Session Mgmnt: Getting off on the right foot

I wanted to have some dialogue on how folks approach their first couple hands in a session; whether you multi-table or not.

Recently, I've noticed that I sometimes sit down and jump into the action way too quickly, and make some bad decisions early on. This includes taking speculative hands too far, not believing people, and trying to bully people without establishing my TAG image (so they NEVER fold). So, I end up digging myself in a temporary hole and then take the remainder of the session to get things back on track.

Right now, I'm considering an approach where I sit and fold EVERYTHING except category 1 hands, until I start to get reads and people and establish fold equity. So, say I sit on my hands for 20-30 hands on each table until I build some PT history and reads. Thoughts?

Maybe this is Poker 101 stuff, so feel free to pwn me and move to beginner ....I just need a gut check.

i had KK this morning on my first hand.
opp raises standard i reraise he pushes i call doh.

I alwasy lose first up or under bet a few hands. I do however play nittish until i either get into the swing of the table or actually wake up

I used to have this problem as well. Back when you could record observed hands, I'd sit down to X amount of tables, sit out, and grab a sandwich while PT was taking down data on my ops. This allowed me to get a little sense of the table. Since that can't be done anymore, the only thing I really can do is just sit down and force myself to play passive until I set up an image and figure out the other ops.

To expand...my single biggest issue is firing into opponents where I don't know if they are a calling station or can fold a hand. I'm noticing more lately that so many weak players will call c-bets with Ax just to see a turn, since they don't have a read on me (common fish logic).

Of course, this is great when I hit. However, I probably lost 20-30 bb this morning firing second pot barrels into a calling station before realizing that he ain't folding bottom or middle pair with no kicker.

Originally Posted by Miffed22001

i had KK this morning on my first hand.
opp raises standard i reraise he pushes i call doh.

I alwasy lose first up or under bet a few hands. I do however play nittish until i either get into the swing of the table or actually wake up

Been there done that.

When I start off I play like a nit until I get the feel of things.

At the beginning of the session, I just play my cards, I try not get involved in marginal situations until I get reads. Once the "stats" and "reads" come in, then I open up the game some