Recovering from a bad beating

[KornGeek]

I recently went a played at a 2/4 table in a local cardroom. All night long, I kept getting utter crap, or winding up with the second best hand. After a couple of hours of this, I noticed that I was going on tilt and playing even worse. That's when I decided to call it a night.

My bad playing that night cost me a significant portion of my gambling bankroll.

I'm considering going back and playing again, but I find I'm still doubting myself more than usual, and I'm afraid this could still affect my playing. How do you recover from a bad beating and get back into the swing of things?

[toss]

You must realize that youll eventually take their money assuming you're a solid player. Bad beats are part of the game. If you can't handle it...

[Bill C]

"Getting utter crap" and "winding up with second best hand" are not "bad playing." They are something that happens in this game. You didn't have good fortune that night. Welcome to the wonderful world of variance.

Ya gotta put that behind you. Give it a couple of days. Read some of the stuff that has helped you. Play tight preflop, especially during the first part of your next session.

Hang in there Buddy.

bc

[KornGeek]

[ QUOTE ]
"Getting utter crap" and "winding up with second best hand" are not "bad playing." They are something that happens in this game. You didn't have good fortune that night. Welcome to the wonderful world of variance.


[/ QUOTE ]

Thank you for the words of encouragement. They are greatly appreciated. The part that made me really doubt myself was the way I played the second best hands. The one that sticks out in my mind was when I had pocket queens, and the board was full of garbage. I kept raising with my overpair, and a calling station kept calling me. I thought she was just playing the same bad poker she had been playing all night, but she had flopped a set of 3's.

After analyzing that night (over and over and over), I think I might actually try my hand at the 3/6 table when I return. I believe that I played well most of the time. At the 3/6 table the players should be a little easier to read (not so many random plays), and the rake is a lower percentage. Also, if I do start to win, the win will be larger.

The only danger is that another losing streak could add up quickly.

[deception5]

[ QUOTE ]
After analyzing that night (over and over and over), I think I might actually try my hand at the 3/6 table when I return. I believe that I played well most of the time. At the 3/6 table the players should be a little easier to read (not so many random plays), and the rake is a lower percentage. Also, if I do start to win, the win will be larger.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is a very bad idea. Playing underfunded at a higher limit is a recipe for disaster. The weaker the players are the more mistakes they will make and the more you gain by playing against them. Bad nights will happen, but you will not make more money against better competition.

[KornGeek]

I went back last night, and I decided to follow your advice and stick with the lower limit table. I bought in with $40.

I started off getting some good hands such as pocket 10's, KQ suited, etc. I won with a couple, but the second place hands cost me a bit. I was soon down to about $10.

I stayed at this level for quite awhile winning some small pots, losing small bets. Finally, I got a good hand and ended up going all in. Unfortunately, a guy sucked out on the river to beat me.

I analyzed the way I was playing compared to the others at the table and decided it was worth sticking around a bit longer. I bought in for another $20.

The very next hand I flopped a set, and I was reading weakness around the table. I ended up going all in with my $20, and more than tripled up.

By playing tight and agressive, I left the table about 2 1/2 hours after I sat down up $26. While this isn't a lot of money, it did a lot to help my confidence.

[QTip]

I learned this here as well:

A limit player should NEVER be all-in!

Rebuy! Rebuy! Rebuy!

How bad would it suck to only have a couple of big bet's left, catch AA, get in a multiway raised pot, flop a set, have the action go crazy and run out of chips to bet and raise on the turn?

[KornGeek]

As a little side note (just because I found it amazing) before last night, I had never even seen a legitimate straight flush. The only ones I had seen were the result of somebody stacking the deck.

When I walked into the card club, I started by scoping out the tables to get a feel for the players' skill levels. I saw a flop of:

5 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 3 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 4 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]

After the showdown, a guy reveled the 6 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 7 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img].

I was suprised, but I figured I was bound to see it sooner or later. About 15 minutes later at a different table (I was sitting at this table but folded pre-flop), the flop came out:

4 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 5 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 7 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]

After the showdown, a player revelead the 6 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 8 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img].

In one night I saw two flopped straight flushes within about 15 minutes. I was stunned.

[Stack]

Review SSH. It's mind soothing, and it will give you your confidence back.

[bdk3clash]

What's your bankroll and how much of it did you lose?