Sometimes, it doesn't matter how good you are at playing mobile poker – you are bound to lose from time to time. Even if you have a strong hand and you do everything by the book, your opponent can still get the upper hand and win the pot.
If you've heard the word cooler while playing online poker, you've probably experienced an unexpected loss. But what does this term mean? And can you change your poker strategy to avoid such situations? Learn all about coolers in poker and expand your knowledge of the game!
The Definition of a Poker Cooler
In poker, the word cooler represents a situation in which you have a decently strong hand – and yet, you lose, leaving you feeling as if you got cheated out of a win. Even if at first, it seems as if the odds are on your side - the community cards uncover a combination more beneficial to your opponent.
Let's say you're playing heads-up poker, and you get a pair of 5's as your hole cards. And once the flop reveals the following combination, you think you have the winning hand: ♥5, ♦7, ♣7.
In this case, you might go all-in, as you have a full house combo on your hands. At this stage, you wait for your opponent to show his pocket cards, which, unfortunately, include the following: ♥7 and ♠7. His four-of-a-kind will beat your full house, which means you will be left with nothing by the end of this hand.
How to Deal with a Cooler Hand
Unfortunately, there is no way to avoid getting a cooler hand in poker. Unless you have psychic abilities and you can predict what kind of cards your opponent gets, you won't be able to avoid losing cash in such a situation.
However, there are a few things you can do to minimize the damage such a hand can inflict:
- Don't take unnecessary risks – When getting a strong hand, most players feel confident enough in their ability to win. That is what might lead them to go all-in in certain situations, but if they get a cooler hand, that means they might lose everything they have in mere minutes. So, even if you think you have a great chance of winning, think twice before putting all your money on the line.
- Don't get discouraged – Yes, getting a cooler hand and losing lots of money sucks. It might seem unfair that even if you do everything right and follow all the poker strategies you've learned, you still leave the table empty-handed. Many inexperienced players will give up at this point – they will leave the table and stop playing for a long while. But you shouldn't get discouraged when you get a cooler hand! You can always recover some of your losses, and who knows? Maybe the next pair of cards you'll get will create a truly unbeatable combination.
- Learn from your mistakes – After getting a cooler hand, take a minute to mourn your loss- but that's it. Once you're able to look back at the game with a clear mind, try to analyze your play and your opponent's reaction. Did you look too eager when you realized you have a good hand? Did your opponent hesitate after you've added money to the pot? Or did he act without any fear whatsoever? Such an unusual situation can teach you a lot about online poker, so don't pass up on the opportunity to get better at the game!
Turn Any Cooler Hand into a Winning Situation!
While you don't get to choose which cards you or your opponent get, you can control the way you react to any given situation. So, the next time you get a cooler hand, don't let it drag you down. Make the most of the situation and learn from it to become a better poker player.