Getting Pissed Off At Players Hitting On You

I never used to get pissed off when I got unlikely bad beats. But now, as of late, the amount that its happening has started to add up. When they river their 2 outers, or on the turn when their pp turns a set to beat my 3-of-a-kind, its just really upsetting. I take no consolation in that "winning in the long run" idea, since I am angry now, not later. Any advice?

[Nigel]

I thought this was dating related. /images/graemlins/frown.gif

[Klepton]

so do you wanna talk this over dinner or what?

Not today I dont. I'm down 1800 in 2 weeks.

[xxx]

Move down, so that the money involved is not tied to your emotions. Think only in terms of BB.

Meditate on the biggest bad beat you ever put on someone. Reflect on the Karma in the universe.

Try some different form of poker for a change of pace. NL, Lim, 7cs, O8, etc.

Take a break. Watch a movie. Rounders is good, there is a special edition version out with Chan, Hellmouth, Fergeson, and Moneymaker giving commentary over the soundtrack. I also just watched a new video called Poker Bustouts. Very good stuff.

I do think in terms of bb, I was just referencing the money as a reference to the dinner.

I think I will have to take a break this coming week anyways, busy with school and all. Ill see if I cool down.

[Vish]

You play poker?

Been there, done that. Got awfully tired of it. Then one day, I don't remember when/how/why, I started thinking of how this "stinkin' thinkin'" was screwing up my play. It wasn't an epiphany, it took a few days of mulling.

I thought about all the times, in business especially, I'd come up against this, that and the other and gotten my butt kicked. Sale not made, proposal not accepted, etc. And those things I always took as "a part of doin' bidnezz."

I started thinking, when in a traffic jam, about to miss a plane, etc., "OK, this isn't the first time, and it's sure as hell not going to be the last."

I know this is probably sounding sophmoric (and a few other descriptions), but it worked, for me. I take this attitude with me to the table. I know some jerk's going to draw out on me, I know I'm going to be on the dirty end of a bad beat. It's part of the game. Period. It's in every book you've ever read, or will read.

I smile, tell the guy, with all the sincerity and humility I can muster, "Nice hand." And then I start concentrating on the next hand. That other one's finished.

If you let the crap get to you, you're handing the keys to the car over to the crap. It's your car, dammit. YOU do the driving. YOU decide where to turn or not.

Good luck to you. Hang in there.

/images/graemlins/wink.gif

[Lash]

[ QUOTE ]
since I am angry now, not later. Any advice?

[/ QUOTE ]

Looking for consolation in the “here and now” rather than “the LONG run”?

For what it’s worth, I'll give you an example of a memorable realization that led me to a higher degree of emotional control in poker.

I remember a long time ago I posted (not here) about wanting to wave my cracked pocket aces in the air for the world to see while proclaiming: "I am the best, can't you see that, you douche bag lagtard MORON!" The funniest part was I really meant it!

I think it may have been Gary Carson that replied: “You seem to be suffering from a deep serious psychological problem of some kind.” It took me years to admit it /images/graemlins/wink.gif , but he was right. Eight years later, I still struggle with humility in various contexts and I’m guessing it never goes away completely. After all, we are only human.

These days… If I ever get the urge to show my aces or some such nonsense (without motive of course)… I just think: Take something from this moment (in the here and now) and use it as a weapon. The only thing I usually come up with is:

Taking solace in concealing information and emotions from my opponents…

If I’m as good as I think I am, what I know and my opponent doesn’t know is beneficial to me, and detrimental to them.

Hope this helps.

[jmgurgeh]

[ QUOTE ]
Not today I dont. I'm down 1800 in 2 weeks.

[/ QUOTE ]

You're down 1800 in two weeks and passing up a free meal? You need to reevaluate.

[dan123]

close call. i'd put him on a mid pair and thus re-raise all in having some folding equity.

[Dan Mezick]

quit poker, it torments you too much. why live that way.

[Goodnews]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Not today I dont. I'm down 1800 in 2 weeks.

[/ QUOTE ]

You're down 1800 in two weeks and passing up a free meal? You need to reevaluate.

[/ QUOTE ]

ROFL

[ QUOTE ]
quit poker, it torments you too much. why live that way.

[/ QUOTE ]
It doesnt really torment me. The game itself doesnt piss me off. Its just a steady stream of 2 and 4 outers hitting on the river in a short period of time for large pots, thats all.

[jzpiano14]

pisses me off too....but i keep playing, it will turn around it always does

[Lash]

Self Pity makes this a clear fold

[einbert]

[ QUOTE ]
quit poker, it torments you too much. why live that way.

[/ QUOTE ]

As if he won't be tormented by something else if he quits poker.

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
quit poker, it torments you too much. why live that way.

[/ QUOTE ]

As if he won't be tormented by something else if he quits poker.

[/ QUOTE ]

Tormented by a lack of gambling

[Autocratic]

So wait, are you a girl?

[Dave H.]

