Poker Basics

A bad beat occurs when a strong favorite loses after an opponent catches one of a small number of cards needed to win. The phrase usually describes an unusually painful or improbable loss rather than any ordinary defeat.ExampleYou get all-in with a set against a lower pair on the turn, but your opponent hits a one-out higher set on the river. That is a classic bad beat.

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Published: September 29, 2026
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