Avoiding Bad Beats

[ds914]

If you're fairly new to poker, I'd definitely consider putting in some time at limit rather than no-limit. You'll obviously take some bad beats and tough losses, but they'll be limited by the betting structure. You don't have to worry about losing your entire buy-in because of one decision.

Pick up Lee Jones' and Ed Miller's books while playing some limit poker. In the end, it'll help improve your no-limit game if you decide to move back there. It's not always as exciting or glamarous, but you'll learn some invaluable concepts and how to better play your big hands.

Good luck!

[Keiju]

Your right its not so much bad beat, its down to my pre-flop hands. Behind pre-flop, more likely to be behind after the flop is well.
But playing hands that are behind are a huge money maker, so i guess its just the price you pay.

[EStreet20]

Hey,
I'm mainly a limit player but first off, your confused. These aren't bad beats, a bead beat consists of you having a hand that's favored to win and getting outdrawn. You're describing situations where you merely have a second best hand. Spewing chips with a second best hand is often a problem for novice (or just flat out shitty) limit and NL players alike. For your sake we'll say novice.

My best advice to you is to put more effort into putting your opponent on a hand on every street. When he bets, don't immediately decide wehether to raise, call or fold but think about why he bet as much as he did. Further, when you are first to act think about the previous action of the hand before you decide to bet. I.E. think about what kind of hand your opponent "seems" to be playing. Mainly in NL you have to decide whether he's got a made hand or a draw and whether or not it's better than yours. If you have made a monster hand try to extract as many chips as possible. If you have a nice hand but think your opponent is on a draw to beat it, like a flush draw, bet big enough to charge him to see it and hopefully drive him out. Taking these basic principles of :building the pot with a monster" and "protecting a vulnerable hand" that work in limit also work in NL. Read up on your game, I'm not really sure what the best NL literature is as I don't play it but I'm sure the members of these boards will know.

Good luck,
Matt

[augie00]

The only way to avoid bad beats is to always go in with the worst hand. That way, you'll be the one handing out the bad beats! Sweet!

[Keiju]

Hands like a straight or flush might be easy to spot if you have tptk and the opponent simply calls then comes alive when the 3rd suit hits or they hit the straight, but having the second best 2 pair is a lot harder to spot i think? same for a full house or spotting the difference between a open straight draw or flush draw(say you make a straight on the very same card your opponent makes a flush)

[BottlesOf]

There's no such thing as a bad beat. Ask Joe Tall.

[autobet]

Two surefire ways to avoid bad beats:
1. Don't Play
2. Always get your money in with the worst hand.

[Klepton]

3 choices:

set you hand on fire

seriously consider killing yourself

rip your own head off

that is all.

[PoBoy321]

Check out this Phil Gordon article from ESPN.

[lehighguy]

In one year, you will look back on this post and laugh.