That doesn't change the truth of your statement though. Even though the first and last one were 50 or more people, the middle two were very small. One was about 20 players and the other only 14 or 15.

I think I play fairly well. Tighter than most like many older players. But I still got lucky or more accurately avoided the bad luck.

"I was always taught to respect my elders but it keeps getting harder and harder to find one."

There is an endless supply of people who will chase all the way to the River. The more you play the more you see it and it is an eternal mystery. Please explain the mindset. Would they play the same way for real money? I have to wonder. 

I won a game on Full Tilt last night, so I thought that I would try for 2 in a row, then maybe the 3 that I still say is impossible. I'll tell you why.

I was doing OK, but kept getting nailed by this one player who chased all the way to the River with junk and hit 4 different times with cards like 75, 63, K2 . On one hand I had 2 Queens in the hole, a pair on the board and bet big to make calling a bad idea. But not for him. A King came on the River and I knew he had one, and nothing with it. And he did. I kept building chips until I nearly caught up with him then had Kings. I bet and I bet and he stayed and hit an Ace on the River.

Why didn't I go all-in on those hands, you ask? Because I knew that no matter what I bet he'd probably call, and Kings and especially Queens are going to lose if an overcard comes up, which it will about 1/3 of the time. So I would have been out on both those hands. I preferred to use the fact that he stayed too long to win his chips a few thousand at a time.    

So I built back up more chips, and it was down to 3 people, and one was almost absent and hardly ever bet or called. I looked down at AK of clubs. I knew that could be trouble, but raised big anyway. An AQ6 hits the flop. Pretty good, but still vulnerable to a lunatic who had something like Q5.  I made a bet of $1600 on a $240 big blind. He called. Another rather mediocre card hit and I make another large bet. Of course, he calls again. A Jack hits the River. I bet. He goes all-in. What does he have? K 10. He chased all the way down for an inside straight.

That is exactly why it's impossible to win the 3 in a row. Good players aren't going to nail you on 2 or 3 out miracles. They will bluff and raise and try to scare you off, or trap, orplay position on you, but they are not going to chase. For the most part.

Somebody explain it to me. I know, its free poker, but it's experience and my goal is to get better every day. And there are times, many many times, that it does not matter how good you are.  I guess it's like they say, Texas Hold 'em takes 5 minutes to learn and a lifetime to master. A lifetime is not long enough.   

There are many people who can't learn and a whole bunch more who just refuse to learn.

I feel bad for the first group. They are unfortunate so help them along. The deserve it.

The second group is unworthy of help so make them pay whenever you get the chance. They deserve that.

"I was always taught to respect my elders but it keeps getting harder and harder to find one."

   Reddog, here's how I approach it.  If I KNOW I'm in a pot with a player that will make those terrible chasing calls,(notes), I make them pay an extra premium for chasing against me. 2X the pot as a rule, in person at poker pub, I try to socialize with some of them, befriend them even, in the hopes that I will get a goodwill fold once in a while.  Much harder to do online to be sure.  It does come down to KNOWING that my superior cards will prevail more often than they will lose.  Quite simply those AA,KK, hands will be beat sometimes, but, you can optimize what you make, when they hold up against poorer cards.  It is all part of the analisys in play.  How much will he call?  How much will it take to make him fold?  If your desire is to make him fold, ALL-IN that donkey every time you are sure you have the best hand.  When you lose your tournament life is over, but, when you win you have put yourself in a desireable chip position for the rest of the tourney.  They do hold up more often than they lose, my notes bear that out.  AA the last 28 times played to the river busted only 11 times.  % are in YOUR favor, I suspect you are somewhat addicted to the action, and, can't stand being sent to the sidelines before your time.  I too have a hard time coming to grips with that (thus keeping track of the ACES to the river, makes me feel better). 

   In closing I will say that there have been plenty of times I under bet the donkey, just because I do not want to get knocked out early.  The feeling you get when AA holds up and, you know you could have been paid much, much, more is just as disconcerting as an early out.

If you don't respect your elders, I'll have to teach you to respect your betters.       Sparky

   I play freerolls only, then take the $$$ won into small time ring games, a mistake I am going to correct by playing sit and gos.

   Want a challenge? As well as a lesson in donkey taming?  Pokerstars has 12,000 player freerolls that typically get down to 1,200 in 1hr.!!! The top 99 finishers advance to weekly round 2 with a $2000 prize pool.  I've made the cut 3 times recently, Sat. will be the first time I cash hopefully.

