Runner Runner Boat (tourney)

BAD BEAT

I flopped the nut flush and there's almost nothing that could beat me after the flop. I'm a 92% favorite and only the 4 of hearts would give one of my opponents a straight flush. But that's just one out, so I'm not worried about that. In fact, I'm not even worried about the raise that happens on the flop. At best, I figured my opponent would have a set, so rather than re-raising, I decide to just call and raise on the turn instead. But another two comes out, and that makes me worry that I'm beat. So I just call to see the river. Then, another deuce turns over and I realize that top pair on the flop is good enough.

Gutshot Straight on River (cash)

BAD BEAT

I probably should have bet on the turn, but I was a little worried about the villain check-raising me. He had raised pre-flop and I wondered if he had an ace. The check was cautious, but it hurt me since the villain caught his straight on the river. Four outs was enough to win the pot.

I Nearly Crack Aces (cash)

BAD BEAT

My mistake was not pushing it all-in on the turn when I hit two pair. My opponent checked on the flop trying to slow-play and actually allowed me to turn two pair. But I got scared when he did a minimum raise, thinking he might have tried to slow-play on the flop with KJ. I thought he might have two pair on the turn, just like me. Instead of being scared, I should have been aggressive and pushed it in on the turn. He probably would have called, but there was a chance he would have folded which would have given me the pot.

I was an 82% favorite on the turn with two pair. Interestingly, the roles were reversed pre-flop and on the flop.

Aces Cracked by Worst Hand (cash)

BAD BEAT

Sometimes you go through a bad spell of bad luck and when this hand took place, I was on a losing streak across several fronts. Is it the universe reading my negativity, or just the strange winds of chance that took a different turn? The AJ was a 6% dog pre-flop, but that obviously changed on the flop. However, he became the dog again on the turn when T9s turned a straight. But Lady Luck was with the button as you'll see on the river.

I think I'll try raising on the flop next time to see where I am and just fold on the turn if I don't get help.

Strange, Questionable Hand (cash)

I got out of this hand, but here's the kind of hand that would infuriate me. How does someone with a pair of nines not only stay in the hand, but bet out the entire way? It's almost as if he knew he would hit that gutshot or another nine to win the hand. These are the kinds of players you can win money off of, but also lose money because of their strange luck.

Big Stack BS Once more (tourney)

BAD BEAT

Once again, the big stack hits a miracle river to take the hand and knock two players out. The big stack was the dog pre-flop, on the flop, and the turn. He was just a 17% dog on the flop and turn. I don't understand how this seems to happen so often, but I can't help but really consider that the programming has some issues.

Just Another Big Stack Win (tourney)

BAD BEAT

I don't get why the big stack always gets so lucky. Maybe there really is some kind of programming issue?

Kings Cracked by Stack Again (tourney)

BAD BEAT

I don't understand why the big stack always has such a big advantage. I couldn't really do anything here by not moving all-in pre-flop, so I just decided to push it in. I was an 88% favorite on the flop. The ten on the turn was only one of two outs the villain had. However, since it was a heart, I still had outs but it didn't come on the river.

Gutshot Straight on Turn (tourney)

BAD BEAT

Here's a hand against a huge stack. When playing against a big stack, he can easily call small bets, so you need to remember to make him pay for a bad call. Rather than making a small raise, I should have pushed my stack in. What I was worried about was playing against the big stack because they always seem to get lucky on PokerStars. My fears were realized when he called my all-in bet on the turn.

Aces on First Hand Cracked (cash)

BAD BEAT

I sat down and got a pair of aces on my first hand. I raised and capped, but of course, there were six players pre-flop on this loose table. I got two players to stay in the pot with KQ, but unfortunately, a pair of threes fl0pped a set. It was a huge pot too, but damn you Lady Luck.

An Odd Beat on River (tourney)

BAD BEAT

It was one of those tourneys played after a horrible losing session. I couldn't help but think that I was going to take a bad beat since I had such foul luck. So even though I was a 60% favorite going into the hand, and an 86% favorite on the turn, Lady Luck had it in for me. It was a cruel river since it gave me a set and I thought I won. Later I realized my set had given my opponents a straight.

