Age and misreading your hand or the board
Hi, I’m Johnny Dough and I misread my hand/board twice this week.
The first time I had J8 but somehow looked at the J twice and thought I had JJ. I raised in EP and cbet on a 972r board and didn’t realize I had J8 until villain tanked but fortunately he folded.
The second time I had A5ss and thought I had flopped the nut flush draw when the board actually had one spade and one club. I called a bet on the flop and didn’t notice until I checked my hand on the turn. That was $80 down the drain.
I’ve been playing poker for 30 years and this has been happening more frequently as I’m getting older (turning 50 in April). I’ve had my vision checked and wear glasses and I know the obvious solution is to double and triple check my hand in the future but this used to never happen. It’s quite jarring.
15 Replies
Yep, when I played in the 90s/aughts I would look at my hands once and be good for the whole hand.
Mid fifties now, playing a hand last night I rivered a straight and didn't realize it until I checked my hand ready to muck.
I check multiple times during the hand now. Getting old sucks.
Hi, I’m Johnny Dough and I misread my hand/board twice this week.
The first time I had J8 but somehow looked at the J twice and thought I had JJ. I raised in EP and cbet on a 972r board and didn’t realize I had J8 until villain tanked but fortunately he folded.
The second time I had A5ss and thought I had flopped the nut flush draw when the board actually had one spade and one club. I called a bet on the flop and didn’t notice until I checked my hand on the turn. That was $80 down the drain.
I’v
My eyesight and memory aren't what they once were either, but the bolded should never happen to anyone. Look at your hole cards at the same time, not one at a time. I've never understood why some people do it that way, there is no benefit just downside.
Hi, I’m Johnny Dough and I misread my hand/board twice this week.
The first time I had J8 but somehow looked at the J twice and thought I had JJ. I raised in EP and cbet on a 972r board and didn’t realize I had J8 until villain tanked but fortunately he folded.
The second time I had A5ss and thought I had flopped the nut flush draw when the board actually had one spade and one club. I called a bet on the flop and didn’t notice until I checked my hand on the turn. That was $80 d
Ive played casino poker for 27 years I have never misread my hand or the board in a holdem or PLO game, i have made some small errors in double board PLO which tilts the **** out of me and usually leads to me immediately racking up unless the game is insane "fun".
Develop a routine. Every street look at hand, look at board, look back at hand. Not just calls, opens, but checks and folds. Sounds like you are just not paying attention or drinking or running your mouth. STHU and pay attention.
I’m talking to myself self. It’s not easy.
I turn 75 next month. I've been playing for at least 40 years. My short term memory is horrible. Yesterday I played so horribly in a tournament that I left feeling that I must be in cognitive decline. I called an all-in river bet with top pair and Ace kicker. I was completely surprised when I lost to a straight. I made the cardinal sin in poker -- I was playing only my two cards, oblivious to anything but an obvious board threat and missing that straight threat. That wasn't the only hand I played very badly. I left thinking that I should cancel my Horseshoe reservation for this year's WSOP Monster Stack. Should I give up on poker?
I turn 75 next month. I've been playing for at least 40 years. My short term memory is horrible. Yesterday I played so horribly in a tournament that I left feeling that I must be in cognitive decline. I called an all-in river bet with top pair and Ace kicker. I was completely surprised when I lost to a straight. I made the cardinal sin in poker -- I was playing only my two cards, oblivious to anything but an obvious board threat and missing that straight threat. That wasn't the only hand I play
Man I know the feeling and I’m only 50. Don’t give up. Poker keeps your brain sharp they say.
My eyesight and memory aren't what they once were either, but the bolded should never happen to anyone. Look at your hole cards at the same time, not one at a time. I've never understood why some people do it that way, there is no benefit just downside.
I had now idea how that happened. I was drinking and overtired and trying to look at my cards with one hand.
Maybe you should quit...
I had now idea how that happened. I was drinking and overtired and trying to look at my cards with one hand.
It's not tough to look at both cards at the same time using just one hand. That's what I always do, and it's not even my dominant hand.
Not trying to give you a hard time here, just suggesting you may want to try a new way of looking at your hole cards.
Now that you say you were drinking and very tired, that may be the reason for your mistake, more then just your aging. Older people don't generally have the same endurance. You may just need to play shorter sessions, and not drink while playing.
I'm in my early 50's, and I definitely make more mistakes now as I have gotten older.
Last week there was a pair on the board, which I did not see, and I called on the river with a flush in PLO. Granted, it was a very long session and I had lost focus a bit.
I also occasionally make sizing errors, meaning to bet 1/2 pot, but then bet 1/4 instead, or sometimes throw out the wrong sized chips.
Ive played casino poker for 27 years I have never misread my hand or the board in a holdem or PLO game, i have made some small errors in double board PLO which tilts the **** out of me and usually leads to me immediately racking up unless the game is insane "fun".
I would bet a **** ton of money that this isn't true. Every player has misread their hand/board at some point. Everyone. Sure, age and skill reduce the frequency, but it happens.
Phil Ivey famously incorrectly folded his nut flush in his prime. Are you better than Phil Ivey?
Sorry, it is hard to tell when anti-social autistics are joking. I apologize.
I would bet a **** ton of money that this isn't true. Every player has misread their hand/board at some point. Everyone. Sure, age and skill reduce the frequency, but it happens.
Phil Ivey famously incorrectly folded his nut flush in his prime. Are you better than Phil Ivey?
Well, even if he is telling the truth, he still could’ve misread his hand and never realized it.
