Mentally beat, how to turn it round ?

How do you continue when you keep getting killed at the table ?

I swear, every time someone on my table sits there and plays these totally crap hands they make a fortune, usually at my expense.

I am losing hand after hand like this, it's really affecting me mentally now.

I am playing very careful, selected hands, no matter what I am getting called out all the way and destroyed on the river, no matter what I am doing.

None of the poker theory seems to be doing me any good, because every time I am beat it's because the villain is just playing random, nonsense hands.

This is impossible ! I am now very nervous about entering hands even if it looks like I way ahead, as I know even AA with A on the flop is getting beat.

Can anyone help with resources for the mental game ?


PokerStars - $0.10 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

BTN: 101 BB (VPIP: 13.04, PFR: 8.70, 3Bet Preflop: 0.00, Hands: 24)
Hero (SB): 106.4 BB
BB: 196.3 BB (VPIP: 28.77, PFR: 9.59, 3Bet Preflop: 3.23, Hands: 74)
UTG: 182.2 BB (VPIP: 16.18, PFR: 10.29, 3Bet Preflop: 0.00, Hands: 74)
MP: 108.5 BB (VPIP: 20.00, PFR: 13.33, 3Bet Preflop: 0.00, Hands: 15)
CO: 216 BB (VPIP: 33.80, PFR: 29.58, 3Bet Preflop: 14.29, Hands: 74)

Hero posts SB 0.5 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.5 BB) Hero has J:diamond: K:heart:

fold, fold, CO raises to 3 BB, fold, Hero calls 2.5 BB, fold

Flop: (7 BB, 2 players) 9:heart: T:club: K:spade:
Hero bets 3 BB, CO calls 3 BB

Turn: (13 BB, 2 players) T:spade:
Hero bets 7.5 BB, CO calls 7.5 BB

River: (28 BB, 2 players) Q:spade:
Hero bets 27 BB, CO calls 27 BB

Hero shows J:diamond: K:heart: (Straight, King High) (Pre 60%, Flop 77%, Turn 75%)
CO shows 9:spade: 7:spade: (Flush, King High) (Pre 40%, Flop 23%, Turn 25%)
CO wins 78.3 BB

These fish at low-limits eh. You've been unlucky here yes, but with the types of fish at these tables its not a surprising sight. Your bet on the flop is too small, a 2/3, 3/4 pot size bet would have shut him down. Once another spade on the turn hits, a fish is going to call pretty much any bet you make if they're on a flush draw. Ive been the victim of slow playing and not shutting down hands at these levels and trust me its a very risky way to play. Remember, no river, no fish.

That bet on the turn... it's very small considering the danger suited card that came up. akaRobbo mentioned your small bet on the flop, but your turn bet really isn't good enough either. You would want to know how serious your opponent is at that stage of the hand; 3/4 pot bet at that stage. Seeing the river, I would check to him at this point and see what he says (what kind of bet he makes then). Depending on how he has been playing up to this, you would then have to make a decision and call or fold (or raise).

You would say by that stage of the hand, given a large bet by him on the river (and he would, given that he made his flush) that there are several hands that have you beat.


CO raises to 3 BB, , Hero calls 2.5 BB, fold
Hero bets 3 BB, CO calls 3 BB
Hero bets 7.5 BB, CO calls 7.5 BB
Hero bets 27 BB, CO calls 27 BB

Hero loses 40.5 BB

The hand could have gone like this instead:


fold, fold, CO raises to 3 BB, fold, Hero calls 2.5 BB, fold

Flop: (7 BB, 2 players) 9♥ T♣ K♠
Hero bets 5 BB, CO calls 5 BB

Turn: (17 BB, 2 players) T♠
Hero bets 14 BB, CO calls 14 BB

River: (45 BB, 2 players) Q♠
Hero checks, CO bets a stupid amount of BB, Hero folds because it is obvious he has been sucked out, or some other big hand has him beat

Hero loses 22 BB

As for the mental side of it getting you down? Understanding the variance of poker and how it can play out (both the good and the bad) would be a good start. It won't always be bad. Relish the challenge that bad times present to you and use them to motivate you to improve your game.

Your flop and turn bets should be larger, while your river bet should be smaller. I'm not saying you would have won the hand - probably not - but by the time the river peels off the board is both paired and suited, which is very dangerous for your straight.

Sometimes these hands happen. It's the nature of the game. You have to learn to embrace it. Sometimes you will get your money in poorly and suck out on somebody else. Downswings are opportunities to improve, so instead of getting down on yourself or the game, study hands, read articles and books, watch videos, etc. Losing a hand doesn't mean you played it poorly, but getting coolered doesn't mean you played it well, even if the results would have been the same.