Kings Once Again Cracked (cash)

BAD BEAT

I had been on such a long winning streak, I kind of forgot what it meant to take bad beats and have a frustrating, losing session. The feeling immediately came back when my kings were cracked. I was behind the entire way after the flop and I had a sick feeling when I was raised on the turn.

Omaha Burn (tourney)

BAD BEAT

It seems rare to be a big favorite in Omaha since everyone plays with four cards. But in this case, I was a 78% favorite with just one card left. Unfortunately, the board paired on the river and the villain beat me with a boat.

How to Beat Flopped Boat (cash)

GOOD BEAT

I'd been watching this donkey get lucky and I may have actually been on tilt a little having lost a hand to him earlier. I had AK and he had A4 and caught his 4 on the river. Anyway, I didn't put him on a flopped boat. I thought at best he had a deuce. But I was nearly all-in and I figured I might as well go down in flames. I hadn't gone broke during a session for quite some time and this hand delivered me from the depths of hell.

Switch-a-roo (tourney)

BAD BEAT

I flopped trips and moved-in. How does my opponent call? Was he bored? Did he think I was bluffing? He had just two outs and hit it on the turn. What's interesting is that we switched positions in terms of percentages. Even more interesting is that I wasn't actually drawing dead. I still had one out on the river.

Kings Rocked by Odd Set (tourney)

BAD BEAT

I slow-played these kings so successfully, I thought I had my opponent crushed. Indeed, I think he felt I was bluffing because I can't see why he would call my all-in bet on the flop. What else could he beat? Perhaps he thought he had a chance since he had a diamond and a pair. What he didn't realize was that I had a bigger diamond and a bigger pair. Of course, it didn't matter as Lady Luck has the final decision.

Slow and Fast Played Aces Cracked (tourney)

BAD BEAT

It didn't matter if I slow-played or fast-played these aces, they were both cracked. I recovered from the first cracking and got to the final table. The second cracked aces hurt more since I finished seventh. Had I won that hand, I would have had a chance to win.

Two Pair Crushed by Big Stack (tourney)

BAD BEAT

Another sickening example of the power of the big stack on PokerStars. How does this happen so often? It doesn't make sense.

Pre-flop, I'm ahead but not by much. On the flop, I'm an incredible 96% favorite. So of course, I check since on the previous hand, the villain bet a small amount on the flop, then made a big bet on the turn. I figured I'd punish him and set the trap.

Then, the villain gets a decent card on the turn and hits an open-ended straight draw. I'm now just an 82% favorite. I say "just" because my losing streak has made me believe that unless I have my opponent drawing dead. Even then, I'm still a little worried. So of course, I get all the money in and the villain calls. Just another day in the life of a beaten dog.

Big Stack Cracks Kings Once Again (tourney)

BAD BEAT

How many of these big stack beats will PokerStars allow? It doesn't seem to make much sense. I'm 70% ahead pre-flop, and 93% on 4th street. But of course, the big stack took it down with an ace on the river.

Ridiculous Running Straight (cash)

GOOD BEAT

I was hoping my opponent would fold, but it's hard to do that when you have an ace, you're in position and you're up against only one player. My opponent made great calls, especially the one on the turn and river. I got lucky, simple as that. But stupid plays like this will lose you money in the long run. I did it only because I was tilting. I was about 14% on the turn and river.

Two Big Hands Cracked (cash)

BAD BEAT

I can't stand limit. I am seriously beginning to think that it's just not beatable. These two hands exemplify my frustration. Maybe that's why a lot of people just play no limit.

I Get Lucky Then Unlucky (tourney)

GOOD BEAT/BAD BEAT

I guess I shouldn't complain about the bad beat last hand since I got extremely lucky with a two-out win on the first hand.

