The beatings will continue until morale improves

Although the no one can honestly tell you where this tongue in cheek one-liner comes from it has always been one of my favorites.  If I were to guess where it came from (disregarding where others think it came from) I would guess Pirates.  No, not those Somalian clowns in John boats w/ a couple of RPGs, but real Pirate of old days.  The humor in this statement comes from how backwards it is.  When we think of it in regards to poker is that really the case though.  Oddly enough, I think poker is one of the only things where this is accurate.

Here is how players generally waste their bankrolls.  First they take a couple of bad beat(ing)s.  That's variance...Aces get cracked, your flopped straight gets four-flushed.  It happens, I know it and any other player in the game knows it, from time to time the odds get turned on their head and you take a run of horrible beats.  I have (and still do) from time to time allowed this to kill my morale and put me on tilt.  When this happens you get stuck in the cycle, second guessing yourself, taking less than profitable shots, and ultimately taking more beatings which then adds to the tilt factor. 

Every poker player should learn this saying and keep it in mind when they find themselves going on tilt because the only way to stop the beatings is to stop and improve your morale.  If this means time off from the game, so be it.  If you can get out using positive affirmations, good for you.  Whatever it takes just remember, things don't change themselves...The beatings will continue until morale improves.

Next blog will likely be about what Florida and California are trying to do to get a piece of the rake and destroy the free enterprise of poker...to make some coin.  Until then.. Good luck in everything that you attempt.