Can't control myself when I have a "good hand"

Fahrenheit451

Fahrenheit451

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I am new to poker and my game has many leaks, bet this one is huge and not specific to poker per se.

I cant't control myself when I have a "good hand".

Example: I flop a set of 5ves, everyone is reluctantly calling and I am thinking how much and when to raise, because looks like no one has anything.
On the river I see that straight draw is on table (4cards) and yes, opponent suddenly raises.
All clear - I must fold.

And then interesting thing happens - a voice in me says: "He is bluffing ! Lets see, raise a little"
So I raise, half of the pot - he shoves half of his chips in and here I loose all control over myself.
Like a mad monkey I shove AI.
He shoves AI and guess what ?
Straight, Ace high, like I new.
End of game.
:stickyman

I curse myself and make promises and next time everything happens again.

Do anyone has similar problems ?
Is there some methods to increase self control ?
In the begging I thought that just telling myself not to do so will be enough, but clearly it is not the case.
May be there are some exercises to eliminate this madness ?
 
steveiam

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Players don't bluff as often you think, good players know when to fold this is something you will learn with experience.
 
Brodermatt

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Yeah you read the situation correctly, then did a 180 and tilted.

It seems like you aren't respecting your opponents raises. If you don't have the best hand, and your opponents are re-raising you, then probably the best option is to fold. Save your chips and wait for a better spot.
 
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locha2013

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You are thinkiking to fast, when you hear a voice you should think twice what to do. But i know what you mean, yersterday i was waiting for a flush the blinds are 6k, i have about 90k. KJ, flopped four suitd cards he raise i call he raise about 20k i called. I have about 50k left and hit a k with the river, but there is a chance of straight. He raises all in and i heard a voice say he have a small pair. Okay i call and loose all of money at once.
 
Fahrenheit451

Fahrenheit451

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Thank you guys !

I'll consider your suggestions and try to incorporate them in my game.

Seems that my problems stem from disrespect of opponents actions and greed.
Also I'll try some deep breaths in stressful situations before some action.
And of course I hope that JusSumguy was right about 2,000 times ;)
 
EvertonGirl

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When I first started to play poker I was doing what you were doing, I learnt to ignore that pesky voice saying he/shes bluffing, so if someone raises and there is a straight/flush on board I will fold my set :)
 
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sillymunchie

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just remind yourself "no matter what anybody tells you, AA - KK - AK (if hit)
is only 1 pair, and its the type of hand that gets many into trouble, because they forget the fundamental values of them, you should only win small pots with it, and lose huge pots with it unless you can learn to let go, if you cant let go of A A when your beat then you might aswell fold it
I know that sounds wierd but if you cant control yourself with it you will lose far more then you win out of these hands
 
Fahrenheit451

Fahrenheit451

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I did it !

Yay! Yay!


Played a tournament (0.50$ on tap) without tilting and mad raising !
And finished in second place (need to master my "one on one" tactics)

Main points to prevent tilting was:
1) to be aware that problem exists
2) to have prepared action plan what to do if tilting starts (just said "calm down my little pesky friend" and started breathing slowly)
 
steveiam

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Yay! Yay!


Played a tournament (0.50$ on tap) without tilting and mad raising !
And finished in second place (need to master my "one on one" tactics)

Main points to prevent tilting was:
1) to be aware that problem exists
2) to have prepared action plan what to do if tilting starts (just said "calm down my little pesky friend" and started breathing slowly)

There you go...just keep learning and practicing and this will not be your only success.
 
C

cotta777

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I am new to poker and my game has many leaks, bet this one is huge and not specific to poker per se.

I cant't control myself when I have a "good hand".

Example: I flop a set of 5ves, everyone is reluctantly calling and I am thinking how much and when to raise, because looks like no one has anything.
On the river I see that straight draw is on table (4cards) and yes, opponent suddenly raises.
All clear - I must fold.

And then interesting thing happens - a voice in me says: "He is bluffing ! Lets see, raise a little"
So I raise, half of the pot - he shoves half of his chips in and here I loose all control over myself.
Like a mad monkey I shove AI.
He shoves AI and guess what ?
Straight, Ace high, like I new.
End of game.
:stickyman

I curse myself and make promises and next time everything happens again.