Coolers and suck outs don't matter in the long run. Only your decision-making determines whether or not you are a winning player.

If there were no downswings in poker, few players would ever be motivated to improve.

You aren't losing hand after hand like this - it's called selective memory.

Don't feel you deserve to win each and every pot like you should be entitled to it just because you currently have the best hand. Unless you have 100% equity in a hand, the pot isn't yours therefore you should never expect it's yours. It's not impossible playing vs players like this as it is very easy and the ones you should be hoping to be up against all the time. You don't know AA is getting beats on a A high flop, that's just stupid thinking.

I'm glad you posted the hand because you played the hand really terrible leading me to believe you need to work on your game a lot rather than blaming other players or running bad. Villain actually played this hand better than yourself.

I'd suggest working on your mental game a lot (tilt control, emotions etc) and don't let an ego get in your way especially if you are new to the game. I often find newer players tend to think they are better than they actually are which ultimately leads to them improving at such a slow rate. The reason I say that is because the way you came across in the post before I even saw the hand as you felt you ran bad, got unlucky vs a bad player when actually the opposite seems to be true.

Post more hands, work on your game, remember to accept variance and grind through it.

Should of slowed down on the river for sure, it completed straights and flush draws.

Take a step back, preserve your BR from tilt and regroup. Bad stretches can go on for a while and are a true test. The most successful poker players are the ones who can handle downswings the best.

tournament poker in a deep run is gonna be for sure full of downswings and bad beats that cost you a lot, time and money, but if you are a good player and try a lot, one time you gonna run good and make a big score

Tonights classic - at least he was short stacked. I know I played differently to advised above, but i wanted to get him to commit all in. Shocking.

Villain is 73/13. I swear, the worse they play the more they win.

PokerStars - €0.05 NL - Holdem - 7 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

Hero (UTG): 198.2 BB
UTG+1: 23.8 BB (VPIP: 75.00, PFR: 16.67, 3Bet Preflop: 0.00, Hands: 12)
MP: 289.6 BB (VPIP: 13.27, PFR: 9.26, 3Bet Preflop: 2.82, Hands: 1,339)
CO: 95.2 BB (VPIP: 40.00, PFR: 20.00, 3Bet Preflop: 0.00, Hands: 10)
BTN: 156.8 BB (VPIP: 14.23, PFR: 10.31, 3Bet Preflop: 5.04, Hands: 777)
SB: 108.2 BB (VPIP: 14.51, PFR: 7.99, 3Bet Preflop: 1.48, Hands: 1,409)
BB: 53.2 BB (VPIP: 18.59, PFR: 5.93, 3Bet Preflop: 1.42, Hands: 618)

SB posts SB 0.4 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.4 BB) Hero has A:club: A:heart:

Hero raises to 3 BB, UTG+1 calls 3 BB, fold, fold, fold, fold, fold

Flop: (7.4 BB, 2 players) 7:heart: A:diamond: 8:spade:
Hero checks, UTG+1 checks

Turn: (7.4 BB, 2 players) 9:club:
Hero bets 2 BB, UTG+1 calls 2 BB

River: (11.4 BB, 2 players) 5:heart:
Hero bets 11 BB, UTG+1 calls 11 BB

Hero shows A:club: A:heart: (Three of a Kind, Aces) (Pre 88%, Flop 95%, Turn 82%)
UTG+1 shows 6:diamond: K:club: (Straight, Nine High) (Pre 12%, Flop 5%, Turn 18%)
UTG+1 wins 32 BB

enesem said:

Tonights classic - at least he was short stacked.
PokerStars - €0.05 NL - Holdem - 7 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

Hero (UTG): 198.2 BB
UTG+1: 23.8 BB (VPIP: 75.00, PFR: 16.67, 3Bet Preflop: 0.00, Hands: 12)
MP: 289.6 BB (VPIP: 13.27, PFR: 9.26, 3Bet Preflop: 2.82, Hands: 1,339)
CO: 95.2 BB (VPIP: 40.00, PFR: 20.00, 3Bet Preflop: 0.00, Hands: 10)
BTN: 156.8 BB (VPIP: 14.23, PFR: 10.31, 3Bet Preflop: 5.04, Hands: 777)
SB: 108.2 BB (VPIP: 14.51, PFR: 7.99, 3Bet Preflop: 1.48, Hands: 1,409)
BB: 53.2 BB (VPIP: 18.59, PFR: 5.93, 3Bet Preflop: 1.42, Hands: 618)

SB posts SB 0.4 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.4 BB) Hero has A<font color='black'>♣</font> A<font color='red'>♥</font>