   Bodog I like for the 5,000 player fields, less, frequently. With a $500 prize pool (real money). I have maid over $200 there, but cashed out most. (I like to spend my winnings)

   I recently downloaded Full tilt to look for you!  I have just missed the T$ payout once already. It is hard to catch the narrow sign up window with 2,700 players the field fills quickly, I am sure I'll get used to sign up times and get in a few more soon. 

   My casino adventures here in St.Louis have been funded solely by home game winnings. (it's amazing how your friends don't invite you back when you dispatch them in record time LOL)

   I am not ready to put my paycheck on the line as it were. I am sure I have a lot more to learn.  I do enjoy, and appreciate, talking with (you) someone that has a differing perspective as it stimulates thought.  I recently went back to my favorite poker book for a quote for you. "When I have to put my money out there, my money's out there. Everybody knows that ... So if you want to mess with me, it's going to cost you ... You have to be willing to die in order to live in these tournaments ... That's basically it." Amir Vahedi 2003 world series. From  "Poker the Real Deal" by Phil Gordon.                     simon and schuster publishing.  A MUST READ in my book.

   When I play I'm Sparky8811 just like here. I'm sure I'll be seeing you soon. Kill or be Killed      Sparky

   Three in a row is not IMPOSSIBLE only improbable.  "IF" you really see all of these straits, and, flushes, play those kinds of cards.  AK, KQ, QJ, J-10, 10-9 all suited of course.  All players need a bluff game as part of their arsenal.  Simply make sure to structure yours around suited connectors as much as possible.  If you are constantly seeing straits, and, flushes, win, you must be playing to make a strait, or, flush.  If you nail an open-ended strait, four to the flush on the flop, think of the outs. 9 possible of suit, 8 possible bookends.  Thats 17 count'em 17 cards that give you domination over 2 pair, or, a set.  Oh did I mention at a table of 8 there are only 35 cards left in the deck. Giving you correct odds to call ANY bet by a hand you believe you WILL beat as your odds of catching are 50/50.  I reiterate, play those hands yourself.  I believe that it all averages out, just as many pots are won with a big pair as are face card flushes.  I also believe there ARE guys out there that are anomolies.  They simply have more of that happen than others, you have a mirror image somewhere that always sees 1, or, 2 pair win and NEVER sees any flushes. (that dude has it soooo easy, but, he never wins a big pot either). lol  The movie"The Cooler" is a true story of a guy that killed all luck at gaming tables with his bad luck, he was paid to sit down next to big winners by the house.

  Quote for the topic; " The bigger the pot, the sooner you should be inclined to win it." 

   It sounds like the same old free/low limit stuff.  Reddog if that flush chasin' strait catchin' game has NO place in YOUR game.  Then take it away from your opponents as well.  Price them out pre-flop, and, on the flop, and if they incorrectly call you always have that EXIT STRATEGY to rely on.  I still think you should play more suited connectors though, especially in position, small blind, to, hi-jack ... LIMP with ANY suited connectors (even 2-3). start making sure that you get your share of all them flushes, and, straits.  In moderation with a tight image a little betting variance Bigger on Q-Js  than 9-10s.

   I recently did 2 wins followed by a 2nd win one win was a 7 table game "all ppub"  one was 3 the second at a 4 table.  I think more than anything YOUR mental attitude changes enough to tweek your game a tiny bit, your good hands have been holding up so maybe you let your guard down a little tiny bit then ... POW !   It's over, where you thinking about a 3-peat or, the hand in play??  Did you forget that you abused this guy last week and now he's looking to put a bad beat on "Mr.Good cards" (too busy thinking about 3).

    Sparky

"If you don't respect your elders, I'll have to teach you to respect your betters"

Reddog, it was nice playing with you at the WSOP tourney at Executive Inn last Sunday.

 I hear a lot of people complain about AK. It is a very good hand, but must be played very differently depending on the situation.

If I am at a loose table as far as preflop calls, I'll often limp with it and try to see a flop for cheap. If I hit, those loose players will tend to pay me.

At a tight table, I will almost always raise with it. That way I can isolate one or two players, and often with proper betting and reads be able to win the pot on the flop or turn, even if I don't hit.

Short stacked I will push all my chips in and hope to steal the blinds or get heads up.

I think the biggest mistake people make with AK is calling bets on the flop and turn when they don't hit. On the flop if it doesn't hit you only have ace high. I'd much rather be betting with Ace high then calling with it. At least there you have a chance of winning the pot if your opponents fold.

Since the last post, actually won with AK. On the River! Call CNN. Also, had 22 and down to the felt and got a 2 on the River. The Poker Gods smiled. 

