5 Crucial Ways to Deal with Bad Beats in Online Poker

Bad Beat is losing a hand in poker when you are the statistical favorite with higher EV. Many times you get strong hands like AA, KK, QQ, JJ, AK, AK, AQ, KQ, AJ but still, you fail to win with these hands. This is not something which happens to you only, it happens to every player in poker. There are several times when you get bad beats and lose the big pots even with good hands. For example, you have QJ and your opponent holds AT. The flop comes 8, 9, T. You hit straight on the flop itself. Now you bet and your opponent moves all-in. You make a snap call. To your shock, the turn and river are T and A. Though you hit straight on flop, you lose the pot on the river as your opponent gets a full house.

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1.Understand Equity of Your Hand

Equity (your odds of winning the pot) plays a very important role in shaping your moves in poker. It is always important to know what your chances of winning the pot and how much equity you have. In order to calculate your equity, you need to calculate how many outs you have to make a hand. Remember, your equity changes after the flop, turn and river in a hand. The best way to get your equity is to follow this simple rule: on the flop, multiply your outs by 4 and then on the turn, multiply your outs by 2. If you have more than 50% equity, make sure to get as much money in the pot as possible.

2. Follow The Process, Not the Results

To maximize your wins in poker, you need to be process-oriented, rather than being result-oriented.

Many times, result-orientated thinking kills many potentially talented poker players. Everything you do in poker should be based on how to maximise your EV in every given hand. If you associate losing with playing bad, you are committing a mistake, because almost everyone loses in poker at times due to bad beats or bad run of cards. So, try to learn the game and improve your skills. In case you lose a few times, take it positively. Go with a positive attitude into the next game and give your best to make money.

3. Take Bad Beat as Opportunity to Improve

Bad beats happen to every player and you are no exception. Look at it positively. Every bad beat is a test as well as an opportunity for you not to tilt. When you are not winning and losing too much, make sure you control your emotions and frustration and move on with a focus on other games. Plan to amend your EV in next matches. Follow the process, not results. If you think, bad beats are not leaving you, it is better to stop playing because you have lost too much because of bad beats. Keep in mind, you can make money from your opponents by only making better betting decisions in poker.

4. Avoid Constant Changes to Your Game

As an online poker player, you should not make quick or constant changes to your game play when you experience bad beats or bad run of cards. This is pure because you don’t have ‘quick-fix’ solutions to transform losings into winnings. If you you go for constant changes, it may impact your overall poker playing style and you may fail to enhance your game playing style. Also, it will hardly help you to battle with bad beats and minimize your downswings in poker. The more constant the change, the higher the impact of that change. So, always avoid constant changes to your game play! 

5.Figure out Your Breaking Points & Quit

Every player should have some breaking points where he/she should quit the game. The breaking point is to decide a certain amount of money you have to lose or situations where you have to decide whether to play further or quit the game. The key is to control your emotions and be able to stop playing when you are facing frequent bad beats or bad runs of cards. Remember, if you are not playing your best, it is better to quit, take a break, plan strategies and then come back with a fresh mind.

Good luck at the tables!

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