Top Pair, King Kicker (tourney)

LAYDOWN

Back in the day, I would have had trouble laying this down. These days, I find it much easier.

Roller Coaster Beat (tourney)

BAD BEAT/GOOD BEAT

I was down, then up.  I was a 75% favorite pre-flop, a 14% dog on the flop, and a 7% dog on the turn.  Sometimes you're lucky and sometimes you're not.  In this case, I was both.

Big Stack Crushes Aces (tourney)

BAD BEAT

As usual, big stack poker takes it down.

Ferguson Hurt (tourney)

BAD BEAT

I knew the big stack had it or didn't.  I bet that he didn't but I was wrong.

Top Pair in Position Fold (cash)

LAYDOWN

It's very easy for me to fold top pair when there's a re-raise on the flop of a pot that had several players who limped in.  I knew there was trouble and I was certain of it when the pot was raised a second time by a player acting after me.

Turned Set (tourney)

LAYDOWN

I wanted to keep the pot small and decided to check top pair on the flop. I was in the big blind and had two players acting after me, so I didn't fire out. When another seven hit the turn, I had a feeling my hand got real weak. With such a small pot and not being in an ideal position, I think it's much easier to laydown medium strength hands.

Straight on the River (cash)

GOOD BEAT

I was surprised to see that I was a 57% favorite pre-flop. I thought it'd be closer to 50/50. However, I went to 24% on the flop, and 14% on the river. How sweet it is.

Nut Flush Gamble (cash)

GOOD BEAT

I saw Patrik Atonius make this same move against someone on a high limit table on Full Tilt. I figured I had to gamble at some point and calling the check-raise would have been a terrible play. I suspected I was behind, but I didn't think I would be a 2-1 dog. Going against two pair with just a flush draw generally gives you those odds, but as luck has it, I ended up getting a back door straight.

Busted Aces (cash)

BAD BEAT

Just another example of aces getting squashed. I am really beginning to hate pocket aces. Next time I'm going to raise much higher to get the most value out of them. However, in this case, my opponents had such small stacks, I don't think I could have pushed them off on any street.

Set But Flush Worry (cash)

LAYDOWN

I probably should have fired out on the flop, but I've been experimenting with keeping pot sizes low on dangerous boards. Getting check-raised is always a danger sign, especially when your opponent does it against two opponents while being out of position. I decided to lay it down and just wait for another opportunity.

Freeroll Hurt (tourney)

BAD BEAT

Freerolls are fun because they're free and you're not really losing anything except your time and sometimes your wit. I spent a lot of time working my stack up and studying my opponent. I knew he was a weak player and I was waiting to slowplay him and take all his chips. The time finally came and I was a 95% favorite on the turn.



After building my stack up again, I came across this fella and decided to make a stand with top pair. I was a 93% favorite on the turn.

Weak Ace with Position (cash)

LAYDOWN

Again, I felt something was amiss so I folded on the turn. I could have bet out on the flop, but I didn't feel that I would get much value since anyone who had a flush draw, a higher ace or even a pair would call and have lots of outs to work with. I had a feeling the big blind had a big hand he was protecting so I folded without too much trouble.

Folding Queen High Flush (cash)

LAYDOWN

I had a bad feeling when the player to my right called a re-raise with two spades on the board. I felt that he could be stronger than me, but I wasn't certain. When the third spade hit the turn, I began to regret that I folded. But I guess this is an example that you need to trust your gut.

Flush on the River (cash)

BAD BEAT

I was a 95% favorite on the flop and it was my mistake not to make my opponent pay more for a card on the river. However, I was still an 82% favorite on the turn. Another mistake I made was raising on the river. I wondered if my opponent had made a flush on the river and my greed led to my raise. I could have folded but the raise was perfect on my opponent's part. I had to see it.

Turned Straight (cash)

BAD BEAT

The thing about pot limit hold 'em is that it's a little more difficult to protect your hand. I turned a straight and had to bet just the pot. On the other hand, would you bet more than the pot if you turned a straight and had a decent flush draw? Probably not, so I guess you can just say this hand was bad luck. I was a 93% favorite when I turned the straight.

KJ in Late Position

QUIZ

You have KJ in position so you raise after the big blind and a new player who brought-in dead money calls. You flop top pair and the big blind makes a minimum bet while the new player makes a big raise. What do you do?



Here's what the players really had.

Cracked Aces Once Again (cash)

BAD BEAT

I can't blame my opponent for calling the all-in on the flop since he had most of his money in already pre-flop. But that doesn't help the hurt I still felt.