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Advice On Dealing With A Cold Run L. asked: I've been playing hold'em since the late 60s. Cut my eye teeth on 7 card stud and hold'em wasn't hard to grasp. Here's the question (and the problem). No luck in cards, you say. For two solid weeks I continually get drawn out on. No limit, small limit, pot limit, doesn't matter. So what's your advice?
Hi L., thanks for your question.
My advice when you're running cold and getting unlucky, is to do two things. First, take a break from poker. Seriously. Find something else to do for the rest of the day. Even if you're a poker junkie like me, you'll have to find something to take your mind off poker and your bad luck. Bad luck (or more properly, variance) will affect all players and there is essentially nothing you can do about it in poker.
Second, once you've relaxed and cleared your head of negative poker thoughts, think back about your hands now that you're detached from them. Is there anything else you could have done better? Did you bet correctly? Did you play the hand correctly overall? Often, you'll find little things you could have done better, which is why you'll see big name pros often saying they misplayed a hand, even when the rest of us think they just got bad beat. They've learned to be critical and truthful about themselves.
Of course, some hands you just plain get bad beat, and there's nothing you can do about it. For instance, if you put all your chips in with what should have been a cinch, and got outdrawn by running cards, there's nothing you need to change. It seems that you've experienced some of this kind of beat. You just need to grab a stress ball and squeeze it, or as I often do, whip it at the wall to free your anger. Does wonders for mind and body to have something to take your anger out on, instead of tilting away money at a poker table.
Also, having a solid bankroll and protecting it by NOT chasing your losses with more losses, is a vital part of being a winning player. Since you're clearly not new to gambling, I'm sure you know well that this is essential.
I hope your luck turns around, whenever you play poker again.
Good luck at the tables!
 
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