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Crack - To beat a stronger hand.
When you beat a starting hand that is stronger than yours, you have “cracked” the hand. This term is most commonly used
to describe a situation where a very strong starting hand, such as Aces or Kings, is beaten by a much weaker hand. For
instance, if player “A” is holding K♥ K♣ and player “B” is holding 7♣ 5♣ and the board reads
3♣ 4♣ 6♥ J♥ 9♥, player “B” has made a seven high straight and cracked player “A’s” pocket kings.
“Cracked” can be used interchangeably with “snapped” or “broke off,” when describing a loss with a premium hand. You
may notice that you experience runs where you are getting your hands cracked virtually every time that you play. While this sensation
is similar to getting kicked in the stomach, you must learn to accept it as part of the game. A wise man once said, “The
only sure things in life are death and bad beats.”
It is also true that if you can learn to be at peace with what happens in a poker game your game will also improve. This
is because getting upset leads to poor decision making, which obviously impacts your bottom line.
Perhaps more importantly, if you allow getting your premium hands snapped to upset you, you will spend much of your
life upset and unhappy. So, if you feel yourself getting hot after a
bad beat, force yourself to just let it go.
Eventually, if you are disciplined, you will be able to let every bad beat you experience slide off your back. This state
of mind is known as “Poker Zen,” and it eludes most players, even many professionals. You may not be able to achieve this
state of mind overnight, but is worth working towards. Remember, your mental approach to the game is a significant part of
your overall strategic approach. Don’t waste your time and mental energy on things that you cannot do anything about.
Usage: Crack Your Hand, Aces Cracked, Snapped Off
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