Coolerville, Washington , Population:Me

So, I am so tired of coolers.  Hitting my hand hard and losing to one of two or three hands that beat it.  Today, prime examples.  After busting out of the tournament first against an unpredictable wild man.  He had raised big under the gun with 2/4, then bet big against 3 callers on a 6/6/Q flop.  He called my button raise A/K with 3/7 and won with a pair of3's.  So, when he raised my K/Q suited in hearts with A/J, i called his reraise.  The A/heart /heart flop led to my shove, which he called.  No heart, i am done.  He ended up winning it.

 I moved over to the cash games and played some 3/6.  No problem, up $1.  Moving to the 4/8 game, lost $5.  Next stop 3/300 big game.  First loss with K/J on king high flop.  He had raised preflop so lost about $75 to his shove on turn.  Doubled up through aggressive player, then got stacked with K/J vs. K/Q ON A k/q/J flop.  Two pair vs. 2 pair.  Next stacking happened with 8/8 vs. A/A, hit my set but he did too.  Wow.  That was my last hand of the day.  

Coins Cooler

There is this one Asian dealer at Tulalip that has a lot of difficulty pronouncing "queens".  I find it hilarious playing on high hand days when someone makes a queens full hand and he yells it out, "Coins full of jacks" .  He usually has to repeat himself.  Lol.  Which brings me to a discussion of queens.  The great Doyle Brunson once said, "Don't go all in with  queen in your hand".  I should listen to him as busted out of last two tournaments with Q/J and K/Q.  As i explained recently I can't win with queens or against them.  My aces were cracked in a tournament last month by QQ.

The last Sunday of month tournament seemed to come early this month, so when I tried to buy in with a $100 bill, the td asked me for $570 more.  I have been running bad in cash games and had decided to just play tournaments for a while to control losses.  No thanks!  But the cash omaha game would not start for an hour or more.  What to do?  I took some time and finally signed up just as the game started.  The guarantee was $65,000, and first place was over $20,000.  A good way to catch up and i have done well in the past in these big ones.

Running fairly good despite early setback of my straight vs. Nut flush, I was at about 20k at first break.  I like playing the last hand at break as many players are anxious to leave and it is a good spot to steal, particularly on the button.  So, when I limped, the player next to me, fairly loose/aggressive, raised from the small blind, I called with my Q/J in position.  The flop came K/Q/Q.  He bet a fairly large amount.  I viewed it as a continuation bet, or possibly A/K cutting off draws like J/10, A/10, A/J.   There were only 3 hands possibly ahead of me, A/Q, K/Q, and K/K.  I had to rule out all 3 of these hands.  Since I had a queen it would be very hard and a cooler for him to have one.  Also, a flopped full house would check here hoping for a steal attempt or a drawing hand to improve.  With this in mind, and thinking of his draw options, I decided to raise all-in.  His snap call was not a good sign.  He tables A/Q, which at least leaves me with a few outs.  No jack or paired board and i am gone.  Ouch and double ouch.  Which brings me back to the "queen rule".  Wise words indeed.

Double Entry

My philosophy on reentry tournaments is just no.  I have made exceptions a few times with mixed results.  Usually it involves a bad beat early on when I feel like I am playing well.  Also it usually has to be a low buy in cause you know, expense.  The most expensive one was the Wildhorse seniors, and it did work out with a cash.  So, last Thursday I entered the $45 morning tournament at Tulalip.  Losing a hand early on, had about 5000 in chips when I was dealt A/A.  I was cutting out raising chips and about to bet when the next player bet $220 (blinds at 25/50, middle position, 10 minutes into the game).  I threw 200 in, the dealer made him just call, and another player called.  Flop came J/Q/K.  With the ooverpair and gutshot I bet around 600.  The eager player raised to 2000, caller folded, back to me.  Since I am virtually never folding here, and a call puts half my chips in, I re-raised all in.  He calls and turns over Q/J for 2 pair.  I have 9 outs twice as a 10, K, or A beats him.  A 5 comes on the turn giving me 3 more outs.  The river pairs his queen and I am out.

So, figuring aces cracked is a bad beat, I reenter with a discount due to a $20 coupon I forgot to use the first time.  New table, much tougher players, I play 2 hands when I am dealt 3/3 2 spots UTG.  I limp after the UTG player's limp, and a couple of others also join in.  In this spot I am set mining exclusively and am rewarded with a 3 in the door.  Yes!!!!!  The flop is 2 suited 10/5/3 so when it is checked to me I bet pot to discourage any low straight or flush draws.  Next limper calls but UTG check raises to around 750.  I figure he probably has A/10, or overpair trapping and is also looking to protect.  I re-raise all in as no way could I be unlucky enough to be against one of the only 2 hands ahead of me, pocket 5's or 10's.  He snap calls with 5/5 and I am out again before the 2nd blind level.  I gather what is left of my dignity, announce that my aces were cracked at other table, and just not my day, walking stunned out of the casino.

Sadly I reconsider and join a cash game at another casino.  My bad luck continues and I consider my earlier losses trivial compared to getting felted 3 or 4 times in the 3/300 spread game.  Still licking my wounds.