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Is not when I take a bad beat. When this happens I get pissed for a few seconds and realize that I’d rather be the one taking the bad beat than the one giving it. Simply put: I don’t want any more positive reinforcment for making bad plays than I have already gotten.

But what really pisses me off is when I make a big bluff and I am called. I’ve been trying to figure out what it is about this situation that gets me so mad. Sure, I want the guy to fold his TPTK or nut flush draw to my Queen hi gutshot draw. But playing winning poker isn’t about people laying down to my aggression every time. Just as with the bad beats, I have equity in each hand I play. When my bluff gets called and I’m sent to the rail the guy simply made a good call. He will fold in that spot a certain percentage of the time and I will take the pot. If I’m good enough to be 80/20 in that spot I just happened to hit the 20 this time. Next time I’m closer to 90% in that same spot. But those times I do get called I’m thinking, “what a terrible call. Don’t you see the scare card on the river?” Or, “I repped that Ace preflop how could you call that bet with middle pair?” At that point I’m steaming mad; as mad as I’ve ever been in the face of any functioning computer. However, the truth is that he made a good call and he was rewarded for it. Do I think that every stab that I make at a pot should be met with cowardice? No. Otherwise I wouldn’t get action when my hand does fill up.

I guess what I’m saying is that I’m starting to know how Phil Hellmuth feels when he says, “Unbelievable!” And I’ve never won a single bracelet. I am no poker god and I shouldn’t expect to win every showdown and I shouldn’t expect - nor want - every move I make to fold my opponent.

What a bluff-gone-wrong usually boils down to is that I’m either making a good move at a bad time or a bad move at a bad time. If I’m pissed at anyone it should be at myself. The bottom line is this: I’ve got equity in each pot I’m in, and if I can keep improving my game and finding those good spots to move in I’ll keep increasing that equity slowly and steadily . No need for me to boil over and cuss out the liquid crystals just because some lucky bastard didn’t know when he was supposed to fold the best hand. I’m learning I suppose.