I played live poker last night with a few friends. I had Pocket 3s on the button and had 3 limpers call infront of me so I opened a standard raise which was 6BB, 3BB+1B per limper. The one on MP called. The flop came 3s 10d 10s. I raised about half of the pot to see if he had 10s and then he pushed all in so I had to call. He showed 10c-7d. The turn came which was As, and then the river went wild with 7h. I was really disgusted. I went home and decided to play online poker despite knowing the fact that I am not in the mood to do so, eventually draining out every single cent I have on my account. Any tips on how to deal with bad beats? Or is just poker not for me lol
Joined: May '13
Location: Mauritius
Age: 32 (M)
Posts: 2688
Well it is bound to happen, variance and stuffs.
Train your discipline, like do not play when tilted,tired etc. Read books on the mental side of poker.
If you can't you could use table limit restrictions on pokerstars, that might help. One thing that works for me, is when I had a very bad day is too take the next 2 days off and i'm back full of motivation and forget about the bad day!
Joined: May '08
Location: Lithuania
Age: 39 (M)
Posts: 10090
after bad beats it's recommended to have at least 1l of pure russian vodka, a couple of hot chicks aboard (although after 1l of vodka all chicks look hot) and strictly verbal conversation between all of you regarding poker and how sh1tty you've been running lately.
Joined: Nov '11
Location: Lithuania
Age: 31 (M)
Posts: 166
Tip to handle a bad beat,take a break 5 minutes,or make tilt room with things you can destroy After playing some years i have a unique solution,i just cry in corner it helps Or just do something else,like tea or coffe it will make not think about that hand
Joined: Feb '13
Location: Netherlands
Age: 51 (M)
Posts: 508
The best way to handle bad beats is for all of us diffrent. ( must say I really like Pochui's way )
Taking a break usually works for most players.
Best way to handle bad beats IMO is expecting them... They are part of poker and will happen to u , me and the rest of us anyway.
If U are expecting them, they wont hurt so much and they wont affect ur game as much as u wont expect them. No way in the world to ban Bad Beats completly, so just be prepared.
Oh and ur friend who called the preflop raise with 10 7......shoot him or just get rid of him as thats not the type of friend U want......
Joined: Nov '09
Location: Canada
Age: 55 (M)
Posts: 2387
I find it very hard to handle bad beats live, especially when it is to a donk. Usually it is the end of your tournament evening, it is in front of other players - maybe even some friends, and I have also killed my bankroll by going home afterwards and playing online. Conquering tilt is something a lot of us have struggled with, including myself, and all I can recommend to you is that now after my live tourney is over I try to have a nice stiff drink or several brewskies, watch something I like or find funny on the television, and change my mood before turning in. Don't turn on the laptop!
If you are practising safe bankroll management, especially if you play ultra-safe BRM, then losing a buy-in doesn't matter so much because it barely makes a dent. GL in you battles with tilt.
Joined: May '12
Location: United Kingdom
Age: 38 (M)
Posts: 2064
The best advice I have ever seen goes something like this:
You should not get annoyed at a bad beat, because in order to take a bad beat you must have done the right thing... and poker is all about doing the right thing. If you get your money in good - be happy, whatever the outcome... If you get your money in behind, be disappointed whatever the outcome.
So in other words, if you are constantly taking bad beats - you are likely playing very well, so if anything it should build your confidence.
Once you can get into the mindset of "taking a bad beat is a GOOD thing" - as odd as it may seem at first, eventually they won't negatively affect your play.
Remember - Good players inflict very few bad beats, and get sucked out on regularly. Bad players inflict lots of bad beats and rarely get sucked out on.
Poker is a game full of paradoxes - with experience, you'll learn this and bad beats will affect you less and less....
....unless of course your name is Phil Hellmuth
------------ And as a side note...
If I was on the button with 33 facing 3 limpers, I would certainly have just called. With a small pocket pair - you are either going to hit a set (or a full house in this situation), or not... If you miss the flop - it's highly unlikely you'll bet everyone off with your follow up bet. If you hit the flop big, you want as many opponents as possible to pay you off. Raising preflop does 2 things you don't want with pocket 3s.... makes the pot larger - so the follow up bet will have to be larger - and thins the field, giving you less potential pay off people.
