What do people do when they go completely card dead in a session? I played a 3-4 hour session recently where I think I had only one playable hand in the whole session. I mean seriously card dead, not even a hand worth limping.

This is in a game with limited opportunities to steal pots because so many players call just about anything. I find it really tilting which leads to playing garbage or suffering entitlement tilt when I finally hit a half decent hand.

Play each hand I'm dealt optimally, to the best of my ability, given my current reads and situation.

Be patient and don't play a hand for 2 hours. Look for a spot to squeeze after 2 hours (may take a check/raise + barrel or two). If you can't hand read well via live tells and player types to know when to steal, just fold for 4 hours and play one hand. It happens.


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Here's a 'secret' (only not really): winning poker is often boring. If you don't have the discipline to sit there and fold for 2 hours, then raise AK on the button, get called 5 ways and give up on a 79T-two tone flop, then fold for another 2 hours...you don't have the discipline to win at poker.

I can tell you who can't win at poker, the guys who go bat**** after an hour or so of being card dead. They start uttering plaintive noises with each new crappy hand and muck in an exaggeratedly exasperated manner, then start making ******ed plays, then get stacked. Don't be those guys OP.

+1

And learn to limp trash in LP and play some MWay messes. That I advocate limping 15-20% of hands in a MWay OMC fest like the OMCs do is probably partly to do w having a negative attention span.


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If you're in absolute agony, for whatever reason, you may have reached the limit of your patience. You don't have to stay at the table, you know...the game will be there if you want to come back in 15, 30 minutes or another day.

I do try to keep an eye out for the people who have a fold button because being card dead for 2 hours is a good way to get some extra fold equity.

Example: OMC limps in MP, reg to your right who can fold isos to 5bb, you have Q9ss. Normally you pitch this but after folding for so long, you decide to 3! from SB.

This is what I would consider a reasonable adjustment. Doing this with T2o would still be bad IMO.

Also you could find a new hobby.
Or only play in small 50NL home games where you can VPIP 40-50 while drinking and play at least Breakeven.

Maybe you play too tight. I don't think I've ever been that card dead.

I was at a table one time with a lot of stations. I folded for 8 hours straight.

If I did that, I would say I am on my A-game today. That's LLSNL....

At 30 hands/h playing 10% of hands from each position the probability of this happening is about 1 in 100 billion. If your average vpip is 10% then it's a longer shot because there are spots where you vpip more and spots where you vpip less. An uneven distribution of vpip by position makes it more likely for you to play a hand overall.

My vpip UTG where I am playing the tightest is over 10% at a typical table. Maybe I'm too loose but you have to be either a huge nit or incredibly unlucky to be card dead for 8 hours.

Edit: Actually I'm probably tighter out of the SB/BB unless it's a limpy table which lets me see some flops for cheap with marginal hands, but whatever.

I've been card dead for the last 6 years. Basically what you do is allow your soul to slowly deteriorate to the point where you can't feel anything anymore, let alone annoyance/anxiety from being card dead. Once you have no soul, you just sit there blank faced and try to grind it out. Be forewarned though, if 4 hours of being card dead is a long time for you you are in for a rude awakening. Some dark stretches await.

I think if I recall correctly, my best hand in that stretch was a K8o, which I almost played...

I literally was not dealt a single Ace in that time, and most of my hands were of the broadway +2/3 unsuited variety.

I probably play overall 30-35% of hands, but because of the stations, I was probably closer to 20-25% that night. Still was willing to open 40-50% late, but just wasn't getting anything....

if your range drops <10 action dependent. Add in 1-2 hands played and you're close to within 1 SDev of tight poker and card dead


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I'd recommend changing tables. Apparently your seat is completely card dead and what are the odds that the seat at the other table is just as bad? Ok, I'm kidding about that but not about changing tables. Change tables and start out fresh with a new perspective and a new table image. Being card dead for 4 hours can really hurt your chances of getting paid off.

A+

This was deep dude. Poker really is boring and often feels like a battle of attrition.

no, it happens. you are at a juicy table and you are only getting 20 hands an hour and just can't catch a hand. Hands like 67 off and K8 suited look like monsters compared to the hands you are getting dealt.

and then you pick up queens and an OMC three bets you out of the SB. then you know it is time to go home.

You mean those aren't monsters?


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TWSS



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I'm impressed you actually did the work. Most people just make up a number.

Your point is well taken. It is unlikely any of us really have many streaks of folding more than an hour at a time. It just feels that way.

I once went 4 hours without winning a hand. I only lost about $200. At 35 hands per hour playing 9-10 handed, 4 hours worth of blinds at 2/5 is about $100-$120 ish, you can imagine how many hands I folded. I only put about $100 total into the pot not counting the blinds.

This is unfortunately pretty accurate imo

Widen up your range


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If you play top 25% of hands then the probability of not getting one in 3 hours is orders of magnitude lower than winning the lottery or being struck by lightning. Even playing top 10 or 5%, the chances of this happening are obscenely low and not worth worrying about.

If I felt like I was getting bored at the table I would simply leave.