Going Down on Limit (cash)

BAD BEAT

I believe I am on a losing streak with limit. It happens sometimes. No matter how well you play, you sometimes will take bad beat after bad beat. No draws hit, no hands hold-up. I almost cried when I took this beat because I was frustrated after losing so many hands like this one. This type of frustration is difficult to describe. It's not annoying like a fly buzzing around your ear. It's more like looking making bet after sure bet and losing over and over again. You just get fed-up after awhile and go on tilt. But because I'm so hard-headed and can see that players are playing so badly, I always think that if I play long enough, I'll eventually beat them. But lady luck has different ideas and if I've learned time and time again, it's best just to take your lickin' and get the hell out of there.

Another Slide Down the Depths (cash)

BAD BEAT

I'm on another one of those sick losing streaks where it seems like you just keep getting unlucky. I hate that about poker, but I suppose it's just simply part of the game. Knowing this doesn't make it any easier. Here are two hands that represent how the game is going right now.

I knew I should have folded on the river, but idiots sometimes make stupid plays. Not folding here led to my bad play on the next hand shown below. Still, my opponents had only two outs each which meant only four outs total and I still lose this hand.



Here's a lame laydown that makes me wonder why I folded. I guess I've been losing so much with bad calls on the river, I second-guessed myself and folded when I shouldn't have. But why would someone fire at the river with such a dangerous board? Maybe because it's just $0.20.


I guess I can't blame this guy for making these calls, but how do you not get pissed-off when you flop a set of kings?

Another Big Stack Dumb Beat (tourney)

BAD BEAT

Just another lame example of how the big stack can crush you in these PS tourneys. I don't get it. I got my money in when I had the best of it, and the big stack turns two pair. It just makes no sense at all.

When You Think Too Much (cash)

LAYDOWN

Sometimes you think players are smarter than they really are. And sometimes, you laydown a hand thinking they've got you beat, but in reality, you've got them killed. I had the feeling my opponent had the best of me when he check-raised on the turn. I guess most people don't suspect you have aces when you raise pre-flop and bet on the flop. I have to remember that next time. This hand is probably one of the worst laydowns I've made. I'm just glad the limits were low. It's definitely better to make mistakes at this level.

Just Another Big Stack Suckout (tourney)

BAD BEAT

I was just an 85% favorite on the flop and in Omaha, that's not that much I guess. But look at the cards that the big stack ends up getting on the turn and river.

I Hit Two-Outer (cash)

GOOD BEAT

This is the type of beat I usually get handed, but this time, the roles were reversed. Not only did I hit my card, but I check-raised the poor guy. That's what he gets for calling with A8 unsuited. I don't care that he's on the button, but I may actually try that move one of these days.

Flopped Straight Flush (cash)

I think this is the first time I've ever flopped a straight flush. I just wish my opponent had the ace of hearts.

WBCOOP 2011

Yup, here comes the only poker blogger tourney I know of. I've replaced the old link with a new one, so it won't take you to the 2010 page anymore. That's over and done with. As they say, out with the old, in with the new.

----------------
Who knew there was a tournament for bloggers? But here it is. I'm required to post this to be eligible.

alt="Online Poker" style="margin-right: 10px;" align="left" border="0" />

I have registered to play in the PokerStars World Blogger Championship of Online Poker! PokerStars.com is the home of Free Online Poker Games, bloggers can play for free in the exclusive WBCOOP tournament, register here to play: WBCOOP

Registration code: 258691

Deuce on the River (tourney)

BAD BEAT

I became the bubble boy in this hand and I'm still a little bit in shock. How does K2s call an all-in? I didn't mind the call though because I was so far ahead. I thought I had it on the turn. All I had to do was dodge three deuces. He only had three outs. So what happens? Instead of getting into contention for a chance to win the tourney, I get sucked-out on the river. Of course, the only thoughts I have is what a donkey the caller is and then wondering if he cheated somehow. Why else would some idiot call an all-in and risk being the bubble boy?

Damn Bubble Boy (tourney)

BAD BEAT

I was on my way to cashing when the stupid chip leader somehow sucks out three players (including me) on the river. He was just 6% (and I think he had only two outs, but the 6% makes me wonder)! What makes it so sick is that he was betting out the entire time as if he knew he was going to hit the river. It's my fault for not raising on the flop or on the turn, but he was running so damn good, you always second-guess yourself and worry he's flopped a huge hand somehow. It's one of those, you're damned if you raise, you're damned if you don't raise kind of hands. To add insult to injury, this hand ended up making me the bubble boy.