Posted by yout85: The best advice I have ever seen goes something like this:
You should not get annoyed at a bad beat, because in order to take a bad beat you must have done the right thing... and poker is all about doing the right thing. If you get your money in good - be happy, whatever the outcome... If you get your money in behind, be disappointed whatever the outcome.
So in other words, if you are constantly taking bad beats - you are likely playing very well, so if anything it should build your confidence.
Once you can get into the mindset of "taking a bad beat is a GOOD thing" - as odd as it may seem at first, eventually they won't negatively affect your play.
Remember - Good players inflict very few bad beats, and get sucked out on regularly. Bad players inflict lots of bad beats and rarely get sucked out on.
Poker is a game full of paradoxes - with experience, you'll learn this and bad beats will affect you less and less....
....unless of course your name is Phil Hellmuth
------------ And as a side note...
If I was on the button with 33 facing 3 limpers, I would certainly have just called. With a small pocket pair - you are either going to hit a set (or a full house in this situation), or not... If you miss the flop - it's highly unlikely you'll bet everyone off with your follow up bet. If you hit the flop big, you want as many opponents as possible to pay you off. Raising preflop does 2 things you don't want with pocket 3s.... makes the pot larger - so the follow up bet will have to be larger - and thins the field, giving you less potential pay off people.
That is excellent advice on how to think about bad beats. I scold myself for getting the money in when I'm behind, even when I end up winning the hand, and likewise console, even compliment myself on getting the money in good, even when losing the hand.
I'm not so sure about the side note though. I raise small pocket pairs the same amount as premium pairs and AK. For one, your opponents won't clue in on your holdings as easy, and it makes for much better post flop play. Since you've taken the betting lead, you can still take the pot even when an ace flops against ragged ace holdings, especially in position. When in doubt either bet or fold. One of the few exceptions to this is the early stages of freeroll play, I find, where limping is just part of the deal.
I think the OP played the hand correctly. The tilt following it, was the mistake.
Joined: Mar '09
Location: Greece
Age: 47 (F)
Posts: 14136
If you see that you are too upset and cant control yourself playing rationally, then you should consider a small break. If it is in a tournament though and you are still in it, you cant do that. Just try to forget that hand and move on.
Joined: May '09
Location: Estonia
Age: 35 (M)
Posts: 777
If you play by correct bankroll management rules, the bad beats shouldn`t bother you. The moment you are playing for too much money, then you get frustrated by the beats. At least that`s how it is with me. If I get a bad beat in a tournment, i just say "f**k it!, i have 5 other tourneys running" and i open up a new one. For me the key is bankroll management.
Joined: Apr '11
Location: Romania
Age: 35 (M)
Posts: 6669
It's doesn't matter if you are a new player or an old prayer, the thing is basically the same.
First of all you need to respect brm, if you play with your full br you are done. Secondly try not to get too mad, it's nothing you can do about it lol
Joined: Feb '13
Location: Netherlands
Age: 51 (M)
Posts: 508
Posted by teddybears73: i generally rant and rave at the screen,then go and get a drink (not neccessarily alcohol ). and by the time i come back i'm ready to go again.
I think thats the best part of online poker , U can shout, scream an curse at ur screen and no one on the table will notice......only my neighbours will call the police one day......
I do make notes on all players with whom I am seated, just a brief note bout their play style. But when someone gives me a real bad beat , then the notes are usually a lot loger. It is really funny when I am seated with this person in another tournament. The things I write in the heat of the moment are not my most beautifull thoughts.
Joined: May '13
Location: United Kingdom
Age: 37 (M)
Posts: 2219
Use a Poker HUD like Poker Tracker. It can help you improve your game but telling your leaks and it also writes down information of how everyone else plays as well as to keep an idea on your stats.
Joined: Feb '12
Location: Canada
Age: 64 (M)
Posts: 6036
Man,...that's one of the WORST times to play poker... I've gotten all bent out of shape before, and gotten absolutely sick of playing,...but continued anyway,...and all it usually leads to is even MORE disaster...
You just have to get away from it for a while. Take a break for a few days... I've done what you have before and burned away my bankroll in a few days and gotten even MORE discouraged...no fun at all...
Play more Freerolls that way if you lose you wont really lose because no risk was involved and watch out for the Russians they are favoured in my opinion over the past 5 years of playing with them
