Masochism and "The Sweat"

Theres something about lowball poker. I have heard it said that the game is for masochists. The dictionary defines MASOCHIST as "someone who obtains pleasure from receiving punishment". This can be no closer to the truth. Even when I get to play the game live for nickels and quarters with friends, I still have to "set my hand" so that when I have a draw like 7432x, I have to "sweat" that last card i'm drawing to. It's just a longing for the feeling of peeking at the corner of that beautiful 5, giving you the nuts. It happens on every "street" and in every poker game.

You see the pros do it on tv. Hellmuth is famous for the way he looks at his cards, and there's a reason for it. When he peels that first card and puts his thumb over the corner, I know exactly what's going through his mind. And, the best part is that you get to do it again on your second holecard. That's one of the things that can make the game so enjoyable over a long period of time..."the sweat". In hold'em, you get the rush twice, and usually it's the second that is the most profound. When you see the first card is a six of spades, depending on your position and the texture of the table and what has gone on, you can hope for a 4, 5, 7, 8 or an Ace of spades, and finally another six giving you a "pair in the hole". The pros take it one step further...which they always seem to do. They call it "2 across" and "4 across", they see "paint" and make themselves guess at the hand, without actually looking at the whole card. What is it about this game that makes people come up with all of these unpleasantries, yet be so gratified about them?

When I play 2-7 triple draw online, I have to set my hand in order for the cards that I am drawing for to "fill" my hand. This is contrary to the more standard approach of setting your hand in order, lowest to highest like in a game of gin. It's almost become a lucky charm sort of thing. If I can't set my hand so that the cards fill, I am just not as eager nor am I confident that the hand will come to fruition.

After playing as many hands as I have in this game, the beats don't hurt as bad, and that relates to going on tilt. Everyone has a threshold, and it's hard to not let it get to them. I've had more #2's beat by #1's than I care to imagine. But those are the ones you remember, not all of the times you were able to put the beat on someone else. That is what I strive to remember everytime I sit down to play a session of lowball.