Recovering after a bad decision..

[nesser]

How do you recover yourself from a preflop (being in range at button) that you did not call as a coward (for not risking 50% of your stack paying an all-in) just for waiting to enter the bubble and it was the winning hand (and it was a giant pot).

 

[Oxinthewater]

Don't be outcome orientated. What happened after you folded is not relevant - either it's a mistake or it isn't.

In any case, don't worry about it at the time, just make a note and analyse the hand later and understand the situation better to see what you can learn.

 

[yelllowbag]

take a step away for a couple of hands

 

[yelllowbag]

A smoke break is always nice

 

[Phoenix Wright]

Situations like this are never easy, but I try to take some deep breaths and possibly fold the next few hands or at least play them more ABC poker straight-forward if the hand is really good. The goal is to control your emotions so they aren't clouding your judgement on future hands - easier said than done though or else no one would ever go on tilt.

Other than taking some deep breaths and "cooling down" via folding a bit, I sometimes also try to force a laugh. Not necessarily out loud, but just kind of a chuckling smile. It is an old psychology trick to help you feel better. The physical body and mental body are connected (at least according to biologists), so loosening up with a chuckle or smile will actually make you feel better in most cases.

This is my default thinking during a bad beat, but this is all much tougher when I know it was a mistake on my part. If I know I misplayed a hand, that is on me. I think responsibility has just as much to do with emotion as luck does in many cases.

 

[nesser]

Don't be outcome orientated. What happened after you folded is not relevant - either it's a mistake or it isn't.

In any case, don't worry about it at the time, just make a note and analyse the hand later and understand the situation better to see what you can learn.

It's hard to stop thinking about it in the middle of a mtt but I think it's like you're saying is already part of the past. Thanks

 

[300HPGOD]

When you make a mistake, especially a big one, during a MTT that does not knock you out I suggest you do two things. One is recognize the mistake you made and get the high level of it and make sure you do not commit the same mistake in that tournament. Second step is to tell yourself that you will beat yourself up later about it because right now there is a job to do which is to play as best as possible. Once that tournament is over and you are done playing then you can beat yourself up about it and think deeply about the mistake. You will gain understanding about it that you did not have time to do while you were playing and this will help you going forward.

This is not the easiest thing to do but you will be able to do it with practice. I always tell myself after I eff up or after a bad beat that I have plenty of time to pout about it later, right now there are cards in front of me. Be tenacious and never give up. Realize you have a ton of time away from the table to bitch, moan, and really learn from your mistakes.

 

[nesser]

Situations like this are never easy, but I try to take some deep breaths and possibly fold the next few hands or at least play them more ABC poker straight-forward if the hand is really good. The goal is to control your emotions so they aren't clouding your judgement on future hands - easier said than done though or else no one would ever go on tilt.

Other than taking some deep breaths and "cooling down" via folding a bit, I sometimes also try to force a laugh. Not necessarily out loud, but just kind of a chuckling smile. It is an old psychology trick to help you feel better. The physical body and mental body are connected (at least according to biologists), so loosening up with a chuckle or smile will actually make you feel better in most cases.

This is my default thinking during a bad beat, but this is all much tougher when I know it was a mistake on my part. If I know I misplayed a hand, that is on me. I think responsibility has just as much to do with emotion as luck does in many cases.

Thanks for those reflections. I'll practice breathing exercises. I know I must work on my emotions, the smile is possible at that time I would have looked like the joker, but what you're saying makes sense. I putted some music on my old iPod and tryed to think on positive stuff.

 

[nesser]

When you make a mistake, especially a big one, during a MTT that does not knock you out I suggest you do two things. One is recognize the mistake you made and get the high level of it and make sure you do not commit the same mistake in that tournament. Second step is to tell yourself that you will beat yourself up later about it because right now there is a job to do which is to play as best as possible. Once that tournament is over and you are done playing then you can beat yourself up about it and think deeply about the mistake. You will gain understanding about it that you did not have time to do while you were playing and this will help you going forward.

This is not the easiest thing to do but you will be able to do it with practice. I always tell myself after I eff up or after a bad beat that I have plenty of time to pout about it later, right now there are cards in front of me. Be tenacious and never give up. Realize you have a ton of time away from the table to bitch, moan, and really learn from your mistakes.

Thanks for your tips. Basically that's what I did, convince to myself to avoid making the same mistake again and try to move on. You are right it is not easy thing to do, but I hope that as I gain experience it will become easier for me to handle it.

 

[emirlidan]

best advice is to step away. you are better off missing a couple hands than making an impulse move based on a hand you weren't really a part of.

it may help to post the hand for review here and complain about it right after it happened as it will distract you and hopefully help you in the tournament and long run.

 

[nesser]

best advice is to step away. you are better off missing a couple hands than making an impulse move based on a hand you weren't really a part of.

it may help to post the hand for review here and complain about it right after it happened as it will distract you and hopefully help you in the tournament and long run.

Sure pretty good idea.

