Addiction factor of Online Poker

[Wardonkey]

I go through phases, when I'm playing on-line I can put 60 hour weeks in for 2 or three weeks at a time. Then I'll take a break and play very little or even not at all for a week or if I'm busy upto 3 weeks. I don't miss it at all when I don't play, but when I'm in 'play mode' I do little else.

One or two badbeats don't affect me, but sometimes the cumulative effect of a run of beats does get to me. If this happens I'll take the rest of the night off and read a book or watch a movie and get back into it the next day. 

[SuffolkPunch]

Bad beat hell? You HAVE to learn to accept bad beats, Now matter who you are, or how good you are, the bad beats will never go away. In fact, the better you play, the more bad beats you get. because you always get your money in with the best hand.

I believe that no poker player can reach his true potential until he gets the bad beat demons under control. Banish all negetive thoughts about bad beats, Otherwise, like a costermonger who can't stand the smell of fish, you're in the wrong job!

Sorry Red, it's just happened again, but I am learning to smile about it......

PokerStars $3 rebuy, prize pool up to $25,000 after 1,900 people entered and the usual chip frenzy followed. I'm going along nicely sitting on 38,000 chips with 320 players left (in about 150th position). Blinds are 1,000/2,000 with a 100 ante. I'm in mid position and the player before me puts in a small raise to 4,000. I have 9,9 and reraise to 10,000. Another player calls and the original raiser calls too.

Flop comes 9,5,4 rainbow - hooray for me! I put in a small raise of 10,000, only for mateboy to reraise to 20,000, so I move all in with my remaining chips. Both players call - great news. Original raiser has K,K (he should have moved me all-in pre-flop) and the other player has A,K.

The turn comes 3. Great stuff, I'll be up to over 110,000 chips in just a sec - but wait a minute, the river comes a 2, giving matey boy with the worst hand a runner, runner straight!!!

So I crashed out of the tourney when that pot should have put me close to the top ten and a likely decent cash finish! A lowly cash finish of just $23 was my reward instead.

Ho hum. 

[matt674]

Bad beat hell? You HAVE to learn to accept bad beats, Now matter who you are, or how good you are, the bad beats will never go away. In fact, the better you play, the more bad beats you get. because you always get your money in with the best hand.

I believe that no poker player can reach his true potential until he gets the bad beat demons under control. Banish all negetive thoughts about bad beats, Otherwise, like a costermonger who can't stand the smell of fish, you're in the wrong job!

Sorry Red, it's just happened again, but I am learning to smile about it......

PokerStars $3 rebuy, prize pool up to $25,000 after 1,900 people entered and the usual chip frenzy followed. I'm going along nicely sitting on 38,000 chips with 320 players left (in about 150th position). Blinds are 1,000/2,000 with a 100 ante. I'm in mid position and the player before me puts in a small raise to 4,000. I have 9,9 and reraise to 10,000. Another player calls and the original raiser calls too.

Flop comes 9,5,4 rainbow - hooray for me! I put in a small raise of 10,000, only for mateboy to reraise to 20,000, so I move all in with my remaining chips. Both players call - great news. Original raiser has K,K (he should have moved me all-in pre-flop) and the other player has A,K.

The turn comes 3. Great stuff, I'll be up to over 110,000 chips in just a sec - but wait a minute, the river comes a 2, giving matey boy with the worst hand a runner, runner straight!!!

So I crashed out of the tourney when that pot should have put me close to the top ten and a likely decent cash finish! A lowly cash finish of just $23 was my reward instead.

Ho hum. 

Some would say you were lucky to hit your 9 in the first place when reraising preflop as a 4 to 1 underdog against two other players..........

Them's the breaks, some you win - some you lose. Its learning to not let it affect you in the next tourney you play, dust yourself down and carry on trying to get in the "groove" before Vegas.

See you there squire

 

[lazaroonie]

I am with tighty here - I could very easily become very fond of live poker.

Online poker doesnt "float my boat". Which is a real shame, because I believe (perhaps slightly self importantly), that I have the game to succeed at it. My problem comes from having a very busy life, If I am at home I always find something more important to do than play poker.

The difference is that when I go somewhere to play poker, then I am in a "zone". No distractions, no other business to bother me, and I definitely notice the benefit of it. I would have to say that playing live poker is about the most relaxing activity I have. I would love to try a heart monitor to see what state I am in.

I do know that of the half dozen or so times I have done the online MTT thing properly (closed room, made time, etc), I have made decent cashes in about half of them, so I can do it.

Finding the time, or the motivation to do it, is a different think entirely.

[WellChief]

I really enjoy playing online as most nights I play a few mates are also over playing cash tables while we watch TV/DVD's.  Before I moved I used to put in long hours with only myself for company and I didn't enjoy it anywhere near as much.  Its great to be able to discuss hands as well while we play.

As regards not playing in the lead up to WSOP, I recently got back from 3 weeks in Germany where I didn't play a single hand.  I coped very well and didn't even miss it much, which I was suprised about.  I'm a bit concerned though that I've become mainly a cash game player in the last few months and play very little tournament poker.  Maybe it will help me as I will be sharp from the event but I'd like to get a little more live practice in as I've never played a live event over £200 buy in before!

[Royal Flush]

I always leave a tournament happy if I've been knocked out by a bad beat because it means I've played well and always got my money in with the best hand.