Unlike other aspects of poker, being card dead is entirely out of your control. Regardless of your skill level or how well you play, there will come a time when you fall prey to the dreaded event. What you can control though, is your actions while playing card dead, which are a massive factor in deciding if you survive with your chip stack intact, or head home early with the bitter taste of loss.

Playing Card Dead — What it Means For You

Occasionally you won't be dealt good cards at the poker table. It happens to the best of us and can be highly frustrating. However, when you only get garbage hands for an extended period, it's a whole other situation known as playing card dead. Being card dead is the opposite of a heater, which means getting great cards for multiple rounds.

For example…
You are sitting down for a prolonged poker session with a sizable chip stack and nothing but time on your hands. Snacks and drinks are lined up, your phone is off, and you are ready for a great day of fun at the poker table. But alas, lady luck has other ideas. Instead of a fun-filled session, over the next 30 hands, you get no pocket pairs, suited cards, or even a lousy high card to speak of. Welcome to the infuriating state of being card dead.

How to Survive Playing Card Dead

Cash games are far easier to survive being card dead, because you can get up and walk away at any time, the blinds stay at the same level and there is far less risk of being blinded out. In a tournament though, surviving being card dead is a far more gruelling prospect. A few hands on the sidelines can spell doom for your stack; however, there are actions you can take that will assist in keeping you in the game during slumps.

Remain Calm

Watching your stack slowly erode as you are forced to fold is a panic-inducing experience; though you must remain calm. Even in a tournament with ever-increasing blinds, you won't lose your entire stack in only a few rounds; it will take time. So chill out, take a breath and don't start acting recklessly and aggressively to win. You can't force your way out of being card dead with wild plays and aggression, so don't even try bro.

Preserve Your Stack

Building your stack while being card dead is a tall order, and while it's not impossible, you should instead focus on poker chip stack management until your luck turns. Limit the loss of your stack and preserve chips until you get better cards, by tightening up your playstyle and temporarily adopting a more passive playstyle.

The worst thing you can do is play loose and aggressively when you are card dead. You may pick up a few wins, but it will quickly become evident to your opponents that you are playing with garbage cards, and then it's all over. Everyone will start calling or re-raising your wagers and without the cards to back it up, your stack is as good as gone. Build your stack when times are good and tighten up when the cards die.

Walk Away or Sit Back

The best remedy for most issues at the poker table is to get away from the situation. Leave the game, go for a walk, sit back for a few hands, tighten up your playstyle and ponder your next few moves. It's easy to get into the mindset that you somehow lose by sitting back and staying out of the action for a few hands. Playing weak hands in poker during a bad slump is dangerous, so tightening up your playstyle is critical.

You still have the option to sit back and wait for the right hand though. Trying to force some action when you are card dead in poker tournaments is a surefire way to be eliminated. During the early stages of a tourney the blinds are small and shouldn't drain your stack too quickly, so you have time to wait. By the middle stages there is more urgency but still plenty of room to maneuver; you are only in danger once you have 15 big blinds or less. In that case, it’s time for an all in.

In the later stages you should still be trying to wait for good cards, but you have fewer options and time is not on your side because the blinds will start reaching eye watering levels. Once your stack falls below the halfway point, it’s time to look for a hand you are comfortable going all in with. Waiting too long means your stack will be less of a threat, and the odds of calls and re-raises increase.

Stay Realistic

After dozens of garbage cards, don't fall in love with the first pocket pair you see and expect all your fortunes to be reversed in one hand. Continue to follow good poker fundamentals regardless of how long you have been card dead and be ready to lay down your hand if you need. Don't find yourself all in with a pocket pair against a straight just because you couldn't lay them down after a prolonged slump.

Set a Loss Limit

Setting a loss limit in a cash game is always a good idea, especially when you find yourself playing card dead. Once you hit your limit, get up and leave the table no matter what. A loss limit is an easy method to help limit the damage to your bankroll while card dead and prevent bad luck from pushing you into an even worse situation, like going on tilt.

Loss limits are trickier to set in a tournament because you often have a one-off buy-in that locks you into the game until the conclusion. However some tourneys offer rebuys during the early stages; when you bust out, you can buy back in at least once, sometimes more. In this case, set a limit for how many times you will buy back in and stick to it.

Turn Being Card Dead Into a Positive

Keeping a positive outlook and perspective can make a massive difference in poker and keep you from going on tilt or making other emotion-based mistakes. Politicians use this technique all the time to alter the public's view: "We didn't go over budget on this project; we are simply investing more money to ensure it's of the highest quality for our hard working taxpayers."

Turn being card dead into a positive: don't think of it as being out of the game or losing chips; class it as an investment in future winnings while you wait for the right moment to make your move. Keep a positive outlook and don't let being card dead bring you down.

Being Card Dead Can Sometimes Provide Unexpected Perks

Say what? Believe it or not, playing card dead can provide unexpected perks that are not immediately noticeable. Simply remain calm, roll with the bad luck and look for opportunities to turn the situation to your advantage…

Observe Opponents

Often the best time to observe opponents, look for tells, and get a read is when you are not even in the hand. Once you fold, most people will discount you as a threat. Prove them wrong: watch everyone else at the table, how they play, what cards they push with, and how they bluff. You can learn a lot from watching the game without any other distractions and when you finally have another upswing, you will have more information to use.

Take it As a Sign it’s Time for a Break

Poker is fun but also mentally and physically draining, especially when you get into the zone and eight hours shoot by in the blink of an eye. Being card dead can be an excellent excuse to take a break, rest, and recharge for the next session. Don't think of being card dead as a bad thing; it's just the poker gods telling you it's time to take a break.

Throw Out the Occasional Bluff

Mix it up a little, throw out the occasional bluff and steal the pot. Play position, wait until you are first to act and wager between five and eight times the big blind or double the pot, whichever is larger, to scare everyone else out. If you are last to act, and the betting has been relatively tame, follow the same action, bet eight times the big blind or double the pot.

If you have been playing tight up until this point, this tactic is more likely to succeed. Just be aware this tactic does not always work; you may get callers or even a re-raise. Have a set number of chips in mind you are willing to risk on this bluff and fold when you hit it. You are playing card dead after all: it’s unlikely you will survive a showdown holding low ranked cards.

How to play “card dead” FAQs

1. What does it mean to be "card dead" in poker?
Being "card dead" refers to a prolonged period in poker where you are consistently dealt weak hands, such as low cards or no strong pocket pairs. It’s a frustrating situation where you can’t get the good hands needed to make significant plays, regardless of your skill level.

2. How can I survive being card dead during a poker tournament?
To survive a slump while card dead, it’s essential to remain calm, tighten up your playstyle, and focus on stack preservation. Avoid making reckless plays or trying to force action, as this can lead to bigger losses. Be patient and wait for the right opportunity to make your move.

3. What should I do when I’m card dead and the blinds are increasing?
If you're playing in a tournament and the blinds are increasing, it’s important to stay focused on conserving your stack. In the early stages, the blinds are small, giving you some breathing room. As your stack dwindles, especially below 15 big blinds, it’s time to look for a spot to go all-in or risk being blinded out.

4. How can being card dead help me improve my game?
While being card dead can be frustrating, it also offers a valuable opportunity to observe your opponents. You can take note of their betting patterns, reactions, and tells, which can give you a strategic advantage when your cards finally improve.

5. Should I leave the poker table if I’m card dead?
In cash games, you have the freedom to walk away if you're struggling with weak hands. In tournaments, you’re more committed, but you can still take breaks or adopt a more passive approach until the right opportunity arises. In both cases, don’t make impulsive decisions—stay patient and calm, and stick to your strategy