It sucks when your set of queens is trumped by an idiot who just got lucky with a runner-runner straight. You might even want to give up on poker completely if you were seconds away from winning a large pot. No one likes bad beats….but you have to keep the overall picture in mind here.
Being a good player means being able to make the right plays at the right time almost every time you play. It is hard to think about it since that pot would have most likely been yours if the idiot wouldn’t have been there, but in the end, you’ll be a winner. The person who is always waiting around for the best hands like a runner-runner straight or flush will never be able to make any money. They will just be there handing out cash to more deserving players.
You can’t forget that, along with good strategy and focus, poker also involves an adequate amount of luck as well. I know it is sad to hear, but you are going to have to take bad beats like a man even if you make the perfect play and still don’t get the benefits.
If you’re able to take having a few or more bad beats, then you will survive one of the toughest parts of playing poker. You’ll have to go through dry spells where you’re playing smart, but still losing money. Think of it as a learning experience because playing smart is better than not playing at all. The donkeys who aren’t bright enough to study the game and have no real idea how to play will end up the biggest losers.
