When All Else Fails

Poker players like to talk about a lot of things. If we hit a bad beat jackpot or win a tournament, we enjoy talking about what we spent our money on. I have shared my tales of my Caribbean adventures with many friends and always enjoy reliving those experiences with others.

The one thing we don't talk about much is losing. Our losses we generally keep to ourselves.Poker players don't feel they are supposed to lose. When it happens and when it starts repeating itself, they frown and shake their heads and keep the information to themselves.

Somewhere in the great scheme of things...

...the odds against a person can shift. And when the shift happens, it can last. This has not happened to me very much, but over the years it has occurred. And when it does happen, a player has problems.

The Player's Mind

Now it is worth mentioning it is crammed with a lot of things. Pot odds, chance, probability and having a player going all-in with a big bet when you're holding A-K and waiting for the flop. These are just a few of the things you can face when your luck is going bad.

When all else fails, what do you do?

I wish I could give you a simple answer. The truth is I can't.

Poker and gambling itself are unusual games that humans created to escape boredom. The riskier the game, the bigger the thrill and the larger the payoff. That is what we live for and hopefully we will be strong enough to withstand the losses.

When all else fails...

...I recommend you take a day or two off and that you clear your mind of all things relating to gambling.

Pick out a new restaurant and spend an evening there sampling culinary delights that will tickle your palate. Find a new attraction in the place where you live and invite a couple of friends or family members to share it with.

Then with a fresh outlook on life, return to the casino and try your luck in a tournament. But don't play your usual game of poker. Pick out one of your favorite players, someone you admire, and take on that person's identity.

Say to yourself...

...what would (name of the other player) do in a situation like this. And then do it.

Now I am not guaranteeing this will make you win. But it will give you new insight into the game and the other players and with that insight might come luck.

You become a good poker player by studying the game, the odds and the other players. You keep an upbeat attitude while you are playing and you use your natural talents in order to bring the chips to your corner of the table.

Take time to joke with the dealer and the other players and be sure to tip the cocktail waitress. You want to appear relaxed and in a winning frame of mind.

When you get a chip lead in the tournament, press it. Use the lead to your advantage. You are now king of the mountain and you should play the role to the hilt.

When the dealer ends his shift at your table and gets up to leave, thank him. The dealer will remember it.

I hope I don't run into a losing streak. But if I do, you can be sure I will have a game plan to correct my course. You should have that game plan too.

Author: Geno Lawrenzi Jr.

(Geno Lawrenzi Jr. is an international journalist, magazine author and ghostwriter and poker player who lives in Phoenx, AZ. He has published 2,000 articles in 50 magazines and 125 newspapers. If you want to share a gambling story or book idea with him, send an email to glawrenzi@gmail.com ).