Still stinging from several bad beats today, I started thinking about the predictability of luck coming in streaks. I'll spare you the details of my bad beats. We all have these lucky and not-so-lucky streaks.
It occurs to me that this would be the normal or expected fluctuation of probably occurrences in poker. You can play all your cards perfectly one day and your pocket rockets (aces) will lose out to an improbable straight draw. On another day you can play everything wrong and your luck will hold up as you draw out on your opponents time after time. All experienced poker players know how this goes.
Good cards and bad cards can tend to come in streaks. This is a predictable outcome in the game of poker. It is to be expected. I believe it's important to understand this concept. Otherwise, we may fall into the trap of thinking that we are unlucky, or the poker gods have it out for us, or some other self-defeating beliefs. These streaks are a part of the game we love – or as I sometimes say, "the game I have the love-hate relationship with."