2 more reasons follow why no one on Earth can win 3 in a row. I invite others to contribute their ridiculous, ironic hands.

1. Was down to 4 in a live gave. Had KcQs. Called. Q of clubs and 2 spades comes on the flop. I'm a little less than medium stacked comparatively. I go all in. 2 fold. The other guy was short-stacked and thought for a long time then called with 45 of spades and said he had to get home anyway. (A sure way to win) It wasn't a bad call. He was short-stacked and had a flush draw so had about a 40% shot. You think he got the flush, don't you? Wrong. Runner runner 5s. I would not have minded a flush, but the trip 5s were a bitter pill. He ended up 2nd. I was crippled and went out a few hands later on the big blind with K10 against 92.

2. Got to heads up in a more recent game of around 24 people. Had come back from a pretty low stack to about even with the other guy. Flopped a straight and went all in. I could have slow-played it but it didn't matter. Because he called and hit a runner runner flush on the Turn and River. Yes, I know it happens a lot, but it's just another example why the game can never be completely conquered. Not never.

Earlier that night, someone flopped a King high flush (King in hand), and no ace on the board. Another person flopped an Ace-high one on the same deal. After playing thousands of hands, I've only seen that one other time. Usually the Ace is by itself and catches up on the turn or river. But they just had to flop it at the exact moment in time as was flopped the King high one.   

Let's hear about some world-class suckouts and incredible beats, like the guy who lost with 4 aces against a royal flush in the 2008 WSOP. Can that one be beaten? 

This does not have a lot to do with donkeys, but the run this player had was amazing, and she was drawn out on at least twice. In a significant way.

I was playing in a tournament of around 24 players. Weirdly, 5 really strong players were on the rail in the first 15 minutes. It was quite unusual. One of the girls out, a very solid player, said that it was a "curse of the good cards." She was beaten with a pair of queens, then a pair of kings, then AQ suited after she had hit a good flop. Someone chased her to the River and knocked her out. But that's not the good part.

In the second game, she sat at my table. There were 21 players in the tournament. In about 45 minutes, she got aces in the hole twice, queens once, jacks, 10s, and deuces (she flopped 4 of a kind.) Additionally, she had king-suited hole cards, twice,  and flopped a flush. She won all those hands. Now here is the REALLY good part. She did not make it to the final table. Think about that one for a while.

 

 

It was a pleasure having you at Clicks! I hope you can make it up here a few more times. Clicks is an interesting place to play. The players in the smoking patio tend to play a lot more aggressive then those in the main room.

 I remember the look on your face when those flops came out at the final table. You played it exactly right, though. If you were in early position with those cards, where you could have bet out first instead of having to call a raise and a re-raise, then I think you probably would have won that tournament.

Some species will become extinct, but like the cockroach, the poker donkey never will. Some real-life examples:

In a Tuesday game, a player who wins quite often because she is aggressive and does not care and gets ungodly lucky at times was on one of her rolls. She stayed on every hand pre-flop, and every flop hit her for about 15 hands in a row. It did not matter if anyone stayed or not, or how little or how much she bet, she won. Before or on the River. She built up from 4,000 to over 20,000. Then she tried to bluff all of her chips at another player who had 18,000. That player had Aces. So our friend was now down to 2,000. Was that the end of it? Oh no. She got on another roll and could not lose and finally got to heads-up. She called an all-in bet with 2 3 offsuit. 2 3! She flopped 4 5 6 and won. Some say the game is all luck, and everyone knows better, but in this case it REALLY was. Next time you play, try her method, which is to never fold no matter what and see how far you get. You have to depend that almost every flop will hit you, and if not, every River. I'd like a full report.

Example 2:

Our winner left after the first game, and a guy who had a few sat down in her seat. He employed her exact methods. In one 5 hand stretch he got 3 full houses and 2 flushes with starting hands like 10 4 and J 3 and Q 5. Then he slowed down and folded a couple of hands. At this point, another guy at the table went all in with 3500 chips with Aces. Our man hesitated for about 2 seconds with his 9 4 and called. Yep, he got runner runner 4s. Then after a  couple of winning hands for him,  we moved to the final table. He had around 25,000 or so. Long story short is that we got down to 5 players and I had gotten lucky on 2 Jedis and was up to 16,000. Our man and I were big-big blinds at 10,000. You know how big-bigs can happen after a blind gets knocked out. Anyway, I get a pair of Queens. Another player goes all in with her last 6,000. She had Kings. I raise to my last 16,000 and our man thinks a while and calls. He has Q2 of clubs. This was an interesting event. If the Kings win and we knock out the Q2, I'm still at 20,000. If I win I would have a huge stack. It was immaterial, because Q2 hits a flush on the River, which, for him, happened the 4th time in the game. The Kings and Queens are gone and he now had 47,000. Sadly, his luck finally failed him and he got second.

