[TASlowHands]

When I played SEA all the time I would play my first game on NA to get into it.

Now I just play NA all the time and after a while you just stop caring about first game problems

[ToRPatto]

Thanks everybody for the advice.. I think I might learn a cheese or funky strat and see how I go. 4 port banshee vs z or p sounds fun haha guess it just comes with time

[FS.Kezz]

When I know for sure I'm going to be playing in the next few hours or just after I've woken up in the morning, I spend some time getting myself excited about the game by picturing in my mind how it would look if I played perfectly. For example I set up an imaginary engagement and picture how I would micro against the opponent's army, and imagine multitasking to send some drops to all of his bases, and imagine winning the fight and crushing through to destroy all of his buildings. It usually only takes 5-10 minutes minimum (can be longer if I have time) and I feel so much more excited to find a game than if I haven't thought about it.

[ROCCAT_Savior]

Play a 1v1 on the server you play on the least, if you have sea/na ect. Or play a team game.

What I do just play any server and do one of the more aggressive builds I have in my repertoire as it works on both my macro and micro to get them warmed up.

[breadfan]

Just get out of the mindset that each ladder match actually matters. Ladder is not a way to measure your skill under a microscope. The matchmaking system wants you to lose as much as you win. So basically, it is trying to find games for you to lose. I used to get bad ladder anxiety, but I took a break and my mindset changed. Don't know how I got there so all I can tell you is where you need to go, sorry.

It might help to remember that pretty much all the way up to the pro level, players are losing as often as they are winning. The ones who aren't are named Liquid Taeja and they all kill teams called Incredible Miracle in team leagues.

[SLCNPezz]

i have a few accounts 1 taht i dont really care about but play toss on anyway, another that i do care about and one that i offrace on. I play on either offrace one or don't care one first to get warmed up. :P

[jayaiwhy]

Originally Posted by TASlowHands

When I played SEA all the time I would play my first game on NA to get into it.

Now I just play NA all the time and after a while you just stop caring about first game problems

aha I'm exact opposite, NA is much harder for me so I mess around on SEA first xD

[Fairyking]

Stop being a coward and play, it's that simple, if you're not man enough to play a video game that's pretty sad lol.

[DUCKVILLELOL]

I've been playing for quite a long time, so I don't really get anxiety as it were; however sometimes if I try something a bit whacky or do a build I haven't done for a while I'll make sure I have specific music on; normally some power metal because it gets my mind pumping hehe.

[RVLiveR]

I think I got used to ladder anxiety by fraps-ing my games - it made me get used to the pressure and after a while i didn't feel anything.

[A3Mercury]

I'm pretty new to Starcraft and RTS games as a whole. I've literally only ever played FPS games my entire life on consoles lol. So I get anxiety before every ladder game I play. after I win 3 or 4 in a row I start to get really nervous because I know that I'm going to be playing ppl higher up each time. I usually do most competitive things better with anxiety so I almost rely on it. I hope I don't ever become completely complacent with SC like I did with halo. You make more mistakes if you're not nervous I think.

[Dox]

I just accept that my first game of every day is going to be really sloppy, riddled with mistakes and poor mechanics. Back when I used to stream my ladder games, I'd usually play my first (warm-up) game off-stream before going live. Just consider it a warm up!

[eCKo`Switch]

I just treat my first game as a warm up, and do something silly like queen hydra or mass baneling. Puts me in a good mood for the following games and warms up the hands so you're not so sloppy playing seriously

[inFeZa]

I play a team game or two. But even then, the first game of the day doesn't count.

I'd Actually rather lose the first game, this way gets me driven to play more.

[JiNxXx]

I actually play a couple rounds of CA on Quake Live to warm up before hitting SC2.

I'm a fps junkie. aha

[Typhoon]

Somehow the first game of the day has come a must win for me. If i don't start on a high note i tilt. Any games after the first game tho i don't care much about...

[ChiLLwindSC2]

I used to get pretty bad ladder anxiety only because i didn't want to lose and get demoted but then i started looking at it in a different way. I looked at it like ''i don't care if i lose as long as constantly make probes and dont get supply blocked'' and i'd look as every game as a learning experience.
I also stopped drinking energy drinks and other high sugar drinks because that can lead to higher levels of anxiety aswell.

[ToRMaverick]

Just think that you are versing someone else that is also playing their first game of the day

After a few thousand games on ladder the nerves tend to die down, the tournaments on the other hand....

[FLuX]

Just hit find match and expect to lose. If you lose, well you can tell yourself that the other guy was a noob and that you lost because it's your first match of the day. If you win, feel good because you just started the day off with a win >.<

[ToRPatto]

I'm starting to get over it.. I was just wondering what everybody else did pre-first game rituals were