Play and Learn: When Emotion Blocks the Exit
Being upset from busting out of a tournament without cashing is a fairly standard feeling. You have put up a set amount of money, essentially betting on your own skills in an attempt to overcome the field and head home with more money in your pockets. Understanding that, it��s obvious why elimination shy of the money can be a demoralizing experience.
One possible response to this defeat can be renewed faith in yourself �� that is, an ��I can win it back�� mentality. There are times when this kind of response is an accurate sentiment, such as on those days when you know that you��ve played well and want to try and get back up on the horse.
However, that desire to jump back in a game right away isn��t always well founded. Sometimes putting more of your bankroll on the line when you��re in a bad mood and/or not thinking clearly can lead to further losses and an even more degraded mental state.
Last year, I played in the World Series of Poker Circuit Horseshoe Cincinnati $1,675 Main Event. I had won a satellite into the event and had been playing very well all week leading up to the Main.
Once in the Main Event, I went against a personal rule of mine and got committed for a good portion of my chips during the tourney��s early stages and ended up losing the hand. From there, I folded my way to Level 7 where I got it all in with turned trips against a made full house. I did not improve and I was eliminated from play and feeling very down.
At that point, I should have made a conscious effort not to play any more poker that day. I had made a few mistakes during the tournament and wasn��t thinking as clearly at the tables as I would have liked, so I knew I wasn��t in the best mindset once I was knocked out.
Instead, I ended up giving in and playing even more. I opted to hop into a $1/$2 cash game with a friend of mine where I ultimately lost $600 more on the day than I should have.
I headed into the cash game already feeling down on the day and this led me to playing a hyper loose-aggressive style where I ended up just bleeding money. After shelling out two buy-ins, I recall a certain hand that finally convinced me to get up from the table and move on with my day.
I was one of four players who went to the flop and I held AxQx. All four including myself checked the flop of three low cards, one of which was a 7x. An Ax then fell on the turn. One player led out and it folded over to me. I put in a raise and the original bettor came right back over the top of me with a reraise. This was a very tight older gentleman whom I had seen make exactly zero moves the entire day.
It was at this point that the bad thoughts kicked in. I knew that the correct move was to fold, yet because of the way my day had gone I could not let my cards go. I began thinking ��If I double up right here, right now, then I��m only in for $200 in this session. And if he folds, then I��m only in for $300.��
Rather than thinking about the hand in question, I was busy trying to figure out the quickest way possible to make my money back. These thoughts led me to verbalize the words ��all in,�� blindly hoping that I could at least get my opponent to fold.
Alas, as I subconsciously knew would happen, he snapped me off and showed Ax7x for two pair. I did not improve on the river and suddenly I was in for $600 on the day.
It was a dumb choice and I clearly felt like an idiot as I took my leave from the poker room. That being said, I��m not embarrassed by it at all. While it was an expensive lesson, this experience will always stick with me as a reminder of something not to do.
I was already put in a sour mood because of busting from the Main Event and knew that I wasn��t thinking clearly. I ended up going against my better judgment and losing even more money on the day than I thought possible. But now I have that experience to remind me not to repeat such a mistake going forward, and indeed it has helped me the times I have played since.
Consider how you tend to react after being knocked out of a tournament. If this ��leak�� of wanting to jump back into a game right away when you��re mindset isn��t at its best is one that affects you, think about taking a break instead. Don��t let emotion block you from finding the exit, especially if you aren��t in the best state to play your A-game. After all, there will always be a game waiting for you when you��re better able to try again.
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