Two Hands Can Make a Tourney (tourney)

GOOD BEAT

Sometimes a big hand can get you deep into a tournament and if that's true, imagine what two hands can do. These two hands helped me go far in the $0.10 PS tourney I like to play. I got lucky and they helped me get to the final table and finish 6th overall. What's amazing is how my opponents flopped such great hands, only to get beat at the end.

Boat on the River (cash)

BAD BEAT

Maybe it was my fault for just calling on the flop and checking the turn. My feeling was that someone could easily have a higher kicker than me. But it turns out I got hoodwinked on the river when my opponent caught one of his two outs. I don't feel so bad about this hand because I saved a few bets by checking the turn and just calling on the river. I would have been furious if I had been raising and then got jacked (or nine-d in this case) on the river.

Quad Aces (cash)

Lately, the only way I've won is when I hit big hands like this one.

Great Slowplay (cash)

The Aces slowplayed pre-flop and was rewarded when he flopped the nuts. To show you how badly my run has been going lately, I end up turning my boat. That's pretty much as bad as things can get. To make matters worse, my greed and general frustration led me to raising and capping the betting, rather than just checking and calling. I couldn't imagine anyone would have a better hand, except possibly AQ. But I figured, what are the chances? Then it ended up being even worse.

Trips Lose to Trips (cash)

BAD BEAT

Just another example of how my limit hold 'em is going these days. I flop a set and then my opponent hits his set on the turn. Notice his re-raise pre-flop. Maybe he had the best hand pre-flop, but I am beginning to think that being very aggressive rewards you somehow on PS.

Another Sick PS Example of Aggression (cash)

GOOD BEAT

I suspect that if I hadn't capped the betting, I probably would have lost this hand. Here's a guy who is capping the bets pre-flop with 65 unsuited. On the flop, I decide to slowplay and realize I shouldn't have because someone could easily hit a straight. But I'm thinking, who would cap the betting with a pair of 5s or with A5 suited or with a 4 or any other card like this? Then the 4 hits the turn and I still think I'm ahead, but no, oh no, I'm behind. This guy has the nuts and I'm in big trouble. Luckily, I hit my 4th ace on the river. I had other outs, but man, it's a good thing I capped the betting on the turn (see my other posts about aggression to see why I believe this). Otherwise, I think my opponent would have won. Thanks PS, for nothing.

Sick Losing Streak Example (cash)

BAD BEAT

Sure, maybe it's my fault for checking the turn, but come on! My opponent has two outs and he manages to hit it on the river? What the hell is going on? How long can this misery continue?

Then I lose with pocket aces against eights? Another two outer that he pulls on the turn? I mean, I can accept a straight, but to win with a set? This is just plain ridiculous.

Then, just to top off my misery, I end up getting check-raised by some idiot who tried check-raising me on the flop. How does this happen? There's just no way I can be so unlucky for so long. After this session, I'll have to suck it up and move down to .05/.10 once again.

Does PS Reward Aggression? (cash)

BAD BEAT/GOOD BEAT

My last entry touched on the possibility that aggressive play is rewarded on PS. The first hand somewhat shows this since I was check-raised on the flop. Although my opponent wasn't that much behind on the flop (51/48), there really wasn't much reason to check-raise except to build-up the pot. My mistake was to raise on the turn, but as soon as I was re-raised, I knew I was dead. I wondered if I should have re-raised on the flop, so I decided to test this when I got a chance.


I hypothesized that aggression is rewarded not just from a theoretical point of view, but possibly by some kind of technical glitch. I decided to test my hypothesis by raising if I thought my opponent was behind. I put my opponent on a flush draw after he raised on the button when we saw the flop. However, he probably put me on a flush draw and he raised to protect his hand. I capped the betting since I wanted to see what would happen. Sure enough, I end-up with trips and win the hand. Coincidence? I guess we'll see. I plan to test this possibility some more.

Losing Streak Hands (cash)

BAD BEAT

These are some typical hands you'll lose when you're on a losing streak. It's pretty sick to see over and over again how far ahead you were on the hand only to lose when all is said and done.

