First of all, let me wish all of you a very merry Christmas. One of the many blessings I have enjoyed this year is good health which has let me enjoy poker, travel, friends and family (not necessarily in that order). My hope for you this coming year is the same without which the others might not happen! I have been very lucky this year winning the Audi and a few tournaments which may or may not make up for the many bad beats we all suffer. I thank you for listening to my many whines about this subject, helping me celebrate my victories, and suffering through my poker "lessons". Truthfully, the knowledge I don't possess about poker would fill many volumes. I am frequently humbled and troubled by events at the table....just like in "real life". That said, on to my last tournament of the year.
Chipping up a little early was critical for me, as a new player to our game totally took half my stack with a miracle on the river. I raised in early position with QQ and was called by 8/9. The flop was 8 high and I came firing out. He called with his "top pair, no kicker" and some unlikely gutshot straight draw. The turn was a brick (a king), and I fired again...thinking my flop bet was 200, and the turn 300. The river, another 8. I bet 200 and for some unknowable reason like he didn't know what he was doing, he just called.
Now short stacked I fought my way back some only to run into another new player. Gosh, it seems they were coming out of the woodwork this week. This player had lost most of his chips and was very short, maybe 300 with blinds still small at 20/40. I found pocket 8's and raised to 100. he came over the top all-in with 3/4 suited. I called. The flop was a wet dream for him, all spades, including the 8 of spades. The turn was another spade, and with tons of outs to fill up, the river was another spade. The smallest spade on the board was an 8, so chop-chop. You could say that the river saved me, but I prefer to think I got hosed by the board not pairing.
A few hands later, I again got the chance to eliminate him when he raised all-in with K/10 and I woke up with A/A. Once again, I flopped a set, and the river hosed me giving him broadway. Unbelievable.
My last shafting came on my last hand on the final table. I had $525 with blinds at 50/100 and shoved with AK suited on the button. The small blind called with A/5 suited. The flop came with a king but two hearts. Any guesses which players suited cards were diamonds and whose were hearts? Any guesses what the river brought?
Have a happy new year!!!!
3 comments:
Gosh, it sounds like you and I are having the same kind of "luck" again. I made the following mistakes on Saturday: I'm in the small blind. Blinds are still 25-50 so it's really early in the tournament. There are all kinds of limpers. The button raises to 200. I just call with QQ. Total of 3 in the hand because most of the limpers folded. Stupid you say? I'm thinking of my terrible position and not the fact that it was the button raising.
Flop is KQ8 with 2 spades. I'm thinking this is a terrific flop except for the 2 spades, but I check it anyway. Mistake number 2. Checked to the button who bets 300. Guy next to me calls. I check raise to 1200. First smart move by me.
Button tanks and calls. Guy next to me folds. I'm feeling pretty good now.
The turn is an ace (not a spade) and I think this is wonderful again because if the button has AK or AQ or whatever, I'm getting paid. I put him all in. He hesitates a little bit and then calls. Great googly moogly. Naturally, he has A3 (YUCK) of SPADES so he flopped the nut flush draw and turned an ace so he's going nowhere. My best buddy JT puts a spade on the river. I hate poker.
Glad you had a good holiday and that your health is holding up. I'm hoping to improve mine next year by cutting out all kinds of yummy stuff. Wish me luck!
Dewey, I think that shoving from bad position pre-flop is the optimum move here. You do not want to play this hand out of position (though flopping a set is awesome). I hate your check on the flop with the check raise not being all-in. You may or may not have had the nut flush draw calling, but it makes it very tough for him. Really, QQ is a problem hand many times as we well know....so I would prefer to just get my money in early and hope for the folds....particularly in a turbo tournament there are just not enough chips in play to slow play this hand.
As for JT, I see he is still the "undertaker".
You are absolutely right on all of your observations. See - I told you I played it wrong LOL. This is how we learn though, right? If we all played A-B-C poker, it would be so boring it would have died out eons ago. Happy New Year!
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