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Poker Luck vs. Poker Irony

If you have been playing poker for any amount of time, then you have probably experienced or been witness to beginners luck. There is nothing more annoying than sitting there and seeing someone who has no idea what they are doing rake in chips like they were going out of style. 

People have their superstitious ways as well. One of mine happens to be the seat I choose when I go to play at the local card room. This seat is third to the left of the dealer, usually on the corner of the table, depending on how many seats are actually there. On a particularly busy night, I sat on the waiting list for the $5/10 hold ‘em game for nearly two hours. Getting impatient I just took the next available seat at the table, which was right next to my favorite seat. 

After an hour, the seat opened up and instead of requesting it I decided that I need to let my superstitious ways go. Another guy sat down and after a while it became obvious that this was the first time he had played in a casino poker room. (He kept asking about blinds and such.) 

At first, I thought he might be trying to put on an act, but realized that it was too good to be an act. On his third hand, I sat and watched as he bet recklessly to a flop of 2 of hearts, 5 of spades and 9 of diamonds. After a turn of 5 of hearts, I thought maybe he had a heart or 9 from the bets he put in. The river card was an Ace of spades and I thought maybe he had an A9 or a heart draw that missed. He bet and re-raised his heads up opponent. When the other guy turned over a 3-4 for a straight, I thought too bad newbie, time to re-buy. 

What does this newbie turn over? He turns over a pair of fives to make his four of a kind.  All the while I am thinking - that’s my four of a kind! Like a child who throws a tantrum, I silently screamed in my head that it was my seat, not his. I re-learned a poker virtue that night. Patience should not just come in to play in waiting for good cards, but also in waiting for your seat.