Staying focused, STOP STUPIDITY!

Hey thought i'd just make a thread to see if theres any tips u guys have got. I've been playing alot of MTT's recently and i think im gradually getting better but i keep getting knocked out on well SHIT hands!
I'm not saying im unlucky here im not afraid to admitt i've played these hands so bad its unbelievable. Im always good at staying about average in chips and gradually building them up playing a solid game not tight but not taking risks i dont need to take. But i always lose focus in a hand cripple my stack and go on severe tilt and give the rest away! The worst of it is I KNOW IM BEAT but i keep playing with the hand as i'll explain in this hand i just played in a $8 MTT on pokerstars.


Theres about 230 players left in about a 1300 field and im just above average in stack with 6,600 chips. Im in the big blind and a guy with about half my stack in middle calls he's been playing alot of pots and is quite a solid player and as he limps im putting him on a good hand. it gets folded round and the SB calls i look down a A2 (os) not a great hand and i kno that if a ace comes i probably still wont have the best hand, thats honestly what i was thinking at the although you wouldnt think that when u see what im about to do. I check and the flop comes (A)(5)(6) rainbow, the SB checks i bet 600 im thinking at this point im taking one shot at this pot and im done if i get called. The M.position guy calls SB folds, the turn comes (4) now i have bout 6,000 he has around 3,000 and different to my thinking a bet 1,000! Please dont ask why im racking mt brains thinking why my brain makes me do this lol but whats done is done and it gets much WORSE. He raises up 1k more i push him all in he turns AJ as i expected and im crippled. Im so sick at this point and really confused why i keep doing this!


I know what i should have done so i dont wanna know where i went wrong etc.. but im wondering if anyone else has this problem or if anyone has any tips on how to stay focused. At the end of the day i see it as a lesson learned and i know im getting better at these tournements which can only be a good thing but i need to learn to go with my instincts. HELP PLEASE

I know the feeling, you get too involved in a hand and dont want to loose the pot - although your instincts are screaming FOLD FOLD, your actions are acting irrationally - and can cost you dearly!!!

What I tend to do where I see these type of situations coming, is sit back, relax, and out loud run through the hand, what I think he has, tell myself that he has me beat and the rational thing to do is fold - then act up on it, act sensibly.

Doesn't happen so much now - but patience really is the virtue of poker.

Read Zen and the Art of Poker, this will cure 90% of your problems.


When you get in situations like this - take your hand off of the mouse before making a decision. Make the decision before you take hold of it again then act the way you know it is correct to act.

Your ego has no place at the table, don't worry about winning hands, worry about winning in the long run....

..... and the long run is very long

awwww 2 . so sorry wish i could help its something u have 2 learn yourself... when 2 fold u know. OO if that helps

Sounds like this thread might help you out too.
The WA/WB concept

You get about 20-30 seconds to act. USE IT. It is there for a reason, to let you think before you act.

I sir, have had that problem for a long time now. It really screws me. I always put people on a bluff or something, and end up calling it down.. bottom line I shouldn't be in a raised pot with A2 (os).