Do anyone has similar problems ?
Is there some methods to increase self control ?
In the begging I thought that just telling myself not to do so will be enough, but clearly it is not the case.
May be there are some exercises to eliminate this madness ?


since you will only get dealt a pocket pair on average around 1 in 17 and hit a set once in every 7 hands and the times your busted by a straight,
you would of made enough profit to be up long term.

ofcourse that doesnt make it ok to call any river, but anything you have on the opponents style/bettern patterns/past hands is useful,

that being said if their are more than 3 players in the hand and flush draws and straight draws on the turn, then you can be certain your behind enough of the time to fold come the river when facing a raise & call before you act. or a big raise
 
DonV73

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Players don't bluff as often you think, good players know when to fold this is something you will learn with experience.

This is very true especially on Microstakes. What stakes do you play Fahrenheit451??
 
Fahrenheit451

Fahrenheit451

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Tournaments with 10 plrs, 3 ITM, 0.12 & 1.2 buy in
 
Salvete777

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I have something simmilar...
Often I can't fold a low pair on hand in pre-flop and that "voice" says that there will be set on flop... And I call.
In last time I try to call less raises with low pairs on hand, but sometimes I can't resist to call...
 
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locha2013

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I also hate it when I have a pocket pair Queens or Jacks to fold, I just yesterday lost at the final table with two Jacks, because I haven't believe the opponent and don't wanted to fold a pair of Jacks.
Sometimes I loose very badly with good hands. I think there I can't really controll myself.
 
rdm4k

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hope u enjoy this:


check the n1 (i was looking for that hand only then found this video - cool)
 
L

locha2013

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What a hard fold, I can't fold online such hands. But maybe in reality I would play a little bit different. I often have lost in such situations my whole stack.
This is poker.
 
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cleiton1988

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and who can hold himself with good hand hahaah everytime all of us says now i hold myself but everytime we act wrong this poker
 
T

The Nuder

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Yay! Yay!


Played a tournament (0.50$ on tap) without tilting and mad raising !
And finished in second place (need to master my "one on one" tactics)

Main points to prevent tilting was:
1) to be aware that problem exists
2) to have prepared action plan what to do if tilting starts (just said "calm down my little pesky friend" and started breathing slowly)

Well done on the tournament result. I think you've got exactly the right idea with breathing - combo that with adjusting your posture too and you'll manage what is essentially a state issue perfectly fine.

Something else to do would be to visualise how many ways your hand can be beaten - so you have a visual representation in your minds eye - a bit like a pie chart. But because your trigger is auditory (the voice) you may like to add an auditory element to the representation or ask the voice to rate the odds of winning the hand if opponent isn't bluffing on a scale of 1 to 10. Basically that part of yuou that wonders and gets excited - give it another job to do instead.
 
Akorps

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I have the same problem in tournaments. Like when I have AA in a tournament near the bubble, where I can get past the bubble by folding, I have a hard time not shoving all-in anyway. No cure found yet :)
 
L

loomis311

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I think everybody has this problem to a certain extent. At first I always called like you. Then I lost a lot of money and started calling less. I still find it a big struggle to fold and I find myself trying to convince myself to call by trying to look for bluffing hands that villain may have even though I am likely beat.
 
S

Skidis

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I have some problems with this too... But I have improved myself and are better now in this situations since I started playing poker! Which is quite recently :)
 
redcross

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Man I feel you, I always say to myself, what are the odds?? I always know the odds are slim yet they wouldn't be re-raising my trips unless they have what I fear, the straight or flush. So why do I call, idk so I can sleep at night knowing I didn't get bluffed?!

I know it's not winning poker to make calls just so I can "see". What I'm learning though is it sucks even more sitting out of the tourney thinking about my stupid play than still being in the tourney with less chips. I'm learning it's just the hard way! I hope I gain the self control to fold in these spots because I do want to make some extra coin playing poker.
 
S3mper

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Every time you do this just hit yourself as hard as you can or shock yourself by sticking a fork into the electrical outlet eventually you will associate this leak with physical pain and quit doing it
 
DrazaFFT

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I have the same problem in tournaments. Like when I have AA in a tournament near the bubble, where I can get past the bubble by folding, I have a hard time not shoving all-in anyway. No cure found yet :)

Same thing here, but lately after reading some opinions i dont think it is a bad idea you shove, have a big fold equity, if you get called you are huge fav and if you win and eventually double up your chances of hitting bigger money increases a lot, and i know that it is easier to say than done, but i would shove KK maybe QQ AK on the bubble, if i get kicked and don't hit the money, well it happens, you better cash once or twice bug that more times min cash, so bottom line, keep doing what you are doing :D
 
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