Superstition in Poker...

[duck_butter]

In the past I've always laughed at the people who really believe in certain hands are good luck and others are bad...or people who play differently because they are "on a rush."

But perhaps they are on to something afterall. Over the past 4 months playing NL Hold-Em, I lost 5 huge pots all due to flopping a set when someone else flopped a higher set. All 5 times, I had pocket 5s. (These were the only 5 hands I encountered set over set). I started calling pocket 5s "My Bane" and started folding them anytime I got them.

Recently, I decided that there was no room for superstition in poker. So I started playing them again. Last night I lost a large pot with 55 after flopping a set - ended up all in on the turn and some guy called on a gutshot and hit the river. Then this morning I flopped another set of 5s, found myself all in on the turn VS a set of 4s, and the guy hit the last 4 on the river to make QUADS.

Honestly, I mean...come on! I am a rational person, but after this string of events, I am dumbfounded, and simply think I was not meant to play 55. Any ideas or help?

Is there room for superstition in high level poker? Any of the pros really believe in this stuff?

Thanks

[Sadat X]

I know you.

PS: sorry bout the cold cards homey, but bad beat posts will get you no love here, not to mention that they won't improve your game.

[CrayZee]

Supposedly Johnny Chan is superstitious in a functional way. According to Greenstein, it helps him not tilt. I would think that constantly changing dealers and decks, etc., would be a pain in the ass in the long run.

So, I guess the answer is yes, but with a cost. When people are confident in their games, they want to believe in a bunch of crazy stuff that has nothing to do with playing or running bad...It's like becoming a winning player always shields you from a losing streak or that there's no luck in poker other than good.

[dwedeking]

[ QUOTE ]
...or people who play differently because they are "on a rush."

[/ QUOTE ]

I'll play differently on a "rush", but it's because the table views you differently. You can be more aggressive and get folds because the other people believe that the "cards are in his favor".

[duck_butter]

Yes, there's certainly nothing wrong with this, you are using table perception to your advantage. I was referring to the players who play extremely unsound poker because they are on a rush....like calling large bets with very marginal hands or long draws.

[weimoxer]

Superstitions are bad luck....

[duck_butter]

You know me?? From online or live?

Anyhow...this is not a sympathy post for a bad beat. The string of beats I've taken with the same hand is incredible. I'm asking a genuine question on superstition in poker. If it exists at the professional level, and whether or not there is a place for it.

[dwedeking]

I'm seen weird stuff happen at the table numbers wise. I remember a night last week when I saw 3 of a kind flop (all 3 on the board) 3 times, a guy won high hand with a queen high straight flush and at 1 minute past that hour went on the high hand board with 4 kings (not one of the times that 3 of a kind flopped). All this at the same table within 3 or 4 hours. If you play long enough you will see weird stuff happen. It should not affect your play if your play is based upon solid understanding of the math of the game, though you may need an extra beer or two to get through it all [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[Pokit2s]

I think superstition in anything is stupid and a waste of time. As soon as you start thinking about superstition in poker, you start taking away from playing your best game.