Well I was 94° playing tight most of the time (focused on the bubble to loosen up a bit) with about 25 BB, At the table there was a maniac that made me feel uncomfortable playing anything, I was on the button with AKs and he was UTG, he calls, everybody folds CO raises 4BB and I call (first mistake I think) SB & BB folds and he goes all-in (about 12BB) CO (he had twice of my stack) calls and I fold. After that I was upset with my self because of my attitude (and because of the flop obviously) the flop was A A 8 / 10 / K, the maniac with pocket deuces won and while he was happy I guess, I was frustrated...

 

[fundiver199]

If you know, you played a hand badly, it is also a good time to ask yourself, if you should still be playing. In you are in the middle of some tournaments, you of course have to finish them, but maybe you should start to prepare for ending the session by not adding more tournaments. For me reducing the table count can also help to increase focus and reduce mistakes. If I am well rested, it is no problem to play 4 tables, but if I have been playing for hours and beginning to feel tired, it can be a big help to let the number of tables drop to 3 or 2.

 

[toni_brasco]

well it could be as well that i loose 50% of my stack so i keep be a turtle and i'll finish in the money, than with some luck it's me on a final table...

 

[greatgame230]

when you fold in a hand, everything that happens after the fold it is irrelevant, there is no need to recover from anything since you should not think about that hand anymore

 

[Oxinthewater]

It's hard to stop thinking about it in the middle of a mtt but I think it's like you're saying is already part of the past. Thanks

Of course, but this is part of the mental game that will help you suceed. It's the same in other sports, a footballer whose team concede cannot dwell on it during the game, because the very next play may be crucial and the other players will be ready. The next hand is coming whether you are ready or not.

I don't really buy into the idea of siting out a few hands to compose yourself - nobody would ever advise a tennis player to sit out the next point after they lose a big point. It may be better than going on tilt, but it's far from optimal.

Always consider that your decision may not have necessarily have been incorrect, and the cards that fall after is not relevant to this, so you can be beating yourself up over nothing. If you analyse after the game, only positives can come from it.

 

[Matt_Burns88]

Thanks for posting.

First of all it's important to recognise when you have made a mistake - it's how you learn, right?

Secondly, you have to put it out of your mind. Once you've folded what happens after is irrelevant.

I've seen a few others comment that taking note of the hand and looking over it later and I totally agree. Review it rationally and without emotion. That's almost impossible mid-game.

Don't be results orientated - I get the impression that if the board had come out differently you might not have been so upset or frustrated, but that's not how you should be thinking. The question is what you should have done with the information available at the time.

A good opportunity to learn and get better. Good luck in your games!

 

[ph_il]

stop being result oriented.

the hand you folded ended being the best hand and you lost out on a lot of money/chips. so, you're upset because you think you made a bad decision by folding, right? but what if the hand you folded didn't hit anything or would have lost to a better hand? would you think you made a bad decision by folding then? if so. or if how you feel about your decisions is based on the results you see, you're being result oriented. you're letting the outcome of your past decisions affect you.

now, was it a bad or good fold? i don't know, i didn't play the hand, i wasn't in your situation. however, there aren't a lot of hands i'm calling with for 50% of my stack preflop.

how do you get over your decisions?

one, try not to regret any of the choices you make. whatever line you take, there should be a reason for it and that reason should be based off what you think is the best decision at the time. that's not to say it'll always be the correct decision but, at that moment, you're making the decision you think is best.

when i play, no matter what happens, i happy with my choices. it doesn't matter if i decided to 3bet jam jj for 40 bbs and run into aa, or i decided to check/raise an oesd + flush draw + over cards in a key mtt spot and completely brick, or i decide to jam j7s in the bb for 16 bbs when 5 other players limped in. whatever happens, happens, and i'm happy with my choices.

two, improve your game. remember how i said you might not be making the correct decision, but the one you think is best? well, read up on those key spots where you do have to make big decision and learn what the best decision would be. so now, not only can you make those big decisions, you can be confident in knowing you're making the more profitable decisions as well.

 

[nesser]

Thanks for posting.

First of all it's important to recognise when you have made a mistake - it's how you learn, right?

Secondly, you have to put it out of your mind. Once you've folded what happens after is irrelevant.

I've seen a few others comment that taking note of the hand and looking over it later and I totally agree. Review it rationally and without emotion. That's almost impossible mid-game.

Don't be results orientated - I get the impression that if the board had come out differently you might not have been so upset or frustrated, but that's not how you should be thinking. The question is what you should have done with the information available at the time.

A good opportunity to learn and get better. Good luck in your games!

Thank you for the feedback, you're absolutely wright that is the best way to learn (the hard way), I think it's a matter of getting used to leaving behind hands that happened (for your own sake) and then when everything ends up, analyse it calmly.

Thanks good luck for your games too.


PS I hadn't seen it that way, but yep with a different board probably I would have been happy at least, for dodging a bullet (which I know now isn't wright).

