The baddest of the bad beats |
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Posted Sun Nov 30, 2003 11:23 pm GMT by PokerGoblin
First off this post may be a rant, and the PokerGoblin doesn't rant very often, but this particular incident still has me seeing red.
So I'm in a NL tournament 2 nights ago with a bunch of amateurs and me. I too, am an amateur, but I was the most experienced at the table so I consider myself to be a slightly better than average player.
9 people start, $25 dollar buy-in w/ $5 bounties. I drew the shorthanded table, so when we got down to 6 players and went to a final table I was a little shortstacked cause of the chip concentration. We started with $4000 in chips.
So I come to the final table with about $4500. First hand, I drew the small blind, but I drew a shit hand and I folded preflop to a moderate raise. Next hand I'm on the button.
With blinds of $50/$100 I draw pocket kings on the button. A couple people called the BB, and I raised to $1100. The only one to call my raise was the chip leader, 3 seats to my right. He was sitting there with about $11,000 in chips.
The flop comes 9,9,2 rainbow. Action on my only opponent, and he comes in for $400.
Even before he got his chips all the way, "I'm all in" comes out of my mouth and I confidently stacked the rest of my chips on the felt. After a bit of drama he decides to call. I elected not to turn over my cards.
The turn card was a rag and the river was a 4. Now normally a 4 is a rag, but when your opponent has a pair of fours in the hole it becomes a rather significant detail.
That just irritated the f*ck out of me. It still does. I don't mind as much when I get outdrawn because and I let a guy linger by slowplaying a strong hand, but when I play a hand perfectly, I mean grade f*cking-A textbook poker and get smacked in the dick with a lousy pair of fours, it does not make my munkey tingle.
This guy, we'll call him Mr. Lucky, called my $1000 raise preflop cause he could afford to, which is ok. I'd have done the same thing in his position. But when I went in over the top after a flop of 9,9,2 in last position with a short stack, he NEVER should have called with a little pair of fours. NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER should he have called.
I played that pot to get maximum money for my strong hand. The raise preflop was to weed out the limpers, the all in over the top served one of 2 purposes: One, he will most likely fold and I will earn a decent pot and everyone will wonder what I had, or two, I will double up (unless I run into rockets in the hole) and more importantly build a strong table presence and earn a good deal of respect at the table. Honestly, I never thought he'd call.
The worst part of all this, is in this particular occurance, is that there was no way I could have possibly won that hand. He would have rode it out regardless of how I played it, and that sucks. I probably could have showed him my cards and Mr. Lucky would have rolled the dice.
The other worst part was after he busted me with that shitbird hand, I had to give him my bounty chip. He WILL be invited to the next tournament, and REVENGE WILL BE MINE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
PG
P.S. in case you're wondering, Mr Lucky, who describes himself as "Not much of a gambler", ended up winning the tournament. I take solice in the fact thet my $25 of the prize pool went to the second place guy. I sleep better that way.
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Posted Mon Dec 01, 2003 1:44 pm GMT by Geno
He could have had a 9 too. Lucky we have the censorship software running huh? 
Unlucky my man, u did play it fine in most respects but for every time some1 does that to you, I'm sure u do it to some1 else, albeit in slightly less unskilled circumstances. You always remember the beats, never the wins, don't forget that......
Posted Mon Dec 01, 2003 2:00 pm GMT by Poker_Vendetta
Well, since he is no doubt an ignorant amatuer put yourself in his shoes. He looks at the board and see 9,9,2. A two! Wow my 4's beat that, he must have a two in his hand! So he made an absolutely horrible call...but that's poker. Now let's see here. Since you are the most experienced you are probably the tighest at the table right? Against these guys that are all really loose most likely, a call with 44 might be all right. But IMO a call with 44 out of position like he made against a raise 1/4 of the other's guys stack is pretty dumb. 44 is so weak unless you hit a set or your opponent is sitting on overcards...but you were not sitting on overcards and he may his second horrible call in a row. When you bet 1/4 of your stack, you are probably going to go all the way regardless of what the flop is. He did not recognize this. So he made two horrible moves in this hand, the call preflop out of position to the big raise and the call after you reraised all in on the flop with rags. Now I suppose he could have put you on something like AK but I really don't know. I certainly wouldn't have made that call. I wouldn't blame an amatuer however. IMO you played it almost perfectly yes...I do not see too many other ways to play this hand. Maybe you could have just gone all-in preflop considering you are the short stack, but you needed to get some money off of it so I still like your way more.
That's poker...he's ignorant.
Posted Mon Dec 01, 2003 3:49 pm GMT by PokerGoblin
You both make excellent points. The gentleman I was against was a friend of my father's, they have played together numerous times in nickle/dime goofoff games that their group of friends take turns hosting. I've been invited to their games at times but I guess I am more or less a purist, and I don't care too much for those kind of games. This is the first time I have played with Mr. Lucky.
Another thing to consider, it was only my second hand at that table, I was at the opposite table from him until we went to a final table. He had no idea of my style in that regard.
To call him 'Ignorant' may be a little overstated, the thing is he built his chip lead by eliminating two players at his table by limping in and catching cards. I have to imagine that although I didn't make it cheap for him to see the any of the community cards, he had to believe that the 4's were going to win the hand for him. Mr. Lucky is a nice guy, he was gracious in victory... after the river card he was first to reveal his cards. He said "full house" and my heart just sank... I figured he had flopped the set w/ the 9's and maybe paired the turn or river... then he turned those 4's over and I was steamed.
Vendetta, you make good points but I disagree w/ your opinion that the first call by him was wrong, with a pair in the hole and that kind of chiplead I'd have called for a grand, the odds are poor of flopping a set but for about 9% of the chip total and no one else in the pot it's not too bad a call. But yes, calling my reraise all in was ill-advised and I deserved to double up.
Geno, I didn't put him on a nine because he only bet out $400 in first position. I dunno I guess you could say I sensed weakness, which I was correct about. He called cause he was just there to have fun and cause he could afford to. You're right, we've all had it happen and like with all competitive people, the losses hurt worse than the wins feel good. I will get him next time.
PG
Posted Mon Dec 01, 2003 6:19 pm GMT by Poker_Vendetta
Oh well, that is simply a matter of opinion. I fear having such a low low pocket pair b/c the flop can come all overcards and then your opponent can simply outplay you (or me you see what I am doing hopefully) or he may have actually caught one of those cards. And against the chip leader like that you never know what he may have been holding! Like I said it's a matter of opinion. Unless I'm running hot I usually will not call a raise with 44 out of position. Then again, and I'll say it again...I suck.
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