Hero raises to 3 BB, UTG+1 calls 3 BB, fold, fold, fold, fold, fold

Flop: (7.4 BB, 2 players) 7<font color='red'>♥</font> A<font color='red'>♦</font> 8<font color='black'>♠</font>
Hero checks, UTG+1 checks

Turn: (7.4 BB, 2 players) 9<font color='black'>♣</font>
Hero bets 2 BB, UTG+1 calls 2 BB

River: (11.4 BB, 2 players) 5<font color='red'>♥</font>
Hero bets 11 BB, UTG+1 calls 11 BB

Hero shows A<font color='black'>♣</font> A<font color='red'>♥</font> (Three of a Kind, Aces) (Pre 88%, Flop 95%, Turn 82%)
UTG+1 shows 6<font color='red'>♦</font> K<font color='black'>♣</font> (Straight, Nine High) (Pre 12%, Flop 5%, Turn 18%)
UTG+1 wins 32 BB

Click to expand...

He's clearly a huge fish. Bet the flop for value. There's no reason to slow play.

Don't bet river. It's a terrible card/board for you. He may be short stacked, but that doesn't mean you have to pay him off.

You played the AA hand terribly. All streets I disagree with.

enesem said:

Tonights classic - at least he was short stacked. I know I played differently to advised above, but i wanted to get him to commit all in. Shocking.

Villain is 73/13. I swear, the worse they play the more they win.

PokerStars - €0.05 NL - Holdem - 7 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

Hero (UTG): 198.2 BB
UTG+1: 23.8 BB (VPIP: 75.00, PFR: 16.67, 3Bet Preflop: 0.00, Hands: 12)
MP: 289.6 BB (VPIP: 13.27, PFR: 9.26, 3Bet Preflop: 2.82, Hands: 1,339)
CO: 95.2 BB (VPIP: 40.00, PFR: 20.00, 3Bet Preflop: 0.00, Hands: 10)
BTN: 156.8 BB (VPIP: 14.23, PFR: 10.31, 3Bet Preflop: 5.04, Hands: 777)
SB: 108.2 BB (VPIP: 14.51, PFR: 7.99, 3Bet Preflop: 1.48, Hands: 1,409)
BB: 53.2 BB (VPIP: 18.59, PFR: 5.93, 3Bet Preflop: 1.42, Hands: 618)

SB posts SB 0.4 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.4 BB) Hero has A:club: A:heart:

Hero raises to 3 BB, UTG+1 calls 3 BB, fold, fold, fold, fold, fold

Flop: (7.4 BB, 2 players) 7:heart: A:diamond: 8:spade:
Hero checks, UTG+1 checks

Turn: (7.4 BB, 2 players) 9:club:
Hero bets 2 BB, UTG+1 calls 2 BB

River: (11.4 BB, 2 players) 5:heart:
Hero bets 11 BB, UTG+1 calls 11 BB

Hero shows A:club: A:heart: (Three of a Kind, Aces) (Pre 88%, Flop 95%, Turn 82%)
UTG+1 shows 6:diamond: K:club: (Straight, Nine High) (Pre 12%, Flop 5%, Turn 18%)
UTG+1 wins 32 BB

Click to expand...

Bet flop For like 5BB, the size of pot will be like 17BB, then bet like 11-12BB on the turn. The pot will then be like 40BB, then.... Idk.... It's really up to you, you can b/f river for like 1/2 pot or 20BB. Or if your uncomfortable just x/c, but if you play the hand the way I have described, he doesn't have the straight often enough on this river to make a fold profitable.

On second thought.... Don't x/c, I think I'm bet folding the river here

Jblocher1 said:

Bet flop For like 5BB, the size of pot will be like 17BB, then bet like 11-12BB on the turn. The pot will then be like 40BB, then.... Idk.... It's really up to you, you can b/f river for like 1/2 pot or 20BB. Or if your uncomfortable just x/c, but if you play the hand the way I have described, he doesn't have the straight often enough on this river to make a fold profitable.

On second thought.... Don't x/c, I think I'm bet folding the river here

Click to expand...

In your example the UTG+1 is allin on the turn. Look at stack sizes.

At these limits stop slowplaying great made hands. Also make your bets larger. You are practically begging him to call and get there.

Can't complain about letting him catch up.

