Charlie Magdaleno: Blog

  Among other things, I'm a big fan of the game Texas Hold 'Em.  I attempt to play it every so often, not really for real money or anything, and if I do it's not very much. 

  In any case, for those who are unfamiliar with the terminology, there is a popular yet infamous term known as the "bad beat."  As the term itself implies, a bad beat is what it's called when you have a hand that is very strong and is most likely to win, only to end up losing to a stronger, albeit unbelievable, hand that usually comes about by a twist of fate or luck on the River (I'll explain in a bit.)

  That being said, I experienced one of my biggest "bad beats" ever recently and it got me thinking about remembering that while it's tough to lose a battle, the transcending focus has to be on winning the war- in whatever it is we do.

  To better illustrate the point, I'd like to re-cap the events of the hand, but perhaps I should explain a bit about the game of Hold 'em for those of you who are unfamiliar with it.

  Each player is dealt two cards called "hole" cards and there are an additional five community cards dealt on the board.  The object of the game is to make the best five-card hand out of the seven available, your two personal cards and the five community cards everyone shares.

  The "board" is dealt in three rounds- the Flop (3 cards), the Turn (1 card) and the River (1 card).  In addition, there are four rounds of betting in the game- before the Flop, after the Flop, after the Turn and after the River.  In these rounds a player may either "check" or pass on the bet if no other player has bet yet, "call" or match the last bet, "raise" or increase the current wager/bet, or "fold" where a player forfeits their hand.

  The game I was playing is known as 2/4 Limit Hold' Em which means that in the first two rounds of betting, one bet is two dollars and in the last two rounds it's four dollars.  In addition, the "raises" are limited to the increments of the given limits and can only go so high in a given round, usually up to four bets.  For example, after the Flop, if a player wants to bet it's $2 and if someone wants to raise they can only raise the bet an additional $2 at a time and up to $8 dollars in one round of betting.  In the latter rounds, those numbers would simply double. 

  While there are more rules and aspects to the game, that should be enough to help you follow along.

  So, at first the dealer dealt the hole cards to all the players and I ended up with a King of Spades and a Queen of Spades (Ks,Qs).  Given that this a relatively strong hand I raised the current bet, and because I'm generally a very conservative player, all of the other players folded except for two.  The first player was also very conservative but not very aggressive, while the other player tended to be a bit unpredictable but not particularly aggressive. 

  In any case, pre-Flop, I raised the bet $2 and the other two players called making the "pot" $14 ($4 dollars each plus the $2 "blind").

  The Flop then came down: Ace of Spades, Jack of Diamonds and Ten of Clubs (As, Jd, 10c)

  I hit the flop beautifully- the Ace, Jack, and Ten (in addition to my King and Queen) gave me an Ace-high "Straight" (five cards in consecutive order).  The "2nd" player bet first and I raised $2 which the "1st" player called.  The 2nd player then called behind us which made the pot $26.

  Next came the turn.  The dealer put down a Four of Diamonds making the board As, Jd, 10c, 4d.  The 2nd player bet out at me again, so I raised- the stakes being in increments of 4$ now.  The 1st player called but then the 2nd player RE-RAISED me!  I gave some thought to it, but at the same time there was nothing yet he could really beat me with and he at best had the same hand.  So, I re-raised him back.  The 1st player called, which also struck me as uncharacteristic, and so did the 2nd player.  This ended up making the pot $62. 

  Finally, the River came- Two of Diamonds.  The board was As, Jd, 10c, 4d, 2d.  The 2nd player bet out $4 and I raised and additional $4 without thinking, without question.  Then, the 1st player re-raised me, the 2nd player called, and I raised again- still not really paying attention.  The other two players called and it was time to go to the showdown.  

  The final pot was $110.

  The 2nd player, to my left, showed his cards first- Three of a Kind, Aces.  A very strong hand, but I had him beat at the flop.  He had just been paying me the whole game.  Feeling confident, I showed my Ace High Straight, and felt a bit of relief thinking I had won.

  Then, the 1st player showed her cards- Six of Diamonds and Five of Diamonds.  The whole table gasped, except for me.  In the dead silence that seemed to follow, I re-checked her cards and the board to see what she had.

  Then it hit me.  Her 6d and 5d, and the board's Ad, 4d, 2d.  On the River she hit it, a Six-High Flush (five cards in all of the same suit).  

  Just like that, on the River, the hand and half of my stack was gone.  I don't think I could have folded the hand at any point, but I definitely didn't need to raise so much, especially if I had been paying attention.

  In any case, this is where many poker players go "on tilt," where they play poorly and unwisely off of their emotions, good or bad, and it begins costing them more and more.  I have to admit that I was bummed, but I was not going to allow myself to go "on-tilt".  With half of my stake still at my disposal, I knew there was poker to be played and I ended the day breaking just about even because though her hand beat mine, I didn't let it beat me.

  Too often, we let life get the best of us.  Whether they be little things that compound on us, or one major loss, it has and will happen to all of us.  But we have to keep these moments in perspective, and remember that life is not a matter of speed, or strength, but of endurance.  Life rewards those who do not quit on it, and do not quit on themselves, but we have to take the necessary risks and beatings that come along with it.

  Love comes to those who love in return.  Money comes to those who invest in making it grow.  Success comes to those who are willing to sacrifice in pursuit of it.  Still, hearts are broken.  Money is lost.  And failure spares no one.  But those who can endure, who choose to endure, will love again, will find new resources, and will establish and achieve new goals- this time with the wisdom that comes with the moments in which they are defeated.

  We all get a bad beat sometimes, but there's always a new hand being dealt.