[UsIreland]

I’m taking a break from poker. On Saturday I played in the National student poker championships in Dublin Ireland. It cost 65euro to enter and used a schedule based on the wsop schedule. I felt I played Ok I managed to avoid going broke when I had queens against aces with the highest card on the board being a Jack and no straight of flush. That put me down to about 5.6k with the blinds at 150-300 with a 50ante. I raised to 4xBB and had 4 callers and the flop came out 3 overs, a guy moved in and I felt I had to fold.

I went out very next hand when I raised all in to 4.4k with QJs (I know not a great hand but I was trying to steel the blinds and ante’s) and got called by Kqo.

I then played 3 sit and go’. I played really well I thought making some great lay down’s but I was simply not getting the cards really. The same guy knocked me out of all 3 sit and go’s and every time I went in ahead. JJ vs K8, AT vs A9 and A7s vs K8, each time he sucked out on the river.

But what really destroyed my faith in poker was the cash game I played later. 1-2pot limit. I bought in for 50 (all I had on me). I folded a good 10hands including my blinds. The first hand I played was AQo. I made it 12 to go and got 3 callers. The flop came out QKQ. I’m fist to act and raise 20. A guy reraises to put me all in and I call, he shows: K3o. I’m like wtf? How can he even play that pre flop facing a raise?

Guess what? Spikes a K on the turn. I rebuy and get QJs and limp in late position. Flop comes Jack high, I raise and take in a small pot. Then about 7hands later I get Aks. I raise to 12 pre flop and get 3 callers. Flop comes KJK. Checked to me I move in for 42more and one caller. I ask him if he has KJ and he says no. He turns over pocket 2’s. Again I’m like wtf? When in the world are 2’s good with that kind of a board with the raiser going all in? I’m sure you can guess how this ends. He spikes a 2 on the turn for a full house and I’m out again and absolutely steaming.

I decide not to play any more poker for a while. Then I’m off to play a bit of blackjack. I end up winning 10 at that but still down 150 for the day excluding the main tourney buy in.

Here’s one I want your opinion of. Sit and go blinds at 75-150 and I have 2100(3k starting stack). I get 44. I raise to 600. Immediately the small blind a fairly loose player pushes all in and easily has me covered. I sit and tank. My read, best case scenario is 2 over cards, even a stone cold bluff probably has two over cards and even if its 72o I’m only 66% favourite. I figure he’s very strong just by the way he’s acting. I fold showing my 4’s. Then he turns over AsKs so it would have been a race. I get heavily criticised by “I’m Mike the Mouth” to my left for it being a horrible lay down. Was it really? I figure at best I’m 50-50 for my tournament life on the Pay bubble? What would you have done?

[SandmanDC]

Some days it doesn't pay to play.
So pack it up and hit the Buffet!!!!

[CTrounder]

it sounds like you just had one of those days. There shitty and everyone goes through them. sit back take a break and regroup. There will be a day in the future when you will win all of the 60 - 40 type races and be rolling in the dough. GL with everything and let us know when you come back to the grind.
Jesse

[BlakeC27]

Poker a game that you've got to have a very short memory, like playing Cornerback back in football. You have to try and forget the last hand and move on knowing that you did your best in getting you opponent to put all there money in the put with the worst of it. But it's also a game where you can do nothing wrong and lose and where bad play can and is sometimes reward. That's the real frustrating part.

[julian]

i personally would have called.. you raised a good proportion of your stack. but if you're just on the bubble and just want to make the money then it's not totally wrong to fold. pretty hard call though if you think he may have an over

but if you play to win you need to double up and accumulate chips to win these sngs so you gotta take risks..

[Jonah 99]

One Night?
I've had weeks of that.

IMHO, best thing to do is get a book on poker from an author whos playing style you like, read it and keep playing. There will always be luck involved, your goal should be to play the best you can and have the luck average out over the long run.

I recently did this, and plugged a couple of leaks in my game.


Good luck.

[Salvatore1]

In the last hand you described you were getting almost 2 to 1 on your money so with the hand you opponent was holding you were getting the right price to call. However, a. you dont really know that he has just 2 overs, and b. he could have an over pair in which case you would be a huge dog. I dont think there is any thing at all wrong with folding in this spot and waiting for a better spot. As you said in your post your life was on the line and you cant win if you get knocked out.

As to what I would have done. I would have gone home after I lost the second sit and go. Sometimes its just not your day and when things start going that badly it is clearly one of those days and its time to pack it in.

Its probably a good idea to take a break for a few days mabe even a week or so, and dont even think about the game. After that you will come back better and stronger than ever. I know its hard to take beats like the ones you took that day, but remember, having your opponents call you when you have the best hand and they are drawing at 2 or 3 outs with 2 cards to come is what you want to happen. You have them by the stort hairs and are a huge favorite to win. Sure they will draw out on you sometimes and it sucks when that happens but these people are the reason you walk out of the casino $500 richer then when you went in. hang in there and have a good rest.


Sal

[Oldcycles]

Bah!
Quit your crying.
I have had this going on for the last 2 months.
I lost more in the last two months than all of my loosing sessions combined for the last 2 years.

[bigjohn]

I agree with OC. I think poker has been pretty Sic these last couple weeks. Not sure where all the Donks came from but it seems luck is the name of the game now...