Sunday, October 14, 2007
3 Strikes and your OUT!!!
Hand #1
I just left a cash game where I bought in for $150. Not much of course but that's about what I have the bankroll for. So, I am sitting there playing tight as I always do until I get a better feel for the table. About 30 minutes in I am a couple blinds down, no big deal. I look down at QQ. Hmm, put in a 3x BB raise and get 4 callers. This is pretty typical at these low limits and I don't mind much. I like the bigger pot and play my big pairs just like little ones. I look for a set before I get too involved. Flop comes out Qd Ad 4h. What a beautiful flop. So, I bet out the size of the pot, something like $20. Player to my left pushes all in for $50. Action folds back to me and I insta-call. He turns over A A.
Hand #2
I congratulate him on the hand and shake that off. I look down at A J next. Hmm, feeling tilted, better wait. FOLD. Very next hand, I look at A A. Hooray! I stick in 3x BB and get a few callers again. Flop comes J 9 3. It checks around to me and I bet the pot. Everyone folds but the player 2 spots to my right. Turn 9. He checks, I bet the pot. He re-raises me all in. There is about $40 in the pot and its $17 for me to call. I put him on AJ and call. He flips up JJ. Hey, whats another $40. :(
Hand #3
I shit you not, the next hand I get another goodie. I am on the cutoff with A 5 suited. There is one raise to me for 2x BB. I call. 3 of us see a flop of A 4 9. Player 1 bets $2 into the $7 pot. I call. Player 3 folds. Turn pops a 5. Player 1 bets the pot, now at $11. I call. River J. Player 1 moves all in for his remaining $10. I call. Player 1 shows AJ for the better aces up. Hey, alright, I didn't need my buy-in.
Analysis
It doesn't matter how tight you play or who you are. There are some hands your going to go broke on. Am I happy that I hit 3 in such a short period of time. No, of course not, but I am happy that I chose to step away, write my blog, and try it again tomorrow. A year ago I drained all of my winnings in cash games because after a bad beat or a bad run like this I just tilted and doubled my losses. No player likes losing but I think I played all 3 hands to the best of my ability and I don't know if anyone could have gotten away from at least one of em. Perhaps #2 and #3 could have been avoided....perhaps, but no way #1. Hopefully, tomorrow is a better day.
# posted by Fenderkid @ 6:25 PM 
