Dealing with "Go Broke" hands...

Teetster · #1 11-07-2006, 12:31 PM

I'll admit I have issues with tilt. Often times its a "go broke" hand that does it to me. What I mean is a hand that you cannot get away from that ends up felting you. For example this was live 2/5NL:

Get 1010 in mid-position, I limp, button raises, one caller and I call. (Button player ALWAYS raised the button.)

3 of us see the Flop: all under cards, 2 hearts, otherwise unconnected. Button raises, I re-raise, 1 fold, button calls.

Turn is 10 hearts, 3rd heart on the board and makes me a set. I bet big, button calls.

River is a brick, I push for what I have left and lose to AJh.

The 10h killed me. It made my hand and also killed it. The button on this hand is a calling station, and also raised the button every time. No way I could put him on a heart draw.

The way this went down, I go broke every time. This hand sent me on tilt because the villan was a total donkey calling station and I was counting his chips on the turn because I knew I had him. Whoops.

I was totally flipping out after this hand. And its not the first time I've tilted like that. So, my question is how do you deal with this? My way of steaming and tilting off buyins is not very smart. So what do you do?

Thanks - Brian

revots33 · #2 11-07-2006, 02:54 PM

This just sounds like a generic beat to me. Guy semi-bluffed a flush draw, called your raise, then hit his flush on the turn. Happens. You should've been more suspicious after he called your big bet on the turn IMO. It screams made flush.

Daniel Negreanu talked about "the ability to take a punch in the gut" on HSP one week, and it's good to think about after a tough beat. You need to be able to take a punch to the gut and keep fighting.

Teetster · #3 11-07-2006, 03:25 PM

True, it wasn't a particularly special beat, or a particularly well played hand. It just was one that set me off. I could have given a few stories. (I seem to lose a lot when flopping nut straights, for instance...)

I guess next time I'll re-buy and take a walk for a few minutes. I don't know any other way to bring myself down from it. Just get away and try to refocus.

That is the part that scares me when I think of playing more seriously. I know I can have a problem tilting, I need to find a way to overcome it.

Because really, I play pretty low compared to my available roll. $400 really doesn't mean much to me, so why do I freak out if I lose a buy-in to a bad beat or stupid play? I don't know why, but I do.

BigErf · #4 11-07-2006, 04:13 PM

I have come to realize that playing poker gives me a certain thrill even though I know that I DONT have a gambling problem. Most people can probably relate to this. However, even when you play you have to have these "thrills", in my opinion, or else you wouldnt have any reason to play competetively. It is normal to love the feeling of winning that big pot and HATING the losses. If it effects you so much than maybe poker will never truely be profitable for you if you dont help yourself with this. I think pros can deal with this because they know the bigger picture. Sure it sucks but it HAS to happen. Remember poker isnt one hand and what you want to accomplish isnt going to happen in one hand. I think this is what seperates "gambling for the thrill" and "playing to win". Hope you can realize what this says, it will help!

sigurrostyp · #5 11-07-2006, 10:29 PM

maybe you should just accept that it is a game and move on with life

2461Badugi · #6 11-08-2006, 01:23 AM

Don't take psychological ownership of the pot until you're stacking the chips. If you get ahead of yourself on the "this is my pot" feeling, you will tilt when you lose it. Nearly everyone will. The solution is to always know that you can be beat, unless you're holding the immortal nuts.

Suigin406 · #7 11-08-2006, 09:23 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Don't take psychological ownership of the pot until you're stacking the chips. If you get ahead of yourself on the "this is my pot" feeling, you will tilt when you lose it. Nearly everyone will. The solution is to always know that you can be beat, unless you're holding the immortal nuts.

[/ QUOTE ]

this is a good way of looking at it...don't get too attached so u can't be hit with a bad letdown...true, these kinds of hands stink, but u just gotta deal with them and move on...

kyzerjose · #8 11-08-2006, 11:02 AM

Anger is a frequent response to unrealized expectations.
Go into each session knowing that you'll be subject to a wide variety of outcomes. It's okay to be angry. If you stay angry, know what the consequences are for your behavior.
Try and be indifferent to outcomes. They are neither good nor bad. They are neutral.
Play with the Wise Mind, not the Emotional or Rational Mind.

darkcore · #9 11-08-2006, 03:37 PM

the book "zen and the art of poker" really helped me with these issues.

Quanah Parker · #10 11-08-2006, 05:49 PM

Two things helped me get over my anger when the sheep slaughter the butcher.
1- Repetition. When it happens over and over, it becomes easier to accept.
2- Success. When you're winning overall, it makes the loses OK.

Also, I still occasinly have to yell out a "F" bomb at full volume (online only).
I just try to laugh it off. The fish that gets lucky vs. me today, will feed me tommorrow, and the next day, and the next day.