Thought this would be an interesting open ended discussion topic. In your own words, what do you find hardest about the game? It could be strategic like playing against tough regulars all the way to finding a slow game boring.
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Well, for me, a couple of things, which are actually related.
1. Winning feels cool, but the losses are 10 times harder to digest.
2. Even small downswings make me stressed, agitated and low in confidence.
Also, it's pretty annoying how some (live) regulars start bickering at the table for no apparent reason. Some people have horrible personalities, which get worse if they are losing.
There is one type of bad run that makes me feel bad. I don't mind that much if villain hits lucky cards because that is part of the game. But when the deck is cold for a long time and when nothing special happens but the board runs just super bad all the time, it can be hard. Because then you might start thinking if you are really playing bad.
I feel like not succeeding in hiding what type of game you have and get read is the most frustrating thing. Like when you're just too stressed and uncomfortable to keep your pace. seeing in your opponent's eyes that they know makes you feel like you failed at the essence of poker.
This!
Originally posted by la55i
There is one type of bad run that makes me feel bad. I don't mind that much if villain hits lucky cards because that is part of the game. But when the deck is cold for a long time and when nothing special happens but the board runs just super bad all the time, it can be hard. Because then you might start thinking if you are really playing bad.
Really lets self doubt creep in, or depending on mindset, gives you an excuse for bad play!
For me it´s a combination of factors:
* getting bad cards/totally missing 99 % of the flops for a long time
* donks hit their lucky cards almost all the time
Well, the classical downswing. I don´t mind if a donk hits his lucky lucky wonder-draw from time to time, that´s ok. I don´t mind getting bad cards and/or totally missing some flops/boards, but when those two factors are combined for a long time then it starts getting extremely annoying and frustrating for me. One session: ok. Two sessions: still ok, but after 5 or more such sessions it really starts getting on my nerves!!! I become frustrated, bored and my motivation to hit the tables decreases......
So the most difficult part of poker for me is handling long downswings, short ones are okay, when I get a long bad run, I loose self-confidence, start questioning myself and my game, get frustrated, angry, sad, see no point in hitting the tables, the temptation to do something else instead gets bigger and bigger.
I know I have to get through those phases, everybody has them and they are difficult for everybody, but still: Have to find my way to cope with them without getting frustrated, angry or loose motivation.
Originally posted by Renmerb
This!Originally posted by la55i
There is one type of bad run that makes me feel bad. I don't mind that much if villain hits lucky cards because that is part of the game. But when the deck is cold for a long time and when nothing special happens but the board runs just super bad all the time, it can be hard. Because then you might start thinking if you are really playing bad.Really lets self doubt creep in, or depending on mindset, gives you an excuse for bad play!
....or an excuse to do something else instead of playing poker 
Actually the most difficult thing for me personally, is fitting poker into my life to the extent that I want it to be. I love poker, but at the moment it doesn't make me any real money, nothing close to what my job does, so its difficult to justify the time in a financial sense. However, in order to get to the point where I can claim that I can make $xx/hour from poker, and therefore justify the time, I need to put in the hours to improve. When you also have a family to keep happy, other chores and projects, it makes it even more difficult to justify to yourself, and others.
If I play 1 game and some random fish post in the chat Russians are annoying and he bust me out with a bad beat like he thinks what Russians always do. Disclaimer I’m no Russian player.
Cheers,
SDK1987
These days that you lose every single hand no matter what you decide!! Flips always against you and your AA are never good.
Originally posted by fivefoursuited54
These days that you lose every single hand no matter what you decide!! Flips always against you and your AA are never good.
Especally when this doesn´t last only days, but weeks! Actually I´m in the midst of such a phase and can barely find motivation to hit the tables.