I am not sure who said that -- heck, I am not even sure if it is a famous saying -- but it raelly seems to hold true in poker. So, with that in mind, I bring you a few frustrating hands (you already heard about the wretched bad beat that took me out) from yesterday's $1500 NLH'em tournament.
Lets start with the one that made me feel the most like an idiot -- because I was so sure I had won that I announced it to the table only to be wrong. Gaack! It was fairly early in the tournament and I was in the big blind with a lousy unsuited 7-3. I was desperate to fold but did not get a chance because no one raised the pot. Three guys called it and the four of us saw a flop of 3-4-9. My lousy 7-3 had hit bottom pair. No way I would bet that sucker, that's for sure! I was still desperate to get out, but no one bet the flop so I was still in. The turn brought another 3. Ok, now I had trips and now I was quite interested in the hand. I checked, trying to trap, and was thrilled when one player bet 600. The other 2 players folded and I went into a little act, debating for a while to make it look like I was on a flush or straight draw, before reluctantly calling. I was at about 4000 in chips and was already expecting this hand to take me to about 6k.
Then the river -- a seven. I had hit a full boat! Even better, it was the third club to come and I was praying that the guy who had bet earlier had hit his flush or straight draw. I again checked, looking weak, and he bet another 600.
In retrospect, maybe I should have sniffed something fishy. 600 was a begging-to-be-called bet into a pot that was now at 2000. But, even if I had put him on a big hand, I would have bet it was that straight or flush he might have been drawing at. So, I said, "raise" and pushed out his 600 plus 1000 more. He called quickly and I said, "I've got you" as I turned over my 3s-over-7s full boat. Duuuuh. I am an idiot. He flipped over pocket 4s for a higher 4s-over-3s full boat.
You know, I probably got a huge break. If he had come back at me with a re-raise I would have called him for sure and been down under 1000 in chips. Instead, I still had about 1500 left and was able to fight my way back. Still, I sure learned that having a big hand does not mean you should let your guard down!!
Want to hear about another good one? Midway through the 3rd level of the tournament I had about 10k in chips, really great shape and certainly among the top 50 or so in chips at that early point. I was resolved to play fairly tight and not give up the very nice pile I had accumulated so far. I looked down and I had pocket Queens in a fairly early position with the blinds at 100-200. I love Qs but no way do I want a lot of players seeing a flop against them so I took it up to $600. Imagine my joy when 3 players called me. This was a very good pot and I silently prayed, "give me a queen on the flop and I will bust one of these suckers and really chip up!!" I got my wish...
The flop came and there was a Queen right there in the door. I almost jumped out of my seat when I saw it. But then I saw the other 2 cards. It was a 10 and a J and both of them were diamonds. I got my wish, but this meant that anyone with big slick had flopped a straight. Grrrrr.I resolved not to let anyone get a free flush draw so I bet out 2-grand into the $2500 pot. A guy who had beeen playing quite aggressive and making some loose calls with A-middle and K-middle kinda hands (but getting quite lucky on those calls) came over the top all-in for about 5000 more.
I looked at him and silently prayed for him to be holding A-Q. Maybe he had pocket Js or pocket 10s, I hoped. I cursed the poke gods. This was exactly what I wanted to avoid when I had found myself with a big chip stack -- a big pot that could undo all the good I had done so far. I waited a bit. I looked at him and then just asked, "you holding big slick?" He did not answer and I am not enough of a pro to read him. Heck, if he had answered I am not sure what I would have done with it.
I sighed and looked at the flop again. Even if he had big slick, I had 7 outs with the final Q as well as full house options if I could catch a 10 or J. I said, "I call" and he nearly jumped out of his chair as he slammed his big slick to the table. I got no luck on the turn or river and suddenly found myself well below the chip average. Grrrrr.
Overall, my luck was pretty bad. I had an early hand where I called an all-in bet with 2 pair only to see the short-stacked player hit a 4-outter on the river. I also had a hand where my Q-J was out-kicked by a K-J and one where Anna Wroblewski beat me out of an 8000 chip pot when her K-Q outkicked my K-J. Nothing sucks like getting out-kicked by one card!
The worst bad luck though came when 2 somewhat short-stacked players went all-in ahead of me and I found a suited AK of hearts and called. One player had a suited QJ and the other had A-J. I was feeling great about getting another 6000 in chips but a J came on the turn and I lost to both of them. Grrrrr.
Still, all my luck was not bad and it would only be fair if I told you about a great escape I made about a half-hour before I was knocked out of the tournament. I was down to about $2000 when I found pocket 6s on the button. The same guy who had beaten me with the straight over my trip-Qs had made it $600 to go and I pushed all-in. He insta-called and turned over 9s. Yikes. I figured I was all done. The flop brought no help and the turn was a blank too. Then the river-- a 6!!! I had hit a 2-outter!! Whew, that was lucky!
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