how do you stop falling in love with your hand?

I use this forum to try and get weaknesses out of my game and thanks guys for helping me out. I do not know if this is such a common trait as I've only been playing for around 8 months but sometimes I seemed to get blinded by my own hand if the board hits it. For example if I have sc's and I have a straight draw the river makes my straight and I don't look for other possibilities that can beat my straight i.e. if there is a flush draw and then that hits sometimes I'm oblivious to this as I've made my hand, I'll consider the possiblities of a higher straight but mainly I think I've made it when mine hits, I have not done this routinely but on the odd occasion I have it's cost me big and made me look like a donk. Advice if you would please, I hope I've explained this ok and have other players experienced this, not considering other bigger hands on the board when you have made yours?

Watch hands you are not in carefully. Analyse what players may have in connection with the board to justify the play they are making. When you see a players hole cards, consider how they fit the board on each street, and how they played it on each street. And, of course, do this while you are in the hand and you will be able to release a worthless draw before you have invested too much of your stack.

Take more time when it is your turn to call--not just on the river, but every time. Its a great habit, and will allow you to get more in tune with your game. The additional time will allow you to replay the hand in your mind, read the board, and try to figure out what your opponent is holding. Also, if you are out-of-position, I don't hate check-calling a pretty big hand to an aggressive opponent. They will bluff more often than having a hand that beats you, and if they don't have anything, they might not have called your bet anyway (or worse, they might have moved in, and then you notice the flush and surrender the best hand).

Find a woman that can satisfy your needs....

Oh wait, I guess I could have read the OP before responding.

Your OP actually gives you the answer. ALWAYS consider what can beat you on the board. ALWAYS match that with the expectations of the betting. Its real easy to go nuts blind when you have a strong pocket pair and the board is showing a flush draw.

Thanks for all the advice guys I suppose you just have to take more time with the calls as suggested I know one thing it cost me a big tournament and i will never do this again...the sniper

Take your time, look and see what could be beating you. The best thing you can do when playing on line is do not multitask. I know its hard, whay not do 4 different things while playing, I'm guilty myself. But close out all other windows, and concentrate on your table. See who is the bully, who is passive, use your last hand history and see what cards your opponents are playing to the river, and the betting pattern they used. Hope this helps

A common problem when starting Poker.. you play your cards.. forgetting what hand to put on your opponent(s). Ask yourself, is he bluffing? Top pair, weak kicker? A set? If so, if there's a pair on the board on the board pairs, your draw is dead! Is he on a draw too.. if so, flush, better draw? Like Josh is saying above, if you've been watching the sort of hands he plays, you will know or have a rough idea.

Then... think about your position.. do u act after everyone.. do you act before them (out of position) and lastly think, if I do hit my draw, will he pay me off? (value betting)

Poker's like an onion.. Layers of different things you discover through experience and

And the more layers you peel, the more likely you are to end up laying on the floor, crying like a a baby.

JK

One thing that really helped me was changing the options to show a four colour deck. Especially with spotting flushes. For some reason with the normal deck I always used to miss the fact that there were three of a suit on the board and then call when someone re-raised my two pair or straight. It's something I'm over now but it was frustrating to make silly mistakes like that, it was enough to make me tilt

it is a hell of a thing when just a second ago, that hand you were so committed to may have just been weakened; and it always seems to happen when between you and the other guy you've narrowed it down to that you get the first move. i don't want to show weakness, but at the same time i'm not sure if i want to bet more than i bet the last round....i know i gotta bet, maybe they don't have it and they'll fold, or maybe this is what they've been waiting on and they'll raise me. if there's still a river to come, maybe they'll just call now and take me for a sucker and raise me on the river....damn i hate that, why couldn't they have just folded earlier? haha. they usually let you know they have you beat...it depends on your stack at that point...at least for me. if i'm short and i know it and they know it...and i'm crippled pretty bad if i just fold when they try to take me the rest of the way in, screw it, its their lucky day. if i've still got the bank to recover...then that's another story...depends on how much they raise me, if they raise me at all. plus, if there's still another card coming, i try to think about what outs i have that might put his powerhouse back to shame again.

Another thing I do is remember that I am indeed allowed to raise the other bets .... instead of "being polite" and not bet when I have "rags." Rather, I think to myself, "if you guys/gals want to see my hand, you'll have to pay for it," then bet at least 3 or 4 times the blind or 1/3 to 1/2 the pot.

There are other factors to explore as well. The "bullies" or careless chip wasters often just raise and reraise to force you to fold. This translates to they can be "baited." So, I'll put in the minimum bet with a quality hand. If the "board" gives me a strong flop, I just keep checking or putting in a minimum bet to entice them into their fray type play (we call it "slow playing").

And, if your gut tells you someone has the cards to beat you, e.g., a higher flush or straight or higher full house ... then fold and save your chips ("folding is only a small mistake" a pro once said at the final table) [smile]. So many of them let their egos blind them to the truth that "if wishes were horses, then beggars would ride." ('Tis one of the reasons some folks try to get your goat, so you'd lose focus.)

Further, I agree with the others ... most of all take your time with each hand.

i also realized a long time ago that maybe you should try dating for a little while...go to fun places, try to have a good time before you fall head over heels. i've been hurt so many times so i try to be careful