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Keeping Score with Dollars
http://www.pokerpressbox.com/Articles/articles/83/1/Keeping-Score-with-Dollars/Page1.html
Dave Zamzack
 
By Dave Zamzack
Published on 08/24/2007
 
Being scared of the money in your bankroll and the fear of losing can keep players from wagering and playing in the fashion that would most likely result in a win.  Aggressive play styles are very often rewarded, after all, and playing overly defensively can be the worst way to win when you are playing against some of the best in the world. 

Keeping Score with Dollars

Playing against a skilled poker player can be a difficult matter to deal with.  Knowing that at any given time you could lose a months worth of wages or worse at the poker table is a scary thought, and can leave the player with a fear of the game that can make it impossible to act and play with confidence.  This ability to scare a player and fill them with fear is not exclusive to the game of poker, but it is very common.  Being scared of the money in your bankroll and the fear of losing can keep players from wagering and playing in the fashion that would most likely result in a win.  Aggressive play styles are very often rewarded, after all, and playing overly defensively can be the worst way to win when you are playing against some of the best in the world.  Trading your money with too much value at the poker player or focusing on the amounts that you are a wagering can be detrimental to the player.  Considering the amount of money that you bring to the table as a score and nothing more, similar to what you would get at an arcade machine can help mitigate this fear.  This score represents your ability to win at the game and should be increased and propped up as much as possible.

 This method of removing the dollar amount from the concept of playing poker and reverting this  winning indicator to a simple score, so it's a high score that a video game would merit, can do wonders for helping the poker player to get their mind straight about how to win the game and how to play aggressively, despite the ever present thought of the value of the cards.  This minor psychological trick can reduce the pressure on the poker player and make them steadier and more confident and ready to continue playing with a less stressful and less concerned outlook.

 While many players find it difficult to disassociate themselves with the amount of money that they are wagering, it is a necessary factor in the playing of poker, as any player who is overly focused on the value of their money cannot fully concentrate on the game in hand.  Converting your liquid cash into poker chips helps, but thinking of your bankroll as a score and nothing more, although perhaps a score that means more than any score that you have ever achieved before, can assist in reducing the amount of pressure on the poker player to win.