In this first hand, I was all-in and ready to get knocked out with just two outs. It had to be a black jack since a diamond would give one of my opponents a flush. I was a 4.76% dog.



But on the last hand, I actually did get knocked out when my opponent re-raised me with AK and put me all-in. It was a race and only on the river did he knock me out. I was an 86% favorite on the turn.

Aces Nearly Cracked (cash)

GOOD BEAT

I was just a 4.55% dog on the turn. Sure, I had the best hand going in, but when a short stack decides to just call your raise since he doesn't have a lot of chips left, there's nothing you can do but hope you hold up. I barely did.

I Finally Hit Runner Runner Straight - Twice! (tourney)

GOOD BEAT

At the final table with only three players left, I decided I had to gamble to stay alive. I was in trouble, especially on the flop. I was just a 4.75% dog on the flop. I improved to 18.18% on the turn.




Later, I was the dog again. I was a 25.66% dog on the flop. I went down just a little to 22.73% on the turn. But Lady Luck finally heard my call and allowed me to win when I was behind. These hands helped me come in 2nd place.

Three Hands of Horror (cash)

BAD BEAT

These three hands depict the kind of hell I'm going through in limit poker and in this series, it's against the same player. I've been on a very steep losing streak, seemingly unable to grind out any kind of win. Is it all bad luck or am I playing badly? I think it's the former because when you look at these percentages, you'll see why I feel that way. All percentages reflect my chance of winning.

Flop: 62%
Turn: 80%



Flop: 69%
Turn: 68%



Flop: 24%
Turn: 43%
26s: 8%

One Outer Madness (tourney)

BAD BEAT

My opponent had one out and Lady Luck gave it to him. Why Lady Luck? Why have you forsaken me?

Lady Luck Hates Me (cash)

Sure, I was behind on a draw when my opponent flopped a set. But I had outs. Any club except for the 3 of clubs would give me a flush and put me in the lead. The only club that would break me was the 3 of clubs. So what does Lady Luck do? What else? She gives it to me. That's what's so sick about this hand.

Unbelievable Bad Luck (tourney)

BAD BEAT

The second hand isn't really a bad beat, but more like bad luck. The first hand is definitely bad luck. Coincidentally, I was knocked out in separate tournaments with the same hand. But Lady Luck wasn't cruel just to me, she was also cruel to the person who had aces that were cracked!

Limit Session of Hell (cash)

BAD BEAT

Here are a few hands from my limit session that make me want to quit. These things happen, but when they happen continuously, you begin to wonder if you're just doomed to have bad luck.

When I sat down, I was dealt pocket aces. They were cracked. On the next hand, the same player that cracked my hand, cracked aces again. I should have known this was an omen. The next graphic had me flopping a boat, only to lose to a higher boat on the turn. Finally, my AK top pair was killed by someone who flopped a set.

Getting Caught in a Rush (tourney)

BAD BEAT

The two hands prior to my hand indicated the usual big stack superiority and dominance. Sure, maybe it was a lucky rush, but three hands in a row? It just doesn't make sense and I can't help but wonder if there really is some kind of programming issue in the software.

In this first hand, the chip leader was a 29% dog pre-flop and 23% on the flop.


In this second hand, the chip leader was a 28% dog pre-flop and 14% on the flop.


In my hand, I felt a sense of doom when the villain flopped a pair. He was just an 18% dog on the flop and 19% on the flop.

Should You Laydown Kings? (cash)

QUIZ

Here's a hand I had playing a limit game. You raise in the big blind after several players limp-in. What would you do with pocket kings in this situation?



Here's how how the hand played out.

I Cracked Aces When Forced (tourney)

GOOD BEAT

When the blinds get high, you have to make a move. Normally, I like at least K9, but any king was good enough for me in this situation. I was a 10% dog, 96s was 18% and the aces were 72% pre-flop. The flop was good to me and I improved to 17% versus 80% for the aces. The rest (or perhaps the turn in this case), as they say, is history.

