4:19am: While my record might not show it, I feel like I’ve played some of my best poker over the last 24 hours. I’ve been picking off bluffs, value betting with precision, and spotting weakness like a bloodhound. However, the quality of the cards aren’t aligned with the quality of my play and as a result I’ve finished at a very mediocre 12-9 over the last 21 games. If hands would have held up, the record would be more like 15-6.

For one thing, I keep getting turned. The turn has been a thorn in my side for the last week. Mostly in situations where my opponent has one over (i.e. I have QQ, and they have A10), my opponent keeps hitting the dagger on the turn, leaving me too crippled to make any kind of comeback attempt. Something else that is rather frustrating is whenever I’m all in pre flop, my opponent keeps flopping monster draws. For example:

Me: AcAd
Opponent: KcQc

Flop: 3c10cJd

Sometimes the best thing to do from a psychological standpoint when you’re all in and your opponent flops a draw like this (or any draw for that matter) is to already assume they are going to hit it. Think of the match as over and done with. Finished. I always tell people, “where there are no expectations, there is no disappointment”. Remember: keeping your variance down and staying off tilt is all about mindset and the little manipulative ways you can twist results into “silver linings” to keep your head in the right place.

While some might argue that this is defeatist logic, it doesn’t matter because the action is already complete, and none of this affects how one plays a single hand of poker. It would be a totally different story if we’re betting each stage of the hand. Since that’s not the case because we’re talking about an all-in-pre-flop situation, this is an acceptable point of view because (a) you’re not so devastated when and if the dagger card hits for them and (b) if your hand holds up, you can consider it a bonus for you.

Just some food for thought

Start a Clean Slate at a New Room, a New Sharkscope, and Keep HFL Free in the Process