deacsoft wrote this:
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There is nothing or no one to blame for cold cards, but there is a correct way to handle them. Fallacies do exist as to who or what is responsible for a run of cold cards. These fallacies are uncomplicatedly disproved, and a player is left with a simple and effective method of dealing with cold cards. That method is can be broken down into four basic steps. The first of which is having the proper realization.
Some poker players are quick to make hasty generalizations and conclude that the on-line site or casino dealer, the deck, the seat, or luck are responsible for the cards being dealt. In the literal sense of the statement all of those are correct although, they are not responsible for the quality of the cards being dealt. How many players curse at the poker software or casino dealer for receiving undesirable cards at the start of a hand? They fail to acknowledge that on-line sites use random number generators to keep the cards randomly dispersed over the tables and that casinos have automatic shufflers or dealers that shuffle the cards between every hand. These methods are sound, random, and fair to all players at the table. In live play it is not uncommon to hear a player ask for a new deck while on a cold run of cards. This player is fixating blame on an inanimate object. The deck has no way of controlling the cards that player receives. Others blame yet another inanimate object. They blame the seat they are sitting in. Your seat at the table has no way to increase or decrease the chances of receiving more desirable starting hands. The last, and most common, blame is placed upon the luck factor. Luck in poker can be described as, the short-term loophole in probability. However, the laws of probability discredit the luck factor when combined with a perception known as "long-view".
"Long-view" is a term used by poker players to describe a way of long-term thinking and is the second step to dealing with cold cards. Long-term thinking is crucial to the psychology of a poker player. Without it poker players can be mentally overcome by short-term results that may send them on tilt or worse. The "long-view" mentality is that over a long period of time the laws of probability will hold true. Probability states that the odds of being dealt pocket aces are 220 to 1, against. A player may be dealt 500 hands and never receive pocket aces. However, the "long-view" will foresee the laws of probability taking effect. Over the next 5000 hands the number of times that player is dealt pocket aces, when added to the previous 500 hands, will become much closer to matching the odds of 220 to 1, against. Meaning that, over time the probability of an event occurring will be very accurate. (482 words) The proper realization will get a player mentally prepared for when they do have to deal with cold cards, but how are cold cards played?
The answer to that question is, The exact same way as any other time. Staying on their game is a player’s next step to dealing with cold cards. If a player routinely folds A-Qo in middle position to a raise and re-raise by solid players that player should continue to do so. Even if A-Qo is the best starting hand that player has been dealt in 10 rounds it should be folded. It is crucial that a player stays with their game. Often a poker player will become bored and impatient while on a run of cold cards. The player will then proceed to "force the action". The player will play hands that should be folded in an attempt to win a pot or end the cold streak. This commonly results in the loss of big bets and may send the player on tilt. It has been said, that to play solid poker is to play boring poker. Expecting to play only good hands and knowing the frequency that these hands are dealt will help mentally prepare a player to deal with cold cards that result in boredom. A player must continue to fold the cold cards preflop and by doing so not come off their game. At the first sign of coming off their game a player must recognize and correct or leave the game. When trying to stay on their game a poker player must also control the factor of ego.
The world of poker seems to be an ego's playground. Controlling the ego is the fourth, and final, step to dealing with cold cards. Many players like to think they're the best and let everyone on their table know it. They want to be in their raising with the nuts and making great plays that have the rest of the table in awe. Being on a run of cold card forces an ego to remain stagnant. Cold cards do not permit a player to show anyone else at the table how good they are by winning pot after pot. That is, at least, the ego driven thought process behind this rationalization. In fact, other solid players at the table may recognize this as discipline and respect the player who continues to not force the action and not let ego be the difference between playing correctly and incorrectly. An ego driven player needs to know and believe that respect from solid players is worth far more than the respect of the unskilled players. The solid players will respect those who play correctly. The difference between a playing correctly and incorrectly, over time, will be the most significant factor in being a winning or losing poker player.
Dealing with cold cards is no more than a mindset or understanding. It requires no ability to make world class moves on the poker table. It requires no World Series of Poker bracelet. The greatest players the world has to offer are able to blame only themselves for their play during a run of cold cards. They are able to recognize the fallacies and discard them as such. They are able to maintain their discipline and not let boredom become a factor that causes mistakes in their play. They are able to keep their ego off the table and do so knowing that they are playing solid poker. They are able to understand that all of the sessions they play will, in the end, make up one big game. These factors, in turn, help make them great.
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In
this old thread by some greenhorn.