Restarting the Tutorial - Bad Beat - Once Bitten, Twice Shy

Restarting the Tutorial

Journal about a guy, City of Heroes, and putting the pieces back together

Bad Beat - Once Bitten, Twice Shy

8th-Jan-2009 12:42 pm

Lets just say Ouch.

I can honestly say my foray into Online Poker has been far from stellar. I will hit a free table and walk away after half an hour up at least 2000 points. Hit a real table ring game at 5c/10c and end up 2 hours laters either even or down 5 bucks. In between games, I have been reading books on poker to at least get some idea where I am going wrong. Even Poker for Dummies I have been reading.

But I got caught with a bad beat on Tuesday and I haven't been near a money table since. I still have cash in my account, but I don't play when I have been drinking, and that seems to be my evenings of late. There is a sense of frustration. I play tight, I don't get anywhere and blinded out. I play aggressive and I always get busted on bad hands. My discpline goes out the window.

Anyway Tuesday night, I sit down for three games at 5c/10c Texas Hold'Em Pot Limit. I had been drinking but just wanted a taste. Folded two hands and then on my third I Picked up QQ. So I reraise to see if I can scare off the others and scrape the pot. Most drop out instead of a few guys.

The Flop was 3, 9, Q. Beautiful Trips Q, so go in strongly and scare off a few more who just wanted so see the flop, so I just hand one guy left and he calls me. The Turn drops and the card is a 7, still under my QQQ so good!, and I quickly scan the cards looking for a possible Flush draw. He checks, I look at his stack. and it is below the pot. I could have bet the pot and pushed him to a decision for all his chips, but I didn't. I let it ride. Finally the River and its a K. I quickly line up the angles, and decide that if he was representing KK or KQ suited early he would have bet heavily into me, and he Checks, so I push half the pot to see if he catches. He reraises and goes all in. I call it. and he drops 10, J....Straight. I got beat by the River BADLY. His hand was also unsuited, so this guy had fucking NOTHING until the River. -shakes fist in frustration-

I know I made two mistakes by not pushing hard on the Turn force him to make a decision, and blindly calling when he checkraised me on the River. Thankfully I had enough sense to tell myself to quit rather than try to earn that money back. it was gone. I seem to have gone shy. I have tried blaming that I was drunk and made mistakes, but it is still all me. Probably will spend the rest of the week reading about poker and sharpening up. At least I am analysing my game. Despite what I think I am still a Fish, and need to play better hands. I so want to get back in the game, but just need to give myself some time.

Tags:poker
Mood:cranky

Comments

12th-Jan-2009 10:39 pm (UTC)

further_ahem

Its a nasty beat, but he did have an open ended straight on the flop.

He was chasing a straight and sometimes the chasers get what they want.

Also, that's why they call it gambling (shrug). these things happen.... but commiserations!

mr

14th-Jan-2009 03:35 am (UTC)

kitsune1975

Yeah, probably the first one hurts the most. But I am back in the game, and actually starting to make a bit of a return on my Sit n Go's. I needed to learn that when the money is in the pot it isn't mine.

28th-Jan-2009 10:27 am (UTC)

niknak101

I agree it always hurts to lose a big pot when you flop a set. But on the otherhand he did have an open-ended straight draw on the flop. I don't know too much about pot limit, but he was probably pot committed after calling all the way to the turn. He only had 8 outs going to the river but it happens :)

When I take a bad beat I always think to myself, "I can get that money back, I WANTED him to call with only _ outs!"

2nd-Feb-2009 10:53 am (UTC)

kitsune1975

Yeah I think really the issue is that I saw myself as a competent card player, or even a good one, but I have a lot to learn, and I wasn't calculating properly just thinking I had the Qs.

As a result I have been reading a lot of books on poker and odds and how to minimise losses. I guess also a bonus is that now I see Queens as a trouble hand with anything less than an Ace...even pocket pairs...and Qs certainly are fickle women :)

Leave a Comment to the Entry

This page was loaded May 27th 2012, 3:02 am GMT.