I was playing in a low-limit Texas Hold 'Em game and a lady called a raised pot with 2-3. The flop came K-A-6. I had flopped top two pairs with my A-K and I had the dealer's button. It was bet in early position, this lady named Gloria called, and I raised. She called again. The next card was 3. It was checked to me and I bet. Gloria called. The last card was 3. It was checked around to me, so I bet. Gloria check-raised me with her three threes. As she scooped in the pot, my mouth was gaping. This had to be one of the most stupid plays in the history of the world and yet she stacked my money!
My purpose is not to relate to you a bad beat story. I hate bad beat stories as much as anyone. My intention is for you to be prepared for this kind of foolishness that goes on in low-limit poker.
My friend george has been known to go ballistic when he loses his chips to a person who has made stupid play.
A guy, lee in the big blind, called his raise in a Texas Hold Em game with 3-7. The flop came George had flopped the top two pairs from late position and bet. The big blind, Lee called. T he next card was a nothing; again Lee called. The last card was a club was a club and Lee won with his three of clubs. George hit the after burner and orbited the earth a few times and proceeded to lose the rest of his chips in the next half hour.
PREPARATION
What can you say to George? I mean, that was one hell of a beat! Lee at no time, at no time, had a decent reason to call. Yet he won the pot. Sometimes low-limit poker can be hard on your vocabulary, on your blood pressure and your stomach lining.
Low-limit poker is like surviving in an arctic region, where preparation is a necessity. If you are not prepared to control your emotions after this kind of beat, you lose. Big time. Readiness to withstand the loss of your money is not an easy task. The problem to focus on is the protection of the remainder of your financial stash.
The preparation for a stupid play is quite comparable to preparation for starting hand selection. Instead of remembering which hands you can play from which positions, you need to be prepared for a fluctuation in emotions. One must be careful not to become angry and reprimand the poor stupid wretch for his incredible play. What you should practice is to visualize yourself being perfectly calm and say something like, "That was a nice hand, sir." You need to play that over and over in your head until you can say it without a trace of bitterness.
Once you have mastered the emotions, you can show just a bit of anger and say something like, "Nice hand. It takes a lot of courage to play cards like that." Or maybe you could simply ask out loud, "Let's see, now. What did you have on the flop? (Or what cards did you start out with?)" Those statements will allow some of your anger to burn off and it probably won't have an effect on the one who played them.
WARNING: Do not counter a stupid play with your own brand of stupidity!
My purpose is not to relate to you a bad beat story. I hate bad beat stories as much as anyone. My intention is for you to be prepared for this kind of foolishness that goes on in low-limit poker.
My friend george has been known to go ballistic when he loses his chips to a person who has made stupid play.
A guy, lee in the big blind, called his raise in a Texas Hold Em game with 3-7. The flop came George had flopped the top two pairs from late position and bet. The big blind, Lee called. T he next card was a nothing; again Lee called. The last card was a club was a club and Lee won with his three of clubs. George hit the after burner and orbited the earth a few times and proceeded to lose the rest of his chips in the next half hour.
PREPARATION
What can you say to George? I mean, that was one hell of a beat! Lee at no time, at no time, had a decent reason to call. Yet he won the pot. Sometimes low-limit poker can be hard on your vocabulary, on your blood pressure and your stomach lining.
Low-limit poker is like surviving in an arctic region, where preparation is a necessity. If you are not prepared to control your emotions after this kind of beat, you lose. Big time. Readiness to withstand the loss of your money is not an easy task. The problem to focus on is the protection of the remainder of your financial stash.
The preparation for a stupid play is quite comparable to preparation for starting hand selection. Instead of remembering which hands you can play from which positions, you need to be prepared for a fluctuation in emotions. One must be careful not to become angry and reprimand the poor stupid wretch for his incredible play. What you should practice is to visualize yourself being perfectly calm and say something like, "That was a nice hand, sir." You need to play that over and over in your head until you can say it without a trace of bitterness.
Once you have mastered the emotions, you can show just a bit of anger and say something like, "Nice hand. It takes a lot of courage to play cards like that." Or maybe you could simply ask out loud, "Let's see, now. What did you have on the flop? (Or what cards did you start out with?)" Those statements will allow some of your anger to burn off and it probably won't have an effect on the one who played them.
WARNING: Do not counter a stupid play with your own brand of stupidity!
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