Stolen Pot with Boat on River (cash)

GOOD BEAT

I've always wanted to steal a pot when someone flops a monster. I did exactly that when one of my opponents flopped a straight. Since an AK high straight was a possibility, my opponent didn't get too aggressive. I was just a 20% dog on the turn. I've felt this type of pain though. You have a made straight with a straight flush possibility, yet the river takes the pot away from you. As usual, there's nothing you can do but move on to the next hand.

One of Those Bad Tourneys (tourney)

BAD BEAT

Sometimes you get into a tournament and you're simply unlucky. No matter what you do, you can't get a break because Lady Luck just doesn't want to give you one.

First my aces got cracked. What's so sick about this hand is that the villain was just a 6% dog pre-flop. However, he improved on the turn to 19% and that's all she wrote.



Then, even though I managed to accumulate some chips and had my opponent dominated, it just wasn't meant to be. To add insult to injury, Lady Luck endowed him with a four-of-a-kind.

Ripped on the Turn (cash)

BAD BEAT

I felt like I did the right thing and just got unlucky. My opponent raised on the flop and Lady Luck gave him her blessings with a miracle turn card. I smelled something fishy and just called all the way down to the river.

Dominated? What Me Worry? (tourney)

GOOD BEAT

Lady Luck was finally on my side as these hands will show you. You can get far in a tournament with solid play, but it sure helps to get lucky too. These big hands helped secure a third place finish for me.

This first hand had me dominated when my opponent moved all-in and I called. I had a lot of chips, and as the bigger stack, I felt confident my opponent had a small pair or a smaller kicker. Obviously I was wrong, but the bit stack always seems to have a big advantage. I was just a 10% dog on the flop, but with a 20% chance to tie. The turn made it worse and made me a 7% dog, but a 23% chance to tie.



In the hand below, my opponent checked on the flop to get me to bet. I took the bait and was drawing nearly dead at just 10% on the flop. The miracle turn card had him drawing dead.

Kings Cracked by Runner Runner Straight (tourney)

BAD BEAT

I was a 93% favorite on the flop. Interestingly, the turn card kept the percentage exactly the same. Only a non-heart ace or a non-heart 3 would allow my opponent to steal the hand away from me. That's right - you guessed it. That's exactly what happened.

Split Pot From Runner Runner Flush

BAD BEAT

Even though we tied, I still consider this a bad beat. Pre-flop, I was an 85% favorite against just the one opponent. On the flop, I only went down to 80%, although there was a slight chance for a tie. The tie possibility increased on the turn, and we all know how it ended. I guess I can't blame this guy for going all-in with top pair on the flop, but I just can't understand why Lady Luck has to do me this way sometimes.

Runner Runner Pain (cash)

BAD BEAT

You'd think that as a 94% favorite on the flop, I'd be good. You'd think that even with a flush draw, I was still good on the turn since I was an 82% favorite. But no. Lady Luck crushed me with a club on the river. Sure, it was my fault for capping the bet on the river, but who woulda thunk that my opponent rivered a flush?

Big Stack Beats Me Again (tourney)

BAD BEAT

I hate going up against the big stack in a tourney because it seems like they always have an advantage. This isn't the first time this has happened, and I know it won't be the last.

Aces Hold Up! (cash)

GOOD BEAT

Surprisingly, I was just a 50% favorite against the straight and flush draw on the turn. I'm glad I was all-in because I didn't want to have to make any decisions at that point. My opponent with 98 was actually a 48% dog. He had a lot of outs, but Lady Luck was on my side this time.

Two Boats in a Row (cash)

Although limit can be terribly frustrating at times, it can also be incredibly satisfying. These hands reflect a successful session I had when I turned a boat in one hand and had my opponent drawing dead. This hand was great because my opponent called me all the way down.



The following hand had me an 82% favorite pre-flop that dropped down to 12% when my opponent flopped trips. When my opponent bet out on the turn, I suspected I was in trouble, and I was. I had just two outs and a 5% chance to hit them. When I did, I ended up getting two boats in a row and helped me realize just how much Lady Luck was on my side.

