Quote Originally Posted by taylovesthebeatles View Post
What I'm wondering is, do those of you who get super upset from bad beats get just as worked up about your winning hands? That seems like it'd be difficult but also pretty important to try and do if you're someone who really gets emotional at the poker table. Which is definitely understandable, if you're serious about the game and it's something you really enjoy doing and striving to be the best.
Thats exactly it Tay. Its like, however bad you feel when you make a poor play or take a bad beat, you'd feel that good winning some chips, or outdrawing someone. What i tend to do, and shouldnt, is allow myself, or allow my mood, to go up and down as the poker game does. Im up im happy, im down, im anxious and upset. I think the idea is that you have to remain emotionless during the whole thing. Dont feel good or bad, just play the same game throughout the entire thing. IF you catch a bad beat, whatever, make the moves you have to make with the chips you got, rather than just going all in after a bad beat (which i have been known to do) If you get some chips or lay a bad beat on someone, just take it in stride. Ill often clap my hands or holla or something if i take down a big pot, and thats the behavoir i want to stop. I think if you even allow yourself to celebrate or loathe a bad hand or play, then youre going to be distracted, for every hand after that. Not to mention, especially in long tourneys, that all the hands that you celebrate and loathe will exhaust you; going on that emotional roller coaster while playing for that long will wear you out. Ive found that whenever a big hand happens (good or bad) i just remind myself to "play my best poker". Thats my mantra. I constantly remind myself thats its about focus and sound playing. As the game pulls you one way or the other, you stay right in the middle focus and unmoved, like a rock.