Bad Beats they ain't nothin

I notice that a lot of people around here and in the poker world in general seem to be able to get very angry after just one or two bad beats. Someone'll be playing fine, having a good time, and as soon as that 2-outer hits, they get all inverted and pissed off and not only are they angry but they're on tilt too.

I don't quite understand that. Yes, bad beats happen. They happen all the time, everybody gets them, and all that cal. The thing is, everybody gives them out on occasion too. That's what really keeps me from getting too angry (most of the time) when that runner-runner straight or whatever else hits me. I know I've done the same before, and that I'll do it again. So, why should I get so mad when it happens to me every now and then?

Besides, when you give out a bad beat, you don't get ultra-excited and start playing really well, do you? If you're gonna go all hulk mode when you get 'em, you'll throw all your karma out of whack.

Emotions, for most people are something hard to control. Usually the reaction would depend on what is at risk at the time. After playing (or working) for 4 hours, earning yourself a nice roi, and then getting all your money into a pot smartly, lets say after the flop. Then some donkey sucks out a runner, runner, flush taking not only your roi, but your investment, could not only cause an emotional break down, but could end up costing even more in computer hardware.

Of course after the fact nothing really matters anymore, but EMOTIONS for most of us tough to deal with. Keep reading the posts and you'll see most of us are victims to emotions.

Keep in mind, that for a bad beat to occur, you must have been playing correctly. Don't let your results change how you play. You've got to get the money in when you've got the best of it, otherwise this game is not beatable.

Secondly, when you put bad beats on someone else, you don't get mad do you? Odds are no; and those beats add to your profitability. Poker without bad beats would be boring, and less profitable.

Zen and the Art of Poker <--read.

I hear what you are saying. Personally I can take a bad beat or two pretty calmly. However if I am already on a losing streak, and then take four bad beats in a row - then its pretty hard to keep cool. Have to go and do something else for awhile.

I know it's hard to stay in control, and everybody gets pissed off sometimes - it's just that the speed at which some people go on tilt amazes me, and if people who do that learned to control it, they could save a lot of money.

What goes around comes around. This is certainly true when it comes to bad beats. You give 'em and you take 'em. That's why it's called gambling.

bad beats happen, I have learned to get over them, but lets say I get a bad beat in a 1 dollar buy in tournament, I am not too angry unless it was a serious 1 outer.
If im in a 5 dollar sit and go I tend to let my emotions get the best of me and I start to go on tilt and lose my entire BR at some cash game or I play above my bankroll

Seriously, read Zen and the Art of Poker. I haven't been on serious ring game tilt (especially live, compared to some of the people I play with) since I've read it.