Roller Coaster with a Bad Ending (tourney)

BAD BEAT

Sure, I was dominated pre-flop, but I was a 75% favorite on the turn. What did I do to you Lady Luck?

Got Away From Aces (tourney)

LAYDOWN

I made a good laydown because I felt something wrong about the bet. As always, trust your instincts.

Stupid Big Stack Loves the River (tourney)

BAD BEAT

As usual, the big stack is dominated but gets lucky on the river.

Super Loose, Super Lucky (tourney)

BAD BEAT

This guy bluffed me in a previous hand so I couldn't wait to catch him again. But Lady Luck is never fair and she gave him a 20% chance to win on the turn.

Trips and Aces (cash)

GOOD BEAT

I get lucky and crack aces while trying to get another player to play into the pot. I should have bet on the turn just to squeeze out some money from the other player, but I was happy to get lucky.

Aces Crushed Again (tourney)

BAD BEAT

I don't think I could have gotten away from this and I think my pre-flop raise was okay. Unfortunately, the big stack called with a suited hand and hit a monster flop. I thought I won on the river when the board paired, but it only gave him a boat.

Big Stack, Runner Runner (tourney)

BAD BEAT

It's always the last hand that is most painful because you know that if you had won it, you'd be back in the tournament with another chance. This one was painful because it was the dreaded big stack and it was a runner runner straight.

River Not Nice (cash)

BAD BEAT

I was hunting this player and finally got the chance to take his money. I was an 89% favorite on the turn, but the river can be mighty brutal.

Call on the River (cash)

GOOD PLAY

Sometimes a hand just doesn't add-up in your mind. When a bet is small enough, I will call just to see if my instincts were right. In this hand, I had a feeling that I had the best hand because my opponent was playing loose. I suspected he would have raised with any ace pre-flop, would have bet with an ace on the flop, and would not have bet the turn if he had an eight.

River Pain (cash)

BAD BEAT

I was an 89% favorite on the turn. I had been waiting most of the session to get involved in a hand with this guy and I finally got my chance. But Lady Luck was not on my side.

Laydown to Place Higher (tourney)

LAYDOWN

Even if you're getting the best pot odds to make a call, sometimes it's a good idea to fold. I think players were getting itchy to end this tournament and decided to just push-in with very questionable hands. The good thing for me is that the biggest stack ended up winning so I moved-up from 7th to 4th without doing anything but folding.

Domination to Revelation (tourney)

GOOD BEAT

I got lucky and when you do, so many good things can happen. In this case, I ended up winning the tournament. I was a 27% dog on the flop.

I Crack Aces (tourney)

GOOD BEAT

I finally got lucky and crack aces along with two other all-in players. Big hands like this can take you far in a tournament.

Jacks Not Great in Multi-Way Race (tourney)

LAYDOWN

Even though I had great position with a pair of jacks, I decided to limp against a raise since it was so early in the tournament. I'm only a fan of jacks when I know I'll be heads-up, not against multiple players. So when the button raised and the small blind went all-in, it was a relatively easy fold.

Domination to Gut Shot River (tourney)

BAD BEAT

The blinds got pretty big and I moved-in with AK dominating the caller. I thought I was good on the flop until I realized there were still four outs that could get me.

Beware the Big Stack (tourney)

BAD BEAT

The lesson I learned from this hand is that when you're up against a big stack, settle for the pot and punish him when you think you have the hand. Even though I was a 95% favorite on the turn and check-raised him, it wasn't enough and I paid for it on the river. The reason I didn't move all-in on the turn is that I was worried he might have a higher two pair, but I should not have worried about that since there was no way I was going to fold on the river.