Hey Bright, I don't know how to tell you to play "emotionlessly", but I can tell you what worked for me. I was having this problem with swings...nothing severe, but it was causing me to get angry nonetheless. I read "Zen and the Art of Poker" and "Inside the Poker Mind" about 6 months ago and PRESTO!...no more anger!

Somehow, even though I experienced that angry phase, I have not been a victim of tilt and so my bankroll steadily increased. However, now that the anger is gone, I enjoy the game so much more. I come to the tables with the expectation that I will get my hands cracked, but knowing that it's only temporary, and that my bankroll will increase if I play correctly and at my limits. Of course there is some frustration, but that's much, much easier to deal with because it only lasts for a hand rather than for a week!

Recently I went through a 2 month period where my profit graph was nearly flatlined. It was Up a few bucks, down a few bucks, ad nauseam. Well, as I suspected, it "took off" about 2 weeks ago and everything started to hit again, i.e. pocket pairs hitting sets, suited connectors finding their straights or flushes, etc. Wading through the variance is nasty (don't mean to sound patronizing here), but once it's over, you KNOW it was variance!

Hang in just a little while longer and it'll be behind you!

[vexvelour]

I agree..."Zen and the Art of Poker" is a great book to help you gain control again. It helps you bring an inner peace with those bad beats and helps you to learn to keep cool.

[ QUOTE ]
So wait, are you a girl?

[/ QUOTE ]
a/s/l tyvm

[Johnnyj580]

Low Content Warning

I'm in the midst of my worst losing streak ever. I know your pain right now. Its driving me nuts too. Consistent gutshots, two-outers (got nailed with another one-outer in PLO8 last night - after making a solid read and calling with top two . . .he had no low draw, just A2210 vs. my A2QJ on an AQ6 board), people immediately calling with flush draws (no overs) to my all-ins (no odds!).

I lost $1400 last week and I'm down close to a grand this week. I've made a few mistakes in 7 Card calling down when I was fairly certain he/she outdrew. There's been a few hands in NL SNG's that I wonder if I couldve played differently i.e. Villian raises with AK, I move on QQ(blinds 50/100 Hero in the SB). Maybe I could've smooth-called and moved on the flop if all blanks.

I'm losing more footraces than I'm winning. I got ridiculously pissed one night when I thought I was losing more than half, so I kept track the next night. Lost 19 of 29 . . . just absurd.

I've sucked out once in the last two days on someone vs. countless on my end.

Tonight, just played 4 single SNG (moved down to $20s b/c they're even worse than the $30 players). Hands I went out on:
Table 1:
Hero: AQ in the SB
Seat7 limps in
SB: Calls the 5

Hero raises to 85 (questionable considering position and stage of the tourney)
Seat 7 folds, SB calls.
Flop:7c,4c,Qs

Hero bets out 200. SB raises. Hero thinks, moves all-in. SB has 4,7

Table 2: Villian raises to 200 (blinds 50/100) Hero short-stack all in AK (for 500+)called by QJ . . .flop =9,8,3 blanks, turn a K, river the 10

Table 3:
blinds 50/100
Hero in BB with 5,8
SB calls the 50, Hero checks
Flop: 5,8,3
SB bets 100, Hero raises to 300
Turn: Q
SB checks, Hero moves . . .called by Q5 SB!

Table 4:
Heads Up final(stacks I have the Villian covered by 500ish): Hero K,7
Flop: K,9,3
Villian bets pot of 700, Hero raises to 1800, Villian moves all-in. Hero calls. Villian shows 9,7 . . . guess what the turn was!


This is the [censored] thats hitting me over and over and over again. I take breaks, watch movies, go to the gym, watch TV, beat off. I'm playing less so I'm not steaming when I sit down. But inevitably its the same thing, I look to improve on the hands I played like crap. Get away from the hands my gut it telling me to fold (oh yeah, in one those tonight I pick up 77 in late position. Wild donk is moving all-in every 3rd hand. I think about it and fold b/c I don't want to footrace someone I'm sure I can get later on. BB calls with A,10. What did the donk have? 3,7 . . .turn and riv were both 3s).

In two years I've made a solid amount on Party. Enough to quit a decent job that was putting me through school and paying my rent+utilities+bills. But these last two weeks, theres just no solace in the 'eh, I played it well, just got unlucky'. You refresh your memory, sit down for another session and its just the same garbage again. I despise playing when I'm tilting b/c I'm more prone to making mistakes.

I've been through bad runs before, at worst they last a couple days. I even had them run close to a week before. It always seems like there's no end in sight, yet truthfully I know it won't last like this forever.

Bright, if you're a long-term winning player you know we're both just making investments in these idiots who can't get any luckier. The math WILL win out in the end.

Better luck to the both of us (SOON)
John

"Why are they cheering so loud??? Don'y they realize he got his money in as a 10-1 underdog?" (Phil Hellmuth)

[billyjex]

i dunno man, i feel for ya. you just gotta pull through the beats, because as long as you're a winning player you will hit that rush again.

the beats still can drive me mad, and i have experienced tons of them. and i know that the players giving me the beats are what make this game profitable.. just try not to tilt, basically. if you quit when you know you are mad you will do yourself a favor in the long run.