How about this:

PokerStars - $0.10 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 5 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

SB: 166.1 BB (VPIP: 42.11, PFR: 26.32, 3Bet Preflop: 12.50, Hands: 19)
Hero (BB): 57.8 BB
UTG: 104.6 BB (VPIP: 30.00, PFR: 20.00, 3Bet Preflop: 0.00, Hands: 10)
CO: 103.4 BB (VPIP: 21.28, PFR: 17.02, 3Bet Preflop: 6.67, Hands: 48)
BTN: 100 BB (VPIP: 0.00, PFR: 0.00, 3Bet Preflop: 0.00, Hands: 2)

SB posts SB 0.5 BB, Hero posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.5 BB) Hero has 8:heart: 8:club:

fold, fold, fold, SB raises to 3 BB, Hero calls 2 BB

Flop: (6 BB, 2 players) 9:heart: 8:diamond: Q:spade:
SB bets 5 BB, Hero raises to 10 BB, SB raises to 73 BB, Hero calls 44.8 BB and is all-in

Turn: (115.6 BB, 2 players) K:spade:

River: (115.6 BB, 2 players) 7:diamond:

SB shows K:club: K:heart: (Three of a Kind, Kings) (Pre 82%, Flop 11%, Turn 98%)
Hero shows 8:heart: 8:club: (Three of a Kind, Eights) (Pre 18%, Flop 89%, Turn 2%)
SB wins 110.4 BB

^^ That's a standard bad beat, not much to say

IMO the way you played the AA is bad. even if you check the flop you need to bet more on the turn . but generally don't slowplay that flop because he rarely has an A which means if he bets its just to steal . but on the other hand with a drawing hand he almost always checks which gives him a chance to catch up.
it's ok sometimes to check a monster on the flop , but don't do that often .

the 3rd hand is just a regular bad beat and nothing you could do about it . it sucks but happens. when I played today I had full house and villain had quads .

a general advice (which Im trying to apply for myself all the time ) :
I bet that if you watch the hands you play after a bad beat you will see you are tilting off your stack quite often . try to avoid it and play your normal game and you'll be a winner . some of my big losses are just from tilting

This. All the time.

My next big all in lost ? Pocket jacks with jack in the flop, guy call all in with King Rag suited, runner runner, have a flush young fella me lad and take all of this good mans chips.

All as I can do is continue to play the hands the best I can, and put it down to running bad.

Thanks for everyone for the encouragement.

Don't post hands which are coolers/beats. For the most part they are unavoidable, so nothing can be said to improve your game. Post hands that come up more often to see where you're leaking money from.

A good start might be posting a selection of hands you have played from the BB or SB, this is where you probably will be making most mistakes. Calling to loose pre flop, calling OOP to wide etc etc.

enesem said:

This. All the time.

My next big all in lost ? Pocket jacks with jack in the flop, guy call all in with King Rag suited, runner runner, have a flush young fella me lad and take all of this good mans chips.

All as I can do is continue to play the hands the best I can, and put it down to running bad.

Thanks for everyone for the encouragement.

Click to expand...

Like I say, talking about bad beats won't improve your game. It's just beneficial to post actual spots which are more common like I say and come up all the time, this is where you be leaking money which you might not even think about. Look through your hands, post them here and you will get some good feedback from the cash game players on the optimal plays.

ramdeebam said:

Don't post hands which are coolers/beats. For the most part they are unavoidable, so nothing can be said to improve your game. Post hands that come up more often to see where you're leaking money from.

A good start might be posting a selection of hands you have played from the BB or SB, this is where you probably will be making most mistakes. Calling to loose pre flop, calling OOP to wide etc etc.

Click to expand...

Great advice.

Not to be mean but the hands posted above (apart from the 88 one which was a standard bad beat) were played pretty badly. But you're working hard on your game which is great and you will improve if you listen to the advice here. Post more hand histories and I'm sure you will get some good pointers.

One thing I noticed was that you need to work on your bet sizing. You are giving your fishy opponents the right price to draw and hit their miracle cards. Look for some videos or articles on flop play. You also need to work on when to cbet and by how much. It doesn't mean the badbeats and suckouts won't happen, but when they do, at least you would have gotten your money in when you were ahead and in the long run that is how you will win at this game.

Good luck.

Thank you.

I have picked up some great advice and it is helping - my bet sizing has changed, and I am losing less on weaker hands as I am able to fold before the river, I am getting caught out less.

It's all positive feedback for which I am very grateful.

It's a slow turnaround, but I am determined to improve.

I think it was very risky the way you played the hand, i mean you had a top pair after the flop but ou made the to big for a top pair an average kicker, there were so many hands that would have pay you before flop and would be ahead afer flop, nines, tens, T-9, Q-J, K-T, K-9, K-Q, and any T after the flop as well,

not to mention Ak, KK, AA which i think he would have reraise you preflop, so maybe you made a straight but it was after you put all your chips in risk after the turn,

yes, he had luck winning in the river but again i think it was very risky the way you played, imho

Imagine that this is your job, and every day these shit happens