controlling your temper

[custom36 4]

This seems to be the hardest part of hold'em for me. Someone makes a horrible call, hits a one-outer on the river, thinks he's the greatest. For so long it has just pissed me off and I start berating the opponent. I don't neccessarily go on tilt, because I'm not making tilting plays, but I'm usually angry for a good half hour. Just today I lost $55 playing NL in 30 minutes, all to suckouts, and on the last one I threw my deck of cards against the wall, berated the other guy and then left until I cooled off.I think I'm beginning to overcome that though. I came back a few hours later and sat down at UB for another Saturday night fish fry. I'm up $5 ($50 NL Hold'em) and get dealt KK. Long story short, he called me with Q-10, hit his Q on the river, 10 on the turn, and I ended up doubling him up. I was going to do the same thing, but I was able to stop myself and (grudgingly) type in nice hand. I know that I want him to keep playing that crap to my dominant hands.I'm entering my fourth month of playing and I'm finally starting to control my temper and let the fish be fish. Should I have gotten through this sooner? I'm still kind of annoyed, but I understand that I should get my money back and then some the next time we have that situation.I wasn't sure where to put this, but this seems to be the same place. If you guys think this was a waste of your time, I can handle the flames. **Just noticed it's my 1000th post!**

[Vade 0]

Just today I lost $55 playing NL, all to suckouts, and threw my deck of cards against the wall, berated the other guy and then left until I cooled off.

Another 2nd place in these two man tournaments! 2nd place, 2nd place, 2nd place, disqualified for urinating on the table, 2nd place!That sounded like a perfect Fillmaff play :PCongrats on the posts

[custom36 4]

Lol Vade. I forgot to say that I lost that in about 30 minutes. Time for an edit. I actually watch Hellmuth on tv sometimes and think to myself, "Damn, I'd probably do the same thing."

[Guest]

I have to say I welcome this post as lately this has been one of the hardest parts of the game for me. I often have to play after I get off work in the morning when I am generally dead tired and cranky. It used to be (and I've even posted it here before) that I could easily say "nh" when someone drew on me. Back then, I knew I wasnt a terribly great player. I didn't know alot about the game and knew this (I was trying to get better, but not that hard). I figured if someone drew on me they probably outplayed me; or I didnt do something correctly and allowed them to beat me. Now that I've read a ton, practiced, and feel like I'm really at the top of my game........getting drawn on makes me horribly angry. I need to learn how to get this under control to be sure. Someone calls three bets cold preflop with 10 8 suited and hits the two outer flush on the river? Bloody infuriating. I'm not claiming I get drawn on anymore so than the next person because I don't. Its part of the game. These people pay you off more often than not. But I get upset and I start to spew chips. Today I made a concious effort to avoid this and had a positive showing at the tables; finally. Its an ongoing battle. Its good to hear I'm not the only one.........Wow, I just realized that sounded like I needed a support group or something.

[custom36 4]

Yeah zerospace, it seems to be something that takes a lot of experience for some of us to control. I had to think back to yesterday when I ended the day up $150. I thought to myself, "Yeah, it's been rough. But I'm still up about $100 from yesterday." I'm down about 85 for the day now, but I expect to get most, if not all, of it back by the end of the night. Also, I have yet to clear $700 on my bankroll. This is the third time I've hit $675 and started to slide. I don't know what it is, but everytime I get up that high, I hit a downswing. *Sigh* Hopefully I can clear the hurdle soon.

[BTirish 0]

My rule is... if any one night of bad drawouts or "bad luck" in any game/stake can make me do more than roll my eyes, then I need to play that game at lower stakes. There is no such thing as optimal play when you're angry.This is why, even though I can usually beat higher stakes, I am sticking to .50/1 for the time being. My BR can mathematically justify more, except that the suckouts in 1/2 or higher bother me, and a night of suckouts in 1/2 can be disastrous for me. But suckouts in .50/1 don't bother me, even though they happen more at this level.I know that this is a limitation in my game, but I'm dealing with it. A bad night in .50/1 used to bother me, but now it doesn't. When a bad night in 1/2 doesn't bother me (and I'll just play it from time to time to see how I'm doing emotionally), then I'll make the move back up.

[wrto4556 0]

Sklansky bucks, dood!

[custom36 4]

My rule is... if any one night of bad drawouts or "bad luck" in any game/stake can make me do more than roll my eyes, then I need to play that game at lower stakes. There is no such thing as optimal play when you're angry.

*Stares blankly at screen* :roll:Then clearly you don't understand my emotions and I'd appreciate it if you stayed the hell out of my conversation. The money isn't want angers me. The play is what angers me - at any stakes. And as I said, I'm getting over it. I've also noticed that I play about the same when I'm angry. So stay off my nuts.

[BTirish 0]

Then clearly you don't understand my emotions and I'd appreciate it if you stayed the hell out of my conversation. The money isn't want angers me. The play is what angers me - at any stakes. And as I said, I'm getting over it. I've also noticed that I play about the same when I'm angry. So stay off my nuts.

Was I "on your nuts" there? I said what my way of dealing with anger has been. Good for you if you're getting over it. But from your response here, it seems like you might have something of a temper. Don't post on a forum if you don't want responses.You were angry only about the play? The money had nothing to do with it? You'd have been just as angry during play money, or if you had won all these hands when the other person made a bad play? If so... you're right, I don't understand your emotions. I don't understand being angry when the other person plays badly.I'm in this for the money, and I know that I haven't sufficiently detached myself from the money (in the way you need to) to play higher than .50/1 for the time being. So, for the time being, I'm beating up on .50/1.

[BTirish 0]

Just today I lost $55 playing NL in 30 minutes, all to suckouts, and on the last one I threw my deck of cards against the wall, berated the other guy and then left until I cooled off.

Just about the play? Then why does losing $55 in 30 minutes matter? Would you have been just as angry if the same plays had happened and it had been 55 cents?

[custom36 4]

Just today I lost $55 playing NL in 30 minutes, all to suckouts, and on the last one I threw my deck of cards against the wall, berated the other guy and then left until I cooled off.

Just about the play? Then why does losing $55 in 30 minutes matter? Would you have been just as angry if the same plays had happened and it had been 55 cents?

Yes, I would have because stupid people piss me off no matter what I'm doing. This just happens to involve money.

[custom36 4]

You were angry only about the play? The money had nothing to do with it? You'd have been just as angry during play money, or if you had won all these hands when the other person made a bad play? If so... you're right, I don't understand your emotions. I don't understand being angry when the other person plays badly.

You're right, I got just as angry when using play money. Now leave me alone.

[KDawgCometh 2]

Sklansky bucks, dood!

they can be redeemed for prizes and gifts :-)