Would have been a better story if he had won, wouldn't it? With a 2 3 offsuit and hitting a straight or flush or full house. But he'll be back. They'll all be back.

 

OK, I have to get these past few games out of my system because I don't want the thoughts of them to fry my brain any longer. It will be the last post regarding suckouts, because:

a. It happens to everyone.

b. Nobody really cares.

But this was a particularly horrific streak and it has to be destroyed.

It started with a live game and there were 3 of us left. Our chip stacks were fairly even, give or take. I was all-in with a fairly weak ace, and another guy sucked out on me with the usual runner runner runner flush. That's OK, I thought, because I had a couple of lucky hands earlier. So I didn't feel so bad.

Then, it got bad. 

The next day, I played 6 games on Full Tilt (250 chip buy in with 90 people.) The goal is to get to the final table, where you earn chips. I got to the final 15 in all the games. Here are the hands I had which knocked me out:

Aces three times, Kings once, Queens once, and trip 5s on the flop. Yes, I know, these hands can all lose, but 6 games in a row? And here is what they lost to:

Aces: Q 10 suited got a flush on the river. Q 3 unsuited got 2 pair on the river. 67 unsuited got a straight on the river. (I had the wheel.) In every one of these, I had bet enough before the flop to narrow down to just one other player. Why in the hell did they call? Was there any donkeyness involved, do you think?

Kings lost to 10 3 unsuited against an all-in bet. (A flush on the river)

Queens lost to Jacks. (A third Jack on the river. He was a severe underdog.) That was not really a donkey call, just a suckout.

3 5s on the flop. I made a large bet and another guy chased all the way to the river and got a flush. He was only 3 to the flush after the flop. I doubt if any sized bet would have made him fold, in his magical thinking world.

Can you see how this could get on your nerves?

The karma in this series of games was REALLY bad. It was like a nightmare without end, the kind to put you on serious tilt.

I don't mind being outplayed. At all. In fact, it is instructive. What is hard is losing to someone who calls for no apparent good reason and nails you right through the heart with a suckout. And the torturous repetition of it. 

It will happen again, and again, I know, so the only thing to do is to get the money in with the best hand and hope, and try to stay positive. Sometimes it is hard, and can make you gunshy if you are not careful.

That's it. No more bad beat stories unless it is world-class, like that 4 aces against a royal flush at the WSOP last year.

Good philosophical questions from AP Mike and Mike Register. I'll try to dredge up some answers. See you at Executive or Clicks heads-up, I hope. 

 

Mike,

I see what you mean. However, what I mean is that I appreciate a good play that anyone makes, even if it means I get beat by it. Sometimes you are in so deep and have really good odds and really can't fold. That's the play I mean, and perhaps you haven't made a mistake. And maybe the other guy is staying with a really good draw and is a solid player and it just works out for him. That's OK. And sometimes you might get slow-played and ambushed by a well-hidden hand and your hand is a very good one.

What I hate is getting outdrawn by someone who stays for no good reason whatsoever and lucks out, then spouts some theory or says "That's poker." That's relates to the Donkey aspect of this whole thread started a few months ago.

 

Red Dog, 

I think I see where this is going. If my crystal ball shows me anything other then the A or 9 of clubs. I don't think I want to see the club. I also do not want to see the board pair because a full house then can come into play. It is in my best intrest for 2 blanks to come out so I'm sitting on the nuts at the end. Having the nuts on the flop forces you to make the call but allot can happen from the flop to the river. I would have played it the same, make a normal bet hope for some action and then see how the cards come out. The flush is my enemy because it puts a ton more hands that could be played by that type of player that can beat me.  I'm never happy to see a nut straight become the second best flush. So yes you have to make that call and then hope the board does not pair or for the club to come out. Always keep an exit strategy open if you can , If not get your money in with the best of it and pray. 

All the chips are mine. I have just been nice enough not to take them yet.

   90 X 1500 divide 13 means the MEDIAN stack should be MORE than 10k you are VERY SHORT in my book, you did say FAST, the next level will put you at 10 X the BB or WORSE.

  That's why I would have pushed a little harder PRE-FLOP, and, why I would have pushed ALL - IN, the nano second that flop hit.