Although I was a 76% favorite, my hand dried up on the river and it was an easy fold.


I got really lucky on the river on this hand and thought it might turn things around. I was wrong.


Notice how my opponent raises with rags only to get help from Lady Luck in these two hands. Maybe next time I should re-raise with the best hand. Could it be some kind of programming glitch that rewards aggressive play?


I guess I can't blame my opponent on this hand since it's not a terrible call on the flop. But how does Lady Luck provide him with not just one, but the same card to help him catch his gut-shot straight?

Play Stupid and You Could Win (cash)

BAD BEAT/GOOD BEAT

The first hand shows how someone with just a gutshot or top pair draw can call to the river and win. I think this type of play is dumb. He was just a 16% dog on the flop and turn, and yet was able to win. So I figured I'd do the same thing in the second hand, and guess what? I won! So yes, you can play stupid and win.

Ridiculous Set on River (cash)

BAD BEAT

It's so sick how some players can get so ridiculously lucky on the river. Here's just another example of someone calling all the way down and getting so damn lucky. Two outs is all he had and he managed to finagle one of them. This type of sick beat is pretty much how my poker sessions have gone in the past few months. I don't even want to play anymore.

Running Trips (cash)

BAD BEAT

I'm on a losing streak. There. I said it. I've been bombarded both online and live play and it is sickening. I don't even want to play anymore. I'm tired of these sick beats and I need a break. Funny thing is, I'll be right back on the tables tomorrow. But this particular hand really infuriates me. I just don't understand how someone can call on the flop with absolutely nothing? What did he expect would happen by calling? Hit a pair? Maybe. I guess I can't blame him for calling on the turn. He does have top pair. But on the flop? He doesn't have anything!! NOTHING!! He's a 3% dog on the flop. He then improves to 11% on the turn. But come on!

What Happened to 7-card Stud?

I remember when I first started playing poker in the '90s, the game everyone played was 7-card stud. Of course, it was always a cash game and home games were always a kind of "you call it" format. In other words, when the deal came to you, you would get to call the game. So we'd play games like baseball, anaconda, pass the trash and not necessarily poker games like acey deucey. Oh, those were the days! But if you want to learn How to Play 7 Card Stud, just click on the link provided by PokerStars so you too can revel in the good ol' days.

How to Play Pot Limit Omaha

After playing so many no-limit hold 'em tourneys, sometimes you want change and you want to play something else. Thankfully, PokerStars offers a $0.10 Pot Limit Omaha tourney. It's a short-handed tourney meaning only six players are allowed on each table. It starts with 240 players and the top 24 are paid. If you want to learn How to Play Pot Limit Omaha, just click on the link and you can watch a video from PokerStars.

Big Stack BS on River (tourney)

BAD BEAT

I'm quite certain and probably have enough evidence to show that there is something going on with PokerStars' programming in their 360 $0.10 tourneys. It can not be mere coincidence that on numerous and nearly countless situations does the big stack win over smaller stacks even when they are extremely behind. Here is just another example of the big stack getting "lucky". I don't think it's luck. It's something else.

Three Shots, Three Calls with Underpair

BAD BEAT

It's so sick how some players will call you with an underpair when there are all kinds of overcards on the board. Then, for some sick, unbelievable reason, they get rewarded on the river and raise your ass. You call wondering what the hell they have and look astonishingly at the cards they hold. Here's a two-outer that is filled on the river after I raised pre-flop and fired on all rounds.

Unbelievable Runner Runner

BAD BEAT

I really don't get how some people can be so lucky. This guy decides to call with absolutely nothing. Nothing! Not a pair, not a straight draw, no flush draw - nothing. The only remotely thing he has is a backdoor straight draw. So what happens? What else can this guy do but hit two cards on the river to make two pair. Then he has the temerity to check-raise my sorry ass on the river. Sick. He was just a 4% dog on the turn.

Raise on the Blind (cash)

BAD BEAT

I've read that if you're going to play on the small blind, you might as well put in a raise. It accomplishes two things: 1) get other players out of the hand who might be ahead and 2) confuses players who decide to stay in. In this case, I think the small blind just got lucky, but there was enough money in the pot that it may have been correct for him to call on the turn. Unfortunately for the 44 set, he lured the small blind in on the flop by not raising and went all-in on the turn. Limit can definitely be frustrating.

