]

This exact situation happened to me last Friday. I had been on a great run the past few weeks and my normal game was coming up. Something in my gut kept telling me to just skip this week, but like you said I tried to convince myself just to go and power through it. Ended up getting slaughtered on the table the entire night getting felted 3 times. After watching this video it did make me realize that I did have other things on my things on my mind and stuff on my to-do list that took me away from the game. Hopefully next time I will better assess my current state and listen to my gut a little more. Thanks for the video. Keep them coming!

[@kreteman777]

Let me first say I am very ocd. Last week I sat down at the table and on my first hand I had 43 suited on the button. Mp raised and I thought about calling but decided to fold. However I told myself if the board brings quad 3s I need to leave the table. It ran out Q8333! I didn't leave though. The next 2 hands I was dealt were pocket 33s. I still didn't leave. Then I preceded to get stacked. Coincidence? I don't know

[@SausageCF]

Excellent advice & insight... thx Alec

[@stasyszy]

punt this house in the middle, my new fav saying for allin bluffs

[@prolibra72]

enjoyed video as always. interesting that I saw this video right after I saw "live at the bike " video about you and Doug Polk! Wow!

[@markpham4044]

during the biggest downswing of my life (2 years of losing), I was just blaming everything and never once thought to myself that the problem was with me or my game, etc. Once I was able to accept it, shit just turn around. winning cures all confidence issues.....when you lose confidence in a game that requires that poker confidence swag...it's time to take a break. poker will always be there when you have your confidence back....

[@quality333]

I was hoping you were still on that downswing so i can relate to someone else that has my same problem

[@ImmunityMuzik]

I have that intuition fight, all the time! Great analysis and video.

[@rudistorm3348]

Good vid. When I lose confidence in cash games I play less hands. Not sure this would work in Tourneys. Intuition is a powerful tool in life. When your gut says don't play today, fold your hand, or don't get on that plane! Follow that inner voice it is there for a reason.

[@EricSmyth4Christ]

What you want to do is look back at your results. This is one of the many reasons it's so key to keep a strict, honest journal of your wins/losses. Online you mostly want to keep track of withdrawals and deposits only, but live... everything. Hours played, tips, and other notes. When you are having low confidence, go back and add everything up and see how much you are winning or losing. If you truly are a winning player, you will have many hours to sample your progress. For me, I find assurance in my very large win rate live, and my $0-$6k runs online, as well as having bigger withdrawals than deposits in general. Even 16-time bracelet winner Phil Hellmuth has those days where he sucks. He begins to doubt himself, and have negative thoughts. Just like what I do, Phil finds security in his ability by his past results in constantly turning 10,000 tournament chips into millions. Having no track keeping can give one a deflated sense of oneself, since often times players win big, forget about it, then spend that money on life, go broke, come back to poker, and lose. Even if poker was a net positive overall, they quickly forget that poker was a profitable game for them in the past, let alone still being one, with no hard evidence to back up their claims either way.

[@gregoriocorrea4867]

please explain the hand against Doug Polk this will probably give your channel tons of views and subs!!!! great call man !!!

[@stkfr]

When i m loosing confidence for some reason i m playing tighter till i feel more confident

[@felipelumo2705]

I tighten up for some time, and play only ABC poker with no bluffs attempt. After a while I usually start winning again. I play 10 and 25 PLO zooms, that works there, although I have to say I am basically a shark who should move up in stakes but I just have no courage to do that...

[@MaidenJoel]

Lost huge the other night several times but making good moves, top set against flush draw all in On turn, flush gets there. All in TPTK against TP 2nd kicked on turn, river they hit their pair, ect. But just gotta' keep grinding

[@c.h.7989]

I always go with my gut.

[@nighttrain316]

Right now, I know I am a good player. However, Saturday at cincy, I get called by guys when I three bet their straddle with 6-8..and the guy leaves 10 bucks behind! I can only bet 10 bucks, he calls on flop of J 10 6 board, and it holds against my AK suited. This SEVERELY makes me question everything. I am good enough to be consistently playing higher games, but I can't build a bank roll on a consistent basis to get there as i have to drive two hours to nearest live casino. Ugg...I want to just cry so often. I think people like Alec (although a great player) just have a ton of luck behind them...and I wonder at my age of now 39, when is it my turn. I know I am good enough, but I can't afford "poker coaching"'. I have a mortgage, car payment, student loan etc. When I guy says "how did you know I had queens" after I call his hand out, you know they respect me. Yet, I can't crack the whales. Sorry, just my two cents. Right now, my confidence is all time low, and i want to give up and just work until I die with no fun. Help Alec.

[@ronaldbarnes1746]

Peter Parker There is good free info here and there on internet. Sorry about your confidence. I think the first step is to not think you are such a good player. This can be difficult to admit. On the example you described you basically knew with 100 certainty that with only $10 left the person wouldnt fold. This means you have zero equity. You put the person all in anyways and upset you got out flopped. To place a bluff into someone you know will not fold means you lack discipline and not that good. Because you think people like Alex were lucky means that you may not take this constructively. Master the concept of fold equity and discipline.

[@nighttrain316]

well, my comment for some reason did not take so I will write it again. The fact you are pointing out fold equity shows you could not follow along with the though process and how the hand played. Point is, the guy is bad enough to call and leave 10 bucks behind..so he is clueless to the action in front of him. That is the point. Of course I don't expect him to fold for 10 bucks with a pair flopped. To say I lack discipline is a slap in my face as well buddy. Please, tell me how three betting with AK suited is bluffing? Please... And please show up to my game as well...

[@huktawnfonixx]

Why does losing a 63% spot from preflop make you question everything?

[@nighttrain316]

Can you tell me how I am a 63% dog pre flop with AK suited against his 6-8off? Again, I am getting trolled by people who don't know what I am specifically talking about and they turn it into the flop...gosh!

[@huktawnfonixx]

Peter Parker now that you actually specify the hands I can tell you it's 65%. It is 65% because that's how math works, punch it in to any equity calculator. If you're trolling this is a really pathetic attempt.

[@L4poker]

haha 2:22 made me laugh

[@LoveNLoot]

Cheers i play at the bike 2 i see you

[@mrdaddy671]

Ur vids are 100x more helpful than dougs, and he was hating on ur intros lmao

[@TWOTHREEOFCLUBS]

Voodoo that's funny!

[@gsf23]

Here is another sign you've lost confidence in your poker: You are getting stuck, so you secretly add on over the cap and then keep the extra chips hidden from the rest of the table until someone pushes you all in.

[@the-chillian]

I'll just file this away for when I have any reason at all to be confident in my game in the first place...

[@chucknola484]

Can you turn that airplane noise down in the background next time Thanks

[@DiamondHandsEy]

Easy..... Xanax