Are there really "bad beats" ?

[pothole]

Is there really such a thing as a bad beat?. It's a question I have often asked myself and have come to the conclusion that the answer is no ! You read all the time in Bad Beat threads about AA cracked by 33 and players hitting runner runner to make a flush etc, but are they really bad beats or just bad luck? At the end of the day we all play 7 cards, yet players who go all in pre flop with the best TWO cards, complain of a bad beat when it gets cracked. The complaining players are also more likley to be TAG or nitty, so they expect a pre flop push or raise to be called only by premium hands. Your thoughts?

[LombardiStix]

Bad beat is in the eye of the beholder.

My view of a bad beat is when the person with the best hand makes the right play at a much weaker hand (percentage should be 90/10 at least) and the weak hand calls then hits the runner runner or the one outter. I don't call lost hands at 55/45 a bad beat. I dont necessarily call 33 taking AA a bad beat. I think it depends on the situation. I think its a bad beat when the weak hand had really no business calling the bet.

Good question though mate!

[villaridge]

I think the runner, runner, etc, suckout, etc, should be called a donkey beat.

A bad beat, as defined by the many poker sites that run bad beat jackpots, is usually Quad 8's and higher that are beat.