Amazing and Ridiculous Runner Runner (tourney)

BAD BEAT

97%. 97%! That's what kind of a favorite I was on the flop. I flopped a set against Q9s and thought it was over. I even switched over to a different window to read some news article. Then I saw a window pop-up saying I was eliminated from the tournament. It turned out to be another runner runner gut-shot straight. Lady Luck never ceases to amaze me.

Then again, this is no high stakes poker tournament so maybe that's why opponent called me.

Getting Better At Laying Down (cash)

LAYDOWN

I almost started kicking myself when the hand ended and the players started showing their hands. I thought I had laid down the best hand. But I hadn't.

Although I flopped a straight, it was the dummy end (the lower part of the straight). But a flopped straight is still a straight, even if it's on the dummy end. However, there was also a possible flush since the board was full of clubs. And when the player to my right raised on a flush board, I was very close to throwing my hand away. In fact, I called for time even though the hand replayer doesn't show this. I figured I would go ahead and call and see what happened to the action behind me.

The person to my left thought for a second, then re-raised. Then it came back to my right and the player re-raised. It was just one big bet (or two small bets) to me, but since I already felt like folding in the first place, I went with my gut and folded. It turned out to be a good fold after all.

Three Lessons in One Session (cash)

Here are three hands from a session I had playing two tables at once. Even though it's slightly harder to go on tilt when you're on multiple tables, it can easily still happen. One thing is certain - it's a lot easier to go on tilt when you're losing on both tables. I was a little worried that I would lose big, but a nice run at the end of the session helped me from going broke on both tables.

In this first hand, I've seen and played enough hands to know when aces aren't good enough.



In the second hand, I flopped a straight and made a mistake on the river when I raised. I knew I was in trouble when I was popped right back. It's what I get for being greedy, but I still hate it when you're drawing dead from the get go.



I was in great shape on the last hand, but a lucky river card left me broke. I was kind of lucky I didn't have more money on the table because I probably would have bet the river, been raised, and would have called. Only a queen would help my opponent and Lady Lucky gave her love to him. He was a 9% dog on the turn.

Two Cracked Hands (cash)

BAD BEAT

I hate getting such nice hands cracked, but that's just part of the game. When it happens during the same session, it really hurts and you have to be careful about going on tilt. I've realized that when you play on multiple tables, it's a little harder to obsess because there's another hand already waiting for you. It's not any less painful, it's just a little easier to get over. Luckily for me, there were two nut flush draws that completed and that made me feel a whole lot better.

Ridiculous Runner Runner (tourney)

GOOD BEAT

Another perfect example of how the big stack has some kind of strange advantage in these PokerStars tourneys. Here I'm dominated with a seemingly safe flop for my opponent. However, when it flopped, I actually said to myself, "here it comes, the big stack advantage, watch the runner runner flush." Sure enough, it came, even though I was just a 13% dog on the flop. Something is wrong with this picture.

Turned Set Saves Me (cash)

GOOD BEAT

One of the things I've learned in limit poker is that there is some potential in some cases to call a flop bet even though you may be beat. I felt that I was already behind when the big blind raised and bet on the flop. Since I had position and a backdoor straight draw, I thought it may be worth it to call. I got lucky and Lady Luck blessed me with a set.

Multi-table Madness (cash)

BAD BEAT

Just a few hands that really frustrated me during my nearly four hour session. But looking at the percentages, they weren't really that bad.

82% favorite on turn


76% pre-flop favorite. 67% favorite on flop.


92% favorite on the flop.


72% favorite pre-flop.

One of the Most Ridiculous Runner Runners (cash)

BAD BEAT

I had a hand in a sit-n-go tourney in Vegas once that was about as awful as this, although in Vegas, I just flopped two pair. Here, I flop a straight with someone on the button hanging onto the low pair on the board. I was astonished to see that I was a 96% favorite on the flop. It's almost as good as it gets. Even getting two pair on the turn didn't help my opponent much because I was still a 91% favorite. Lady Luck, how cruel can you be?

Runner Runner Two-in-a-Row (cash)

GOOD BEAT

Not only did I manage to hit a ridiculous runner runner against pocket kings once, I did it twice - on the very next hand!! Lady Luck was in love with me tonight for some reason. It was like she let me hit it, then said, "hit me baby, one more time" just like Britney. I was still in disbelief when it happened the first time, then even more incredulous when it happened the second time.