Limit Frustration (cash)

BAD BEAT

Limit poker is brutal because you can go an entire session without winning a single hand. In this lousy session, I won just one hand, but this example was the most frustrating beat I had. I was an 83% favorite on the turn, but once again, Lady Luck was not kind to me.

Gutshot Straight Again on River (cash)

BAD BEAT

It was my fault for betting on the river with someone on the button. But this hand symbolizes my grueling session when I didn't win a single hand. My starting chip stack was decimated on my first hand and it was downhill from then. This last hand shows just how frustrating a bad session can be. I was a 93% favorite on the turn, but I still lost the hand on the river. Notice how even a 10 would not help my opponent since that would give us both a straight. He had three outs - only queens would help and it was the perfect card since it gave me two pair.

Straight Loses to Boat on River (cash)

BAD BEAT

I was a 91% favorite on the turn with a made straight and a flush draw. Simply frustrating.

Flopped Straight No Good (cash)

I don't know how to label this hand because I was drawing dead. The best I could hope for was a chopped pot, but instead got killed. I should never have capped the betting on the turn or even raised on the river but I was tilting slightly as well as trying to be aggressive. I didn't think my opponent would have the same hand as I did but with a better draw. This hand is pretty symbolic of my seven hour marathon session in which nothing seemed to go my way. Sometimes it's better to just quit and take a small loss to fight another day, than it is to be stubborn and keep pumping money into a losing session.

Aces Cracked Again By Big Stack (tourney)

BAD BEAT

The flop made me a 75% favorite, but the big stack once again gets lucky with garbage.

Gutshot Gets Me Twice (cash)

BAD BEAT

On the first hand, I turned two pair and was a 91% favorite. On the second hand, my pocket aces were 81% favorites on the turn. Both hands exemplify that if Lady Luck doesn't want you to win, there's really nothing you can do but wait for the next session.

Gutshot Straight on River Against Two (tourney)

GOOD BEAT

I was just a 3.05% dog on the flop against one player who held pocket kings, one with pocket fours and another who dominated my A5 with A7. But it didn't matter because Lady Luck was on my side on this hand.

Straight on River Beats Pair (tourney)

BAD BEAT

Great flop for my opponent, but he was still a dog on the turn. I don't get how these things seem to happen more often than not in this tourney. How do you call an all-in with JT off-suit? The answer for this big stack is, "because I can."

Aces Cracked in Threeway Race (tourney)

BAD BEAT

Maybe I should have called, but I wanted to go heads-up and if I didn't, I wanted to take a big pot down. We were into a part of the tournament when you had to have a decent chip stack to get through the blinds. I was a 71% favorite pre-flop and it stayed that way on the flop. What's so sick is that the big stack (or the guy with the biggest stack among the three in the hand) was just a 7% dog on the flop. He improved to 20% on the turn and I went down a few notches to 69%. It was enough though to crack me and I just can't help but wonder if this poker software has something wrong with it.

Kings Crushed by KJ Suited (tourney)

BAD BEAT

Pre-flop I'm an 86% favorite. But the flop is horrible for me, and I become just a 62% favorite. The turn is ok, and I go back up to being a 73% favorite. But now my opponent has a a gutshot straight draw with just one card left. Rather than giving him the easy flush, Lady Luck decided to be mean and give him the gutshot straight instead.

Lucky Flush on River (cash)

GOOD BEAT

My opponent had been raising all night and getting incredibly lucky. It was difficult for me to stay patient because I was the big blind every time he raised. I was nearly at my wits end and thought I had this opponent when I hit top pair on the turn. Little did I realize I was just a 20% dog at that point and hit the miracle card on the river.

Dumb Player, Dumb River Card (cash)

BAD BEAT

Sure, I was a 25% dog on the flop, but I had the best hand going in and I watched this player carefully. I knew he was ready to donk off the rest of his money and I was at the right place at the right time. I became an 89% favorite on the turn, but Lady Luck was just not feeling me on the river.

