Bad Beat Poker: What is a Bad Beat in Poker and How to Handle It

What is Tilt in Poker?

Tilt is an emotional state that leads players to make overly aggressive and suboptimal moves, often because they are frustrated or angry. Players can go on tilt when bluffed out of a big hand, and their opponent reveals their cards after the fold. They can also enter the state when things aren’t going their way and they don’t get any decent hole cards or catch anything on the flop.

As noted above, the most common reason for poker players to tilt is that they have been dealt a bad beat.

Examples of Bad Beats in Poker

Imagine holding a pair of kings, and the flop comes K, 8, 8. You now have a powerful hand. You have the nuts, and at this point, nothing can beat you. To your delight, your opponent goes all-in, and you snap call.

They show an A-Q, which means they have completely missed the flop. You are a massive favorite for the hand at this point, and in the vast majority of cases, you would win.

But then an ace comes on both the turn and the river. You still have a full house, and it has improved from kings over 8s to kings over aces, but your opponent has aces over 8s, and as the three-of-a-kind rank takes priority in a full house vs full house battle, your opponent wins.

Straight and flush draw bad beats can be even harder to deal with.

For instance, assume you have an A-K, and the flop comes A, K, 5. Your opponent tries to bluff you and goes all-in, only to get called and turn over a 6, 7. Again, your chances of winning are huge, but if the next two cards are 8 and 9, your opponent catches a straight, and you have to deal with a bad beat.

How to Deal with a Bad Beat Poker

Although it can be hard to accept a bad beat in poker, it’s all part of the game, and going on tilt will only hurt your chances. If you keep tilting every time you have a bad beat, you will struggle to make it as a successful poker player. So, remember the following tips whether you’re playing online poker against the computer or facing off against other players in a tournament.

• Accept That It Happens: Although it might feel like the gods of fortune are against you, these things happen, and you must learn not to take them personally.
• Don’t Blame Your Opponent: We all get caught in big bluffs occasionally and are prone to misreading hands and thinking we’re strong when we’re not. It’s not your opponent’s fault they took a chance and got lucky, so don’t get angry with them.
• Take a Breather: If you follow a bad beat with a big hand like pocket aces, you’re in a perfect position to play aggressively. Your opponents will think you’re tilting and won’t believe you have something. If not, consider sitting out a few hands and letting yourself calm down.
• Remember You’re Still In: If you’re playing a big tournament and still have chips, you must focus on that. Yes, you were very unlucky, but you’re technically luckier than all the players who dropped out before you, and you have a better chance of winning. Focus on the positives.

Summary: Bad Beat Poker

Phil Hellmuth, one of the greatest poker players, said he would win everything if luck weren’t involved. We’re sure his fellow pros would disagree, but it’s an important point, as that luck factor makes this game unpredictable. It’s the thing that gives novice players a chance against pros and means that anyone can have their day.

Of course, if you play optimal poker in every tournament, you can mitigate some of that luck and win much more than you lose, but bad beats still occur, and learning how to deal with them is key to becoming a successful player.