Kings vs 33s pre-flop is the standard 80%/20% domination. The kings went up after the flop to 87%. Why didn't I fold? Well, simply put, I was probably on tilt. I had been up early in the session but wanted to play some more on what seemed like such a good table. But a bad turn of cards ended up pushing me down in the session. I was definitely steaming at this point. Also, since I was heads-up, I figured my opponent probably didn't hit anything on the flop. Boy was I dead wrong. The turn helped by giving me an open-ended straight draw, but the kings were still a 77% favorite. To add insult to injury, I raised the poor chap on the river.



Then, on the very next hand, I limped and called a raise with A5s. This time, I wasn't that far behind. The kings were a 57% favorite pre-flop, while I was a 30% dog. They say that in limit hold 'em, you should rarely slowplay a good hand. You need to get your bets in because you've got to limit your opponents by betting or punish them for calling. Lucky for me, the kings checked. However, it probably wasn't a mistake to check and this was one of those times you could actually slowplay a hand because the kings were a 95% favorite on the flop. But another club turned, giving me the nut flush draw. The kings knew it, so he bet. But even with the draw, the kings were an 83% favorite while I was down to 17%. I knew I wasn't getting the correct odds to call, but my implied odds were decent. So when I hit my flush, I check-raised the poor bastard.

Lady Luck was damned good to me and I'm quite certain she's going to punish me down the line and say, "it's payback time."

Kings Over Queens Roller Coaster (cash)

GOOD BEAT

Pre-flop, I was a huge favorite, about 75% against my two opponents. Surprisingly, in this multi-way pot, no one held an ace even after the bets were capped. That worked in my favor because that meant I led on the flop. I worried a little about a flush draw, but again, no one held two hearts either. I was almost certain the villain who had capped the betting held an ace. Little did I know he had a pair of queens.

However, even though there were three hearts by the time the turn came around, the capper was all-in with just about the small blind. I figured I had to call since there was so much in the pot already. Lucky for me the capper didn't have much left because if he had a lot of chips, I may have folded on a turn bet. The question is, would he have bet the turn with queens?

Anyway, I went from being a 90% favorite on the turn, to being a 20% dog when the queen hit. It gave the villain a set, but I had outs since I could hit any heart or the case king. Lady Luck was on my side this time around, and even though she didn't give me a heart, the case king was good enough for me.

I Take All The Chips (tourney)

GOOD BEAT

After a pot is raised, then re-raised, AK suited is really not that strong of a hand. But one thing that is often forgotten is the context of the situation. What were the raisers doing prior to the current hand? What style of play do they have? What stage of the tournament is it? Are players trying to gamble early to double-up? In this case, the tournament was only $0.10 so there's a lot of multi-way, all-in situations.

So even after I saw the pot was raised, then re-raised with an all-in, I had no problems with moving all-in as well. I figured I had just as much a chance as anyone to win the pot. Little did I know, however, that I was actually the least favored to win pre-flop. Even against KT! I was just a 7% dog against the other players while the aces were a 62% favorite. You need to know these percentages to be a winning player, which is why playing poker is clearly a game of skill.

This huge pot allowed me to finish in 8th place in this tournament.

Perfect Example of Big Stack Ridiculousness (tourney)

BAD BEAT

Here it is, probably the best and most perfect example why the big stack on these PokerStars tourneys very often have the best of it at the end. My opponent had just two outs since I had both of the fives that would give him a straight. Two outs!! But as usual, he got it on the river and sucked out. Something is terribly wrong with this.

Aces Barely Hold Up (tourney)

GOOD BEAT

I moved all-in with aces and there was nothing I could do about the flop; another player flopped a king high flush. But I had outs because I held the ace of diamonds. A higher flush never hit. Instead, I caught another ace and ended up with a full house. I was just a 25% dog on the turn. This hand helped me generate a big enough stack to reach 5th place out of 360. Unfortunately, the next hand shows how I went out. Even though Lady Luck was good to me early, she was terrible to me in the end.

First Hand Out (tourney)

BAD BEAT

It's probably not the first nor the last time I'll go out on the first hand of a tourney, but this one is very painful. It's painful because it happened on the river. The pain is like someone slowly peeling away a very sticky band-aid, then ripping it off and taking some meat away with it. It sucks.

