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There is nothing like the jilted rush in poker of picking up two whole cards and seeing two majestic kings inviting themselves in. There is always something personally gratifying about it, as if you always knew that they would show up - it was just a matter of time. You can't wait to put your chips in the middle because you know the only dealt hand that will beat you is pocket aces. Low and behold, your adversary has two jesters of the royal majesty - kings always trump jacks. Your mind automatically begins to excitedly buzz, zinging with that feeling that only comes with impending reward, as you wait for the community cards to be dealt.
Jack, six, four is what's dealt, and just like that - in an instant quicker than it took your heart to fall from your chest to your stomach - in place of the exhilaration, rush and excitement leading up to that moment is a dark, empty space. The jesters got their third man on the flop, and there was nothing the kings could do about it. You look for areas to place blame: yourself, the dealer, the person you played. Most people either leave the table or instead play recklessly to relinquish what they believed they were entitled to.
Any professional gambler will tell you not to worry about what's beyond your control and don't blame yourself. These words of wisdom are like poker in that they take minutes to learn, but years to master.
No matter how many how many times your straight gets flushed out or your kings beat by queens, you need to remember that you did everything in your control for a positive outcome. If you happen to be on the end of a hand where you get a little luck, you have to look at it exactly in the fashion that it came: you should have lost.
Any poker game reflects society. Some people are just dealt better cards than others, and they will end up with their fair share no matter what their talent. But most will have to labor and work to become good at their craft, and you can never complain about the hands that you aren't being dealt. That's just a fact poker players accept.
I cannot count how many times I have not abided by these words, and I cannot count the number of times that I wish I could have. But every time I sit down at the table, I hope and believe that I will be able to. This is what being a gambler is: You do the best you can do, each time you go out there, you try to do it better than you did before. And no matter how much you have won or lost, when you can't get any better, you have finally beaten the game.
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