Mental Lapse: Didn't notice NUT Backdoor Flush coming in
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 1,627
It was my 8th hour of play, I was tired. My eyes were dry, irritated and starting to tear from all the smoke that of course still comes in to the poker. I was heads up 400BB deep OOP in a big pot with one guy I least wished to get involved with, and he just reraised me on the turn. I was too busy calculating pot/bet sizes and my plan for river. I forgot my cards were suited, nevermind noticed another heart on the turn. When another heart hit on the river, I was completely oblivious to having the nut flush and checked for pot control. Villain checked back and I left about $400 on the table.
So what we have here is obviously tiredness and a very high stress situation. I get that.
Here's my question, what could I have done to overcompensate for that and still notice the flush coming in? Double check my cards on the turn and/or river? Try extra hard to remember that my hole cards are suited and their suit? Always check the board on the turn if the turn provides a backdoor FD? All of the above?
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 1,782
I don't play much live, but when I do I like to make tricks to memorize boards. There's a russian learning system that involves associating letters of the alphabet with pictures, and numbers the same. For example, you have KQ, you'd come up with a picture of say a Cat for the King sitting on a plate for Q. You could even take it further and have different animals for each suit or different colored animals.
It may sound complex, but in a very short time I am able to memorize way more information than the average person. For example, 20 things, in about 5 minutes I could permanently memorize for life. I don't often apply it to poker because I have a HUD, but before I did, it was extremely beneficial to make notes in this way.