Poker is a game of strategy, skill, and luck. While the skills of a winning poker player are highly individualized, there are some core principles that apply across all forms of the game.

Bad Beats Are Just Part of the Game

The best players understand that bad beats are inevitable in poker. You can’t avoid them completely, but you can learn how to manage your emotions so that they don’t sabotage your game.

First and foremost, never get depressed over a bad hand or a loss. When you’re in this frame of mind, it can make your game worse because it puts a damper on your confidence.

Bad Beats Are Just Part Of The Game

No matter how good you are at poker, you will always lose. This is because of variance.

Variance is the mathematical term for randomness and is responsible for the occurrence of bad beats, suckouts, and other anomalies in a poker game. Even the most skilled player will go on multiple-buy-in downswings where nothing goes their way.

You’ll also notice that most bad beats occur with the same player at the same table, which can indicate a problem in their game or their bankroll management.

It’s a good idea to read other players and pay attention to how they bet or fold their hands. This will give you a good idea of what they are holding, which will help you to make decisions in the future.