 

[nesser]

Of course, but this is part of the mental game that will help you suceed. It's the same in other sports, a footballer whose team concede cannot dwell on it during the game, because the very next play may be crucial and the other players will be ready. The next hand is coming whether you are ready or not.

I don't really buy into the idea of siting out a few hands to compose yourself - nobody would ever advise a tennis player to sit out the next point after they lose a big point. It may be better than going on tilt, but it's far from optimal.

Always consider that your decision may not have necessarily have been incorrect, and the cards that fall after is not relevant to this, so you can be beating yourself up over nothing. If you analyse after the game, only positives can come from it.

That's totally true and it can be applied for any activity in life to have that type of attitude, to avoid that things (neither bad nor good) can interfere with your judgment, I know that I must improve my emotional intelligence and it is something that I have pending. Thank you very much.

 

[nesser]

If you know, you played a hand badly, it is also a good time to ask yourself, if you should still be playing. In you are in the middle of some tournaments, you of course have to finish them, but maybe you should start to prepare for ending the session by not adding more tournaments. For me reducing the table count can also help to increase focus and reduce mistakes. If I am well rested, it is no problem to play 4 tables, but if I have been playing for hours and beginning to feel tired, it can be a big help to let the number of tables drop to 3 or 2.

Hi, off course it should always be that way, focused on finishing as far as possible and if I feel strong thinking on win it , why not? I usually don't play more than one mtt at a time, I really admire those players who can stay focused playing three and four tables simultaneously.

 

[1nsomn1a]

Each hand is a new beginning, so you need to leave emotions and mistakes behind and not transfer them to new hands.

 

[elizeuof]

After your fold you can see how the others plays will play, and take some notes, I prefer to don't put my stack in risk, in these situations, and when I fold I will not feel that was a bad decision, when we play poker we need to take a lot of things in the mind, and to get good results we can't use only the outcome of the hand into account.

Fold some times it's better than call or raise, I´ve already read some times tips from good players that says, if you has AT+ on the last position close to the bubble and after bet some other player goes allin,why you need to put all your stack in risk? the villain can be stealing, but he can have a good hand too, and if you have few chips some times are more profitable to goes allin against some players, they will be in a difficulty situation, it's better than let their put you in these situations.

 

[fundiver199]

I usually don't play more than one mtt at a time, I really admire those players who can stay focused playing three and four tables simultaneously.

I dont think, multitabling is something, that should be pushed or forced. It does reduce focus and attention somewhat, and even a good player can almost always perform better, if he play only one table. For that reason I also aim at not having to many tables running, if I reach an important final table.

On the other hand playing multible tables can help you to avoid being overly risk adverse. If you have 3-4 tournaments running, it is not quite as painfull to bust in one of them, because you will still be able to continue playing the others. Multitabling and playing long session of like 10 tournaments definitely makes it easier to keep the proper long term focus.

 

[nesser]

stop being result oriented.

the hand you folded ended being the best hand and you lost out on a lot of money/chips. so, you're upset because you think you made a bad decision by folding, right? but what if the hand you folded didn't hit anything or would have lost to a better hand? would you think you made a bad decision by folding then? if so. or if how you feel about your decisions is based on the results you see, you're being result oriented. you're letting the outcome of your past decisions affect you.

now, was it a bad or good fold? i don't know, i didn't play the hand, i wasn't in your situation. however, there aren't a lot of hands i'm calling with for 50% of my stack preflop.

how do you get over your decisions?

one, try not to regret any of the choices you make. whatever line you take, there should be a reason for it and that reason should be based off what you think is the best decision at the time. that's not to say it'll always be the correct decision but, at that moment, you're making the decision you think is best.

when i play, no matter what happens, i happy with my choices. it doesn't matter if i decided to 3bet jam jj for 40 bbs and run into aa, or i decided to check/raise an oesd + flush draw + over cards in a key mtt spot and completely brick, or i decide to jam j7s in the bb for 16 bbs when 5 other players limped in. whatever happens, happens, and i'm happy with my choices.

two, improve your game. remember how i said you might not be making the correct decision, but the one you think is best? well, read up on those key spots where you do have to make big decision and learn what the best decision would be. so now, not only can you make those big decisions, you can be confident in knowing you're making the more profitable decisions as well.

Well I've been thinking a lot about what you're saying, is it a wise desicion to risk half your stack in a preflop? (when you don't know your opponents very well and when even if it isn't a weak hand you know that it's not the strongest at all). I've been making notes with all the advice and tips that all of you have given me, and I will certainly apply them in order to improve myself and to be a stronger player.

No regrets & Improve I liked that.

Thank you.

 

[fundiver199]

Well I've been thinking a lot about what you're saying, is it a wise desicion to risk half your stack in a preflop?

The answer is, that it depends on your cards, your position, your stack size relative to the tournament, the position of the player(s), who have gone all in, their stack size(s), any information, you have about them, the payout structure and the stage of the tournament. What it does NOT depend on is the board runout, after you decided to fold or call. Even junky hands will sometimes flop very well, but that does not mean, it was a mistake to fold 72 preflop, and then the flop comes 722.