I Beat the Big Stack! (tourney)

I was ahead, but as usual, I thought I'd get beat by the big stack. As I suspected, he flopped his pair and I thought I was dead. But I wasn't. I actually hit my ace on the turn! But it wasn't over. There was still the river. But my hand held up and I was in disbelief.

Good Call, Bad Result (tourney)

BAD BEAT

I was a 76% favorite on the flop. I thought long and hard about whether I should fold and my gut told me to call. I made the right call, but the river got me. Personally, I think it's PokerStars stupid programming. The odd thing is that when I'm the big stack and make lame calls, I end up losing. What is it? Just Lady Luck being her normally tricky self?

Flopped Straights (tourney)

BAD LUCK

It's amazing how Lady Luck can love you one minute, and leave you the next. And it's odd how she can be so merciless not just once, but twice in this case. Both hands show my last hand (well, practically the last hand in the latter since I still have a few chips left) in two separate tournaments. And both show me getting crushed when my opponent flopped a straight. I think I could have folded the first hand, but there's no getting away from the second.

Domination Doesn't Make Much Difference (tourney)

BAD BEAT

I was re-raised by the big stack and I thought about just calling. I mean, why not see a flop with so many chips? But I had barely placed, having been the short-stack for a very long time and battling my way to fourth. Then, with some luck and good decisions, I was left with just three players. I wanted to win, so I decided to go for it. I felt I had the best hand and might even convince my opponent to fold. But he didn't. I was a 67% favorite, but it wasn't enough and I lost on the flop.

WBCOOP 2010 Event #7 Main Event

No Limit Hold 'em

Easily the most frustrating of all the events. Why? Because I battled through so much, only to get hammered by so little. The first hand shows my pocket aces getting cracked on the river when the villain only had two outs. But like I said, I battled back remaining patient and folding a lot of hands that most bloggers would push in. I mean, why not? It's just a freeroll right?

But no, not this blogger. I was in it to make the money and I wasn't ready to race anyone. I would pick my battles and defeat my opponents by playing my cards and getting my money in when I was the big favorite. Maybe I should have moved it all-in on the flop, or one could even argue pushing it in pre-flop. I wanted a bigger advantage though, so I waited.

I hit my two pair on the turn, but that gave my opponent the correct odds to call when I pushed it in. He was just a 24% dog with enough chips to make the call and still have plenty even if he lost. I need to remember that in the future. You might as well push your chips in rather than waiting too long because the amount you'll have left might not be enough to induce a fold. So, when you look at the hand, it was another runner runner hand that left me on the rail.





During current Hold'em session you were dealt 250 hands and saw flop:
- 13 out of 29 times while in big blind (44%)
- 6 out of 28 times while in small blind (21%)
- 17 out of 193 times in other positions (8%)
- a total of 36 out of 250 (14%)
Pots won at showdown - 11 of 14 (78%)
Pots won without showdown - 11

2500 chips, 15 minute rounds
Paid: 153
Place: 280

WBCOOP 2010 Event #6

No Limit Hold 'em

Darn it, I missed another event! I had an excuse today though, since the family was over and I was bbq man. I'm a fan of using guava wood for smoking now, though I'm not exactly sure what kind of flavor it imparts. I just like it since it came out of the side yard. I've got enough to do a lot of smoking. Anyway, the final event is tomorrow so I'm definitely not missing it. I wish it didn't start at noon though.

WBCOOP 2010 Event #5

8-Game

I placed! I came in within the 153 paid spots to secure a place in the Spring Championships Of Online Poker (SCOOP). There are over 20 events during SCOOP with each event hosting a low, middle and high stake entry. I only won an $11 entry, so I'll have to decide which event I am going to join.

All I know is that I felt like I played really well. There were points in the tournament when I could have taken a chance, but my goal was to place. That meant I had to fold a lot of hands that could have won me some pots.

When the blinds got really high, I ended up in a confrontation during razz. I raised only to be re-raised by the big blind. We were about even in chips. I called and got a 9. Rather than folding, I stayed in the hand and ended up calling a river bet. I lost to the wheel with a 9-low hand. That's probably the only hand I felt bad about. It brought my opponent up to 25k and me down to 5k. After that, my final hand came up during the stud portion and I was out.

