Intermediate Techniques for Handling Frustration When Cold Decks Appear Owen Gaines Owen Gaines is a professional poker player and author who has played an estimated ten million hands and written four poker strategy books. May 14, 2026 Cold decks test discipline because the correct play can still lose several hands in a row A cold deck is a stretch where strong starting hands miss, value hands run into better holdings or normal spots keep producing poor outcomes. It is not proof that the game has changed or that every opponent is suddenly impossible to beat. In poker, short-term results can move sharply away from expectation. Intermediate players usually understand this in theory, but the hard part is staying clean when frustration starts changing decisions. The first adjustment is to separate hand quality from hand outcome. A correctly played top pair, overpair or strong draw can still lose. Review the decision by street: position, stack depth, board texture, opponent range and bet sizing. If those elements support the play, mark it as acceptable and move on. Do not rewrite the hand just because the river was ugly. The second technique is to slow the next orbit down. Frustration often shows up as loose calls, rushed bluffs or unnecessary three-bets. Take a few extra seconds before entering pots. Ask one simple question: would this play still make sense if I were even for the session? If the answer is no, fold and reset. Bankroll control also matters here. Cold decks feel worse when the stakes are too large for the player’s comfort. A proper bankroll makes bad stretches survivable, which protects decision quality. Finally, avoid revenge poker. Do not target the player who cracked your aces. Do not widen your range just to “get it back.” The best response to a cold deck is boring: keep ranges disciplined, protect stack depth and wait for profitable spots to return.