Flopped Boat Can Still Lose (cash)

LAYDOWN

I was tempted to call a re-raise pre-flop with KQs and when I saw the flop, I nearly fell off the chair. However, after seeing how the hand developed, I was glad I folded.

Boat Versus Boat (cash)

BAD BEAT

When the river came, I knew exactly what my opponent had. Why call? Just in case you're wrong.

Laying Down Aces (tourney)

LAYDOWN

I think I made an error here. I didn't review or really pay attention to what happened on the flop. There was only a call on the flop instead of a raise when the player in position bet out. If someone had a king, wouldn't they raise on the flop after a bet? Additionally, I think the all-in was done without a king. Perhaps the player saw another king out there and decided none of the other players had one.

Then again, moving all-in against two players is a pretty strong move. Ultimately, there's no way to know.

Gutshot Big Stack Straight (tourney)

BAD BEAT

My opponent might have thought he would win with any overpair or gutshot straight, but I don't really understand how he could possibly call.  I am nearly convinced that big stacks have an uncommonly good chance to win nearly any hand against a smaller stack.  It's pretty sick.  Then again, he did have a 20% on the flop, so he was just a 5-to-1 dog.

I Get My Queen on the River (cash)

GOOD BEAT

It was a bad call on the river since I was only getting about 10-to-1. I should have been getting about 20-to-1 to justify the call, but I wanted to see if my read was right.

When someone re-raises pre-flop, he usually has a big pair or AKs. Weak players will re-raise with almost anything especially if they're on the button, but it's nearly fundamental to re-raise with a big pair in any position. I didn't think my opponent was bluffing or playing stupid because he wasn't very active when I looked him up in my hand history.

I was certain my opponent had aces or kings. Queens were unlikely since I had them. The flop was good for me to test my read. Most players will re-raise an early bet if they have a big pair. When he did, I knew I was beat. When a king showed-up on the turn, I figured he had aces. So I checked and hoped to see my miracle card. Lady Luck decided to show me her grace and I got it. If I hadn't gotten lucky, I would have paid my opponent off to see if my read was right. For just another dime, I thought it was worth it to see if I was on the right track.

What is so painful about this hand for my opponent is that I was just a 5% dog (two outs) to win the hand. Even the 53s was favored over me at 12%.

Simple Laydown with Overpair (cash)

LAYDOWN

When you raise and the opponent who limped in front of you re-raises, it usually means they've got a very big hand. So even though I had an overpair, it was an easy laydown when I saw the re-raiser re-raise the flop bet. It was a little tempting to stay in the hand, but I was confident I was beat.

More Big Stack Bad Beats (tourney)

BAD BEAT/GOOD BEAT

Here's more evidence that the big stack has ultimate power over smaller stacks. It could be one of those ideas that the more you are consciously trying to notice something, the more you'll find of that particular thing. Whatever it is, here are two hands that display what I'm referring to. In the first hand, I was the big stack so I dealt the bad beat. But in the second hand, I was the short-stack, so I took the bad beat. It's particularly frustrating because the second hand would have given me enough chips to start playing real poker and have a chance to win the tourney.

Big Stack Power (tourney)

BAD BEAT/GOOD BEAT

I'm getting more and more certain that there's something about being the big stack that allows you to win unfairly on PokerStars. I'm not sure what it is, but it seems like I'm always noticing that as long as you have more chips, you'll win the hand.

This first example is when I decided to call the all-in re-raise from a smaller stack. It was close to 3-to-2 pre-flop and I ended-up being the favorite on the flop.



The next example is when I was on the other side of the bad beat. What makes this beat worse is that it was a gutshot straight and my opponent was just a 16% underdog (with just seven outs) while in the previous hand, I was a 33% dog.

Omaha Pain (tourney)

BAD BEAT

There was another player who was all-in that had flopped a set of jacks. However, he had fewer chips so if I had won this hand against the player with aces, I would pretty much have the same number of chips that I started the hand with. Had I protected my hand on the turn rather than checking, my opponent with aces would probably have folded leaving me dead against the other opponent. So either way, I suppose Lady Luck just had it in for me.

