Vernacularism

While playing Limit Texas Hold ‘Em, you’re holding pocket 8s, and the flop brings Ks-Qs-8d to complete your set. This is a terrific scenario for you, sitting in middle position. The big blind bets and you raise, putting your online poker opponent on a strong King or Queen. A tight player behind you re-raises. The big blind calls and so you do you.

Your hand still seems strong since it’s likely that your two online poker opponents are each holding a strong King and Queen. There is always the possibility that the tight player behind you who re-raised is holding pocket Kings or Queens too. But since neither player raised pre-flop, you think it’s unlikely either player holds a pair of faces. Either player could be on a flush draw two with a high face card. Most likely one is holding K-Q and the other A-K.

The turn brings a third spade card of low ranking. The Big Blind bets and you have to pause. The pot holds 15 bets at this point. Is your set still good against the flush possibility on board? Perhaps you were already drawing dead against a bigger set than your 8s. You painfully muck your flopped set.

The river is another spade, putting four to the flush out there. The big blind bets and the other remaining player calls. Big blind turns over Kd-Ks for the wining flush against the other player’s Ad-Qs.

You have regretfully donked off some of your chip stack, but in fact, have made the correct play and wise decision to fold. Don’t let these situations erode your confidence. Recognize that you got a bit lucky, then it turned on you and you made the right poker play.