5 minute rounds, 2000 chips, 153 paid, 6-handed

Limit triple draw 2-7
Limit hold 'em
Limit omaha h/l
Limit razz
Limit stud
Limit stud h/l
No-limit hold 'em
Pot limit omaha

Entries: 1536
Placed: 123
Award: $11 entry to SCOOP

WBCOOP 2010 Event #4

No Limit Hold 'em

Started with 2,000 chips this time and the usual 10 minute rounds. I was making my way pretty well until it was time to make a stand. Unfortunately, it was against a big stack and you know what happens against the big stack. He had three outs on the turn. I don't care that he was the favorite to begin with, dominating me with a bigger kicker. I flopped my jack and was a 93% favorite on the turn.



Paid: 153
Entries: 1857
Placed: 288

During current Hold'em session you were dealt 168 hands and saw flop:
- 10 out of 19 times while in big blind (52%)
- 3 out of 19 times while in small blind (15%)
- 24 out of 130 times in other positions (18%)
- a total of 37 out of 168 (22%)
Pots won at showdown - 4 of 5 (80%)
Pots won without showdown - 22

One Outer Split Pot (tourney)

GOOD BEAT

The poor guy who flopped trips was a 91% favorite on the turn. I had a feeling I was ahead of the guy on the button, but I totally zoned-out and didn't think about the guy in the big blind. But when he called my all-in, I knew I was dead. Interestingly, I had a 6% chance to scoop the pot if a runner runner flush came my way. Instead, I hit the case ace to chop the pot.

WBCOOP 2010 Event #3

No Limit Hold 'em

No news to report here. I forgot about this event! That's two now.

Entrants: 1843
Place: 871

WBCOOP 2010 Event #2

Pot-Limit Omaha

I got stuck next to a huge stack who just bullied the whole time. I had to fold a lot of big hands, and looking back on it now, I wonder if I made the wrong folds? Anyway, I was short-stacked and flopped a set so I thought I had it good. But against a big stack, you never feel that good about any hand you have.



My results:
During current Omaha session you were dealt 116 hands and saw flop:
- 10 out of 14 times while in big blind (71%)
- 9 out of 14 times while in small blind (64%)
- 33 out of 88 times in other positions (37%)
- a total of 52 out of 116 (44%)
Pots won at showdown - 6 of 9 (66%)
Pots won without showdown - 16

Finished 408 out of 1634, 153 paid

WBCOOP Event #1

The first event started today - and I missed it. Oh well, onto event #2!

I Felt The Straight (cash)

GOOD BEAT

I was getting clobbered on other tables, so I decided to switch to this one. Several players had limped-in and someone raised. I had already posted a blind, so I was calling with my suited cards. When I saw the flop, something came over me. I had seen so many players hitting ridiculous gutshots lately that I knew my time had come. It was a strange feeling because I was nearly certain that I would hit my straight. Maybe it was the Force or Lady Luck or PokerStars bad game programming, but sure enough, I hit my gutshot on the turn.

Still Another Big Stack BS Beat (tourney)

BAD BEAT

A typical three-out win by the big stack on the table. It's really got to be some kind of programming bug. Funny thing is, I'm not convinced enough to make lame calls like this when I'm the big stack.

Aces Cracked by Jacks (cash)

BAD BEAT

It was a bad beat in the sense that I was an 82% favorite pre-flop. But things got ugly on the flop and only uglier as the hand progressed. The villain flopped a set but I still had two outs to take the hand away. But another jack turned and I was drawing dead. I wasn't about to fall into a trap so I too checked the turn. The worst possible card hit the river, so I ended up raising and getting re-raised. I had a bad feeling I was in trouble when that happened. Even with the nut boat, it wasn't the nuts.

Set Against Runner Runner Flush (tourney)

BAD BEAT

I wanted the villain to call on the flop, but one thing you need to look at is how many chips you have left before getting greedy. Sure, I was ahead on the flop at 95% against the villain. But he was ahead in chips and was getting almost 4 to 1 on his call when I pushed-in on the turn. He also had plenty of chips left if he lost the hand. So next time, watch for how many chips you have so you can determine whether you should wait for the turn to push it all-in.

Kings Quiz (cash)

QUIZ

You raise pre-flop with kings and the big blind calls. On the flop, the big blind leads out and you call. The turn is another jack. What do you do?



Here's what I did.