One Hand Leads to Other Hands (tourney)

LAYDOWN/BAD PLAY

The first hand displays a good laydown. It's not a great laydown, just a good one. What makes it good is not so much that it was a good read, but more of the idea that a good laydown will keep you in the tournament and allow you a chance to continue building chips. In fact, if it wasn't for this laydown, I wouldn't have come in 2nd in this particular tourney.



However, I made a terrible laydown when I folded the following hand. I was in the small blind and played way too tight considering my chip stack. I should have seen the flop against two opponents who were probably fighting for 2nd place. Instead, I folded what would have been the nut straight against two opponents who went all-in. This bad laydown wasn't the cause of not finishing first, but I had the opportunity to win and just folded it down the drain with this hand.

Top Pair Fold (cash)

LAYDOWN

An overbet from early position usually indicates a hand that needs protection. My marginal kicker and another player acting behind me allowed me to fold the hand pretty easily. You're never sure you made the right decision until you see the hand unfold. In this case, I knew I made a good laydown when the player behind me raised.

Weird Call Wins (tourney)

BAD BEAT

Sometimes I think there are players who know they are going to win before the hand even plays out. Is it a robot? Is it predicting software? Is it a cheat? It's probably none of these things. It's probably just a player who doesn't really care and is just trying to get lucky early. After all, it's only a $0.10 tourney.

Simple Limit River Beats (cash)

BAD BEAT

Limit can be frustrating and these hands reflect simple beats I took by players who love to call down to the river. You must be patient enough to wait for these types of players to keep doing what they're doing because in the long run, you'll win if they continue to make calls like this. In the first hand, I was an 89% favorite on the turn, while in the second hand, I was an 86% favorite.

One Out Straight Flush (cash)

GOOD BEAT

I had only one out on this hand and faced a made flush and a nut flush draw. Looking back on it, I should have just called on the turn and raised on the river. I was hoping that someone with the nut flush would raise, but the guy with the ace of hearts was smart and saved himself some bets. One out translates to 9.19% against these two opponents on the turn.

Flopped Boat Loses to River Boat (tourney)

BAD BEAT

I was wondering if I should put this under "good beat" but because I lost, I guess it has to be a bad beat.

Behind and dominated big time, I hoped to flop a set and I did. However, Lady Luck just wasn't happy with me and decided to get me on the river. I thought my opponent only had two outs, but he actually had two more outs - a ten would also help giving him four outs and about a 9% dog on the turn.

I thought it was over for him after this hand, but I actually came back from being the short stack to getting third (out of 18).

Counterfeited on the River (tourney)

DEFINITION

What I hate about this hand is not that I lost, but the big stack had to say, "it's bedtime" just to justify his lame call. Then he made it worse by saying, "that sucked" after the hand. Oh well. That's poker.

Everybody Wins (cash)

Everyone actually wins in this pot. I don't think anyone folded.

Four Aces After Bad Flop (cash)

GOOD BEAT

I had the best hand going in and took a bad flop. I just called the flop bet since I had a feeling my opponent had flopped something good. But I knew I had him when I hit my set on the turn. It was just cake when it improved to four of a kind on the river.



Then look at what I folded just three hands later.

Another Ace on the River (tourney)

BAD BEAT

Just another day in the office of bad beats. As usual, a larger stack calls with a marginal hand and is completely dominated. On the turn, he is a 7% underdog, but Lady Luck has her way and gives him his miracle card on the river.

Jack on the River (cash)

BAD BEAT

This isn't a huge hand, but it turns out to be more interesting than at first glance. When I noticed that my opponent called the turn bet with a gut-shot straight, I thought he had more outs than what he really had. A gut-shot 5 would have indeed given him a straight, but it would have given me an even higher straight. That meant that he only had three jacks that were outs, and that is why he was just a 7% dog on the turn. Of course, knowing all this just made the bad beat even worse.

