Dealing with a 'cold deck'

[benkath1]

I have been playing online poker for 13 months now. Lurking here for as long, but not posting enough. I mostly play nano limits, .05/.10 or .25/.5 or low buy in SNG. After 12 months I finally broke even. I feel like I have learned alot since my first deposit, but still consider myself a newb.

A little history of me: Before very much knowledge of BR management, or any experience, went throught 3 50 dollar deposits. Then I decided to stop and 'figure out' the game. Bought TOP THFAP SSHE SS. Concentrated mostly on the 2+2 books, and started playing .05/.1 with a 10dollar sign up bonus at Pacific. That was last June. Played conservative and in January broke even for the year with a MTT win.

It appears for me the cards hit me in clumps. I will go on a rush for a day, then be cold for a week. Rinse, Repeat. My question is, when I am running cold, should I play the same hands the same way? It's like I go into a pot with the right odds and can just feel like I'm not gonna fill up. I know I am making money on the call, but not hitting the cards.

I have a lot better understanding of the game now, but I wonder if that is hurting my play.

Oh well, any thought would be appreciated. Sorry so long, I'm obviously not very good with words and I hope I got my point across.

Ben

[Cipher]

The toughest thing in poker for me is playing through a week or two of no cards or even worse, 2nd best cards.

My approach is to always use the same basic card strategy but when my bankroll is going down I play lower stakes and when my roll is going up I move up in stakes. It is not unusual for me to move several levels in one day.

My best up day was 120 bb at various levels and I quit if I'm 25 bb down. I don't know if I maximize income but it seems to minimize variance. I never had to reload.

Good Luck

[FrankieFish]

Look in the mirror and tell yourself "Poker is about making good decisions. The more good decisions I make, the more money I make."

[HelloGoodbye]

When I'm running cold I purposely tighten up pre-flop. Mathematically I'm making a less positive decision by doing so, but it helps me enough in the pychological aspect to more than make up for that.

[Cerril]

Hmm... I'll try to deal with constructive comments here...

My strategy with a cold deck is to continually analyze my game and my 'luck' using PT... I don't make drastic changes to my game and rarely even consciously make any changes unless the numbers start showing bad tendencies. Mostly the analysis is just to keep my mind working while I go through the week or two of bad cards, making sure that they really -are- bad cards. In retrospect I can usually do a better job when it's all over of figuring out what aspects of my downswing were my fault and what were the cards, because I have a detailed understanding of my game.

But I'm hoping you're exaggerating about how your game works. You should have average luck most of the time, and even in a long streak of cold cards you should be up money. The major losses don't come from bad starting hands or bad draws but from losing with good hands and having good draws fail to come through. That may be what you mean by 'cold deck' but even so you shouldn't have more of that sort of bad luck than the reverse.

[deacsoft]

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.

[benkath1]

uh, WOW. Have I read that somewhere else or was that much thought put into my post? Anyway it definately made my favorites list. Thanks!!

[jzpiano14]

[ QUOTE ]
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.

[/ QUOTE ]


VERY NICE POST!!!! Excellent thoughts! /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[deacsoft]

[ QUOTE ]
uh, WOW. Have I read that somewhere else or was that much thought put into my post? Anyway it definately made my favorites list. Thanks!!

[/ QUOTE ]

I wrote that some time ago. It just seemed appropriate.

[Bubu]

really nice post. why don't you submit it to the 2+2 magazine. I think many would benefit from it.

[deacsoft]

[ QUOTE ]
really nice post. why don't you submit it to the 2+2 magazine. I think many would benefit from it.

[/ QUOTE ]

That was the idea once upon a time. I believed the content might be worth it, but I considered it to be a sub-par peice of writing for me. Anyway, it's here now so hopefully those that could find it helpful will see it.

[kspade]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

That was the idea once upon a time. I believed the content might be worth it, but I considered it to be a sub-par peice of writing for me.

[/ QUOTE ]

Perhaps you need an editor? It happens to be my forte (unlike writing). We could trade for a lesson or two..... PM me if interested.

[Dispatch]

Answer can be found in nature.

Nature gives us seasons, and so does poker. There is a Spring, Summer, Fall & Winter. To expect anything other than this is to go against the natural order. Can it be frustrating in the middle of "winter", when you're all ready for "spring", but another cold snap comes along; you bet.

Additionally, within seasons are abnormalalities that must be "weathered". Freak cold snaps, hail storms in the middle of a summer picnic, heat waves that cause drought - these all must be endured.

Farmers understand this all too well, but they are some of the most even-keeled folks you're ever likely to meet, because they understand "the weather" of life.

So, learn to enjoy the seasons. There's something to be learned during each one.

Good luck, and "just be".

Dispatch

[deacsoft]

I went ahead and submitted it to Mr. Malmuth anyway on the "what the hell I already wrote the thing" premise.

[benkath1]

Good! I was going to PM you for permission to do just that. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[heropretend]

i did a search on dealing with a cold deck and found this thread informative. i was coldcarded tonight at my local b&m where the action is much slower than online. my problem is over time I developed a passivity in my game, that the more i think about is borderline ridiculous. i kept seeing monsters in my head and i don't think i was able to make a single turn reraise/checkraise tonight, which is unbelievable to me, with or without cards. unlike other times when I recognize tilt and can sometimes get up, tonight I was in a great mood, seeing my plays clearly for what they were, and 2nd guessing my decision to check-call instead of reraise or checkraise. This is something I haven't prepared myself for, because my indecision and passive play allowed gutshots to call (usually getting 10-1 on a call) because I aws too scared to raise my top board pair, fearing aces or kings, and if the board paired I totally would shut down. I remember reading that this happens to plenty of players, and while I don't anticipate 4 outers catching all night, I can see taht this could potentially be black hole when/if I move up in limits (I'm currently at 3-6). I can see the answer is to GET UP, but I always wonder what other players thoughts are.

[QuadsOverQuads]

Outstanding post.


q/q