Friday, October 23, 2015

Something I hold onto - Maryland Live! terrible runs

I generally never forget bad memories or confrontations.  I can forgive, but never forget.  I tend to dwell on these things - keep constant reminders, which keeps the fire going inside of me for self-contained rage.

Typically, when I sit down to the poker table, I bring out my iPhone, open up my built-in Notes app, and register the date and time along with how many chips I purchased.  This way, I can have a tally of what I started with and then when the night ends, the time and count of what I ended with.  I also keep any notes from the session in there.  I've been holding a particular note since January of this year and wanted to get it out on the virtual ink for all to see and feel sorry for.  Well, maybe you don't need to read it, and definitely don't feel sorry - it is indeed a multitude of bat beat stories by the same guy, but perhaps writing them out will help me get over what is now going on a year's past memory.

So I'm sitting at 1/2 Live! all the way back in January.  I'm continually abused by the deck there, and I'm finally starting to get cards during my session.  A guy sitting across from me - mid 50's - has been somewhat aggro, opening a bunch of pots, looking pretty smarmy.  As he's been doing, he opens to $7.  One caller and it folds to me.  I'm sitting with $225 and look down at AA. I act / move to fold my hand and then "pretend realize" that dude opened for $7.  I pull back my cards and "think" for awhile.  I carve out some chips and put out $40 - yes, from $7 to $40 3bet.  The act that I was trying to perform was looking at him, seeing who is doing the raising, then trying to bluff 3bet him off his supposed better hand...  He takes the bait and calls the $40 out of position.  Flop comes a perfect JJ8cc and he leads for $30.  Happily, I raise to $100 and he shoves.  I snap call and am shown JTo.  H even has the nerve to say to me "What did you think I had!??!?!??!"  Seriously?  I. hate. this. guy.

Probably 15 hands later, he raises to $9, and Iopt to just call with 9h7h from the BTN - 4 others do as well.  Flop comes A 9 7r and a mid position player open shoves for $52.  He snap calls the $52 and action is to me.  I reshove for $121 more and he again snaps that off.  I'm shown AK vs. A8 vs my 2 pair.  Do I need to tell you that K on the turn seals the deal for me?  Of course!  Like clockwork!  I. now. hate. this. place. and. hate. him.

I keep these two hand histories in my notes as a reminder of three things:
1.  I am not owed anything from poker.  Just because I get my money in (or in the first case, my implied money) as a strong favorite (I also think of Josie's session last week with Tony where she 3bet to $80 with AA and Tony called with 45s whose play angers me by proxy) doesn't mean that I'm the winner.  In fact, if that statement were the case, the fish would not play the game anymore.
2.  Remember the good times and the times when my hands held.  Statistically, those hands occur far more often, but they're far more difficult to remember.  Let those bad beat hands simmer within me and drive me to continue to never be on the opposite end; i.e. be the shark and not the fish.
3.  Don't feel bad when I am on the opposite end; when I'm the one doing performing the suck out.  Sometimes, I'm going to get my money in bad.  When I do, I typically feel dirty about it - as if it's acceptable for everyone else, but not for me.  Get over that feeling - one simply cannot play perfect poker and always get the money in ahead.  So long as it's the exception and not the rule, keep playing.

12 comments:

  1. Funny - no sooner than I posted this, I think I'm read to let the 2 sob story hands above go... I played a little 2/5 last night and won, but because I got lucky, not played well.

    I had AA and was faced with a decision on the turn for around $650 that I decided to call on a 3flush board with 2 pair, set and nut flush outs. I'm not happy about the decision, but am happy about the result: an $1800 pot.

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  2. Its soooooo great when angle shooters get "bad beat"

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    Replies
    1. Not quite sure why acting is considered taking an angle... Is it an angle to carve out chips and then check? Is it an angle to pretend motion to fold and then raise? Is it an angle to misrepresent your hand during the action? Again, not quite sure why you see a game where the whole intent is to mislead your opponent is considered an angle shoot...

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    2. PM, don't argue with the Anon morons. If he thinks deception is not part of the game, let him go on thinking that.

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    3. I think I let that anon comment get by me; it had been awhile since my anonymous detractor had posted; I figured it for a legitimate response...

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  3. I'm not happy about the decision, but am happy about the result: an $1800 pot.

    So, you're objective about it -- a sign of a good poker player.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks - I went in and deleted that HH from my phone's notes. I still hold onto the 2/5 suckout from a few years back where I set over set someone and got one outted for quads over boat (all in on the flop). I can hold onto that bad memory until I get retribution there. But for now, I'm "even" on the hands above from last night's actions...

      Delete
    2. I'll post the hand for my donkish consumption. A little background: Playing 2/5 for the first time in probably years. I'm getting killed, into the game for around $900 at my worst point, but starting to make my way back. I'm just having trouble getting anything started - when I do hit a hand, I'm getting backdoored / runner runnered or just outright sucked out on (KK v QJ v ??? AIPF - QJ hits a straight and JT top two vs. bottom pair + turned FD who had $30 behind and limp / backraise an obvious raise to be 1 outter flopped A high - 3 people went to the flop with an Ace in their hand)...
      I have two red Aces in my hand and $800 to start; if it's worth anything (and I know it's not), I'm now down $300, so I've made quite a comeback. I'm still frustrated with the night.
      I raise to $20 and get called in 2 spots - Qd 3 9d flop.
      I lead for $55 and get called by a looser fishy player.
      Turn is the 8d completing the flush, but I don't read loose player for a flush at all - I continue betting with the Ad backup redraw, for $125.
      He c/r's me to $800 all in. I thought for a long time. I think he shows a set, he's raising on the flop. If he opts to raise turn, I don't think he's ever raising all in. I also don't think he ever shoves with the turned flush here. After a long time, I opt to call the $675, and you know the result: Q9o vs. AA - Ace ball, corner pocket FTW!
      Justified call? No. Happy results? Yes. Tilted more? Yes.

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  4. i wish i could not get upset like Joel does.

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  5. Tony the reason is simple. Because Joel is a poker player and you're a guy who plays poker and that my friend is a huge difference.

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  6. hello,

    added to my blogroll, can u do the same?

    http://jotachusta.blogspot.com.es/

    thx!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Typically, how many players sign up for the 40 noon tourny? Also the nightly 100 tournament? Trying to get an idea of the prize pool for both.

    ReplyDelete

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