Two Last Hands Bust Me Out (tourney)

BAD BEAT

The first hand was pretty close actually. I was just a 67% favorite on the flop and turn. But I hate it when players get lucky and beat you with a straight or flush when you've got a good hand against them. But that's Lady Luck for you.

The last hand was particularly brutal because I got lucky on the turn. I thought Lady Luck wanted to do me some good since I was a 28% dog pre-flop and a 13% dog on the flop. I needed a jack to survive and she gave it to me on the turn, making me a 93% favorite with one card left. That Lady Luck, she's a heart-breaker.

Overcards and Flush Draw Loses (cash)

BAD BEAT

I wasn't sure that I was ahead when my opponent pushed it all-in to "protect" his top pair. However, I was actually slightly ahead at 54% on the flop. In fact, I was just a 41% dog on the turn. So although I lost, I felt good about calling quickly since my instincts were correct.

Gut-shot Gets Me (cash)

BAD BEAT

I was waiting to get in a hand against this player because I'd been noticing he was a pretty poor player. I wanted to trap him and felt like I had a chance, but he caught his gut-shot straight on the turn and doubled-up against me. I went from a 84% favorite to a 26% dog from the flop to the turn.

Limit Straight on the River (cash)

BAD BEAT

I was worried about a flopped straight, especially with the raise and re-raise going on. Even though I ended up with a horrible river card, I liked that I pretty much made the correct calls the entire way down. I even made the correct fold on the river, but that wasn't too tough of a fold considering the board.

Were My Aces Cracked? (cash)

LAYDOWN

I felt like I played the hand wrong, but after looking it over, I don't think I made a bad laydown considering what the board looked like and after seeing an early position big river bet.

Two Hand Bust Out (tourney)

BAD BEAT

Two hands is all it takes to bust out of a tourney. Actually, it just takes one hand, but against this opponent, I was the favorite on both hands. Unfortunately, Lady Luck just had to have it her way.

I was a 74% favorite on the flop on the first hand. With few chips left, I was surprised to find myself heads-up against the same player, but this time I dominated him even more. I was an 88% favorite on the turn.

Gut-Shot Slow-Played Bad Beat (cash)

BAD BEAT

In limit, you should rarely slow-play. You should always try to pummel your opponent until he withers away. In this case, I decided to slow-play since I was up against just one opponent. I didn't want to scare him away and gave him a free card. The river turned out to be only one of the four cards that could beat me. I was a 91% favorite on the turn.

Two Hand Tilt (cash)

BAD PLAY

Here's a perfect example of how your game can be affected when you go on tilt. For the past two rounds when I was on the button, I had raised so I think my opponent got sick of it and decided to make a stand. I wasn't sure if he had nothing or if he was anticipating my raise so he could re-raise me. Whatever the case may have been, I ended up folding the hand unsure of what he had.

On the very next hand, I decided to make a stand and just fell into his trap. Even when I re-raised on the turn, my mind was not sharp enough to realize I was dead on the river. Why call the last bet when I knew I was beat? The only hand I could beat was a bluff and with a board like that, would my opponent really bluff all the way down to the river? Of course not! But when you're on tilt, it's nearly impossible to think straight and you will end up donking off some chips.

Limit Frustration Rush (cash)

BAD BEAT

Limit is a game that I am having trouble figuring out. Am I just getting unlucky, or am I not playing correctly? It's probably going to take some research and more play to figure out. Meanwhile, here's a series of hands I played recently and the percentages associated with them. When things go this way, I think it's best to just get up and quit. Otherwise, you'll probably go on tilt and donk off the rest of your chips.

In this first hand, I had pocket queens while three of my opponents had an ace. That meant there was only one ace left in the deck. Of course, it had to flop.






In a later hand, I started with pocket aces and someone ended up catching trips against me on the turn.






I finally decided to quit when my pocket kings could not hold-up against someone trying to catch a gut-shot straight, but ended up hitting an ace on the river.