[Aloysius]

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Ok, so they were played horribly. In what way? Hand #1 sure there's a case for raising preflop, if you get called it's normally another pair or overcards and when one hits you're done with it. I've seen lots of people advise limping or seeing flops cheap with JJ (basically play like a small pair). As far as fast playing this hand on the flop the result is the same. On the other hand if I lay down on river I've saved 25.

Hand 2-pot is 12.50 and I'm in the BB, $2 to call. 6-1 aint bad, and again it should be an easy hand to get off if I don't catch a hand or run into strong aggression.

Maybe my post belongs in "psychology". The big question I have is why, when I know "Don't go broke in an unraised pot" (In fact I preach it to my buds) and I go into the hand weak with the idea that I'll fold if I run into strength, AND I make the correct read...I still call/push.

My thoughts are that it's the desperate to win a pot situation and an inability to play each hand as an individual situation. My previous hand/session is on my mind, I've just made a couple big laydowns and I ain't making another one etc etc.

C'mon guys I know I'm not the only person who ever called knowing I was beat.

The big question is who has gotten past this and what did it take/how did you learn to stop doing it????

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I didn't really read what happened in hand #2. Some other unlucky / bad beat situation I assumed.

Hand #1 - If you believe that building big pots with top set on the flop is the incorrect way to play then I believe you have to re-evaluate your long-term strategy.

You may be minimizing your losses the few times Villain has you "coolered" (not sure of syntax of this word), but you are clearly not maximizing your profits the many times you are ahead, and in the long-run that's losing poker.

Also please explain to me this - based on the action of Hand #1 - how exactly did you formulate a strong read that Villain flopped the nuts? Such a strong read, in fact, that you are kicking yourself for calling with the 3rd nuts getting over 3:1 to call?!