  It would seem that Ace club, Q or 10 any, are your most likely opposition, both have LOTS of drawing possibilities, but are losing on the flop...PUSH ... You are not assured a spot in the payouts, if what you say about Avg. is true then there are a very few really big stacks that are staying pretty dormant, unless they catch a BIG hand, they are simply waiting, the Avg. to short stacks could potentially push chips back and, forth some, not knocking any one out.

  Going back too my initial math (if it's right?) you are still below median even, IF, you double up.  If you are the type of player who has ideas of limping onto the final table for a small payout, you should be mucking EVERY HAND at this stage, being able to make 1 more lap than 10th could be the difference FOLD THEM ALL HERE.

  If you want to win you have to be willing to lose, and, YOU ARE VERY SHORT!  Raise pre flop 1000 on top, be as uncharacteristically quick to grab your chips on the flop (ALL OF THEM) as you can, and, put'em out there while you have the best of it.

  "Deserve's got nothing to do with it."

                Sparky

AP,

Those are all nightmarish scenarios, and are all likely to happen in Donkey World, and all cause road rage.

And Sparky, your betting advice is good, and sound, but has no effect when you are up against players with no knowledge of odds or pot odds or who are in some form of narcotic or alcohol-induced haze, or who have just had their palms read by Reena the Moon Goddess. They have a FEELING.

Anyway, all those card combinations are possible, and the above scenario has and will happen all the way to the end of time. In this case, the guy had Q 10 offsuit and got the full house. The KJ wasn't a strong enough hand to make a monster pre-flop bet, but even if an all-in bet had been made, it's likely the Q 10 would have stayed. 8s would have been the most brutal, and I've seen that one. The overcards on the board meant nothing, nor did the betting. It's just that 8 was their lucky number.

Both of you had great input.

Sparky's calculations and assessment about stack size relative to the blinds come from Arnold Snyder, I assume. Let me tell you I've studied that and tried his advice many, many times about pushing a lot of money (or all) in regardless of your cards when you are below a certain number of big blinds, and I have to say that my track record is about 10% when that happens. It truly is about who you are playing against. When you are playing against calling stations, you're pissin' against the wind. There is not enough money in the world to get them out, so you have to revert to a trapping game and wait.

 

RD  

 

   It all comes down to ones individual style/approach to playing the type of player were talking about.  I tend to go BOTH ways.  If my table has the kind of player you speak of, (drugs/chasers), I bet, and, raise mercilessly.  That DELIBERATE donkey is the one that has me trying to trap, something I'm not comfortable with as it seems to require limping in a LOT of hands, requiring also playing less than quality starting cards, and, making for some really tough decisions later in the hand even when you hit.

  I've read enough that I can't credit the original source for my calculations, but I hear plenty of pros reinforce that same idea 10X the blind is getting short.  It simply cripples a straitforward game, given a nice raise pre-flop, a couple of callers automatically removes any real fear of your stack, because it can't now rival the pot...

  I would never ever recomend pushing "regardless of your cards" when short-stacked, I do feel K - J is good enough to push some serious chips in.

  Not long ago a p-pub player said to me "you take all the fun out of the GAME" mid hand as I pushed all-in with A-K suited preflop, on the button blinds 100 - 200, table of 8 EVERYONE called ... I just know that the better starting cards win more than they lose givin the right circumstances (not against 7 players).  My response was straitforward, I simply told her that "1/2 of the players with chips in the pot now have cards that any knowledgeable player would have mucked for $50, including yours, since you are complaining , I take that to mean you are in the hand with less than good cards yet again, and I know you really want to get lucky on the flop so I have to play like this with very good cards because the whole table is lining up to get lucky ... you want to get lucky???  ALL YOU CAN EAT !!!"

  My speech inspired her to fold, and, emboldened the DELIBERATE donk at the table to call with Q - 3 off.  I made fun of him as he went to play darts, out early again.  Luckily alot of the bad play here in town is from the over 40 crowd??? ALL - IN seems to scare them away, until they have just as good a hand as you, it's the young'uns that call anything anytime any 2 cards.

  Ubuntu ... I am who I am because of who we are.  African philosphy fits. We must overcome the particular players at the table NOW. I seem to pidgeon-hole/stereotype everyone at a table upon sitting down, and, stick with it until proven inaccurate.

How about John Phan? He has done well. There are a lot of good ones. That particular group was only presented with the idea that no matter how good a table is (make your own list), they would have trouble against someone who must see the flop and must chase all the way to the river. Forget bluffing and forget the proper amount to bet. And all-ins sometimes just cost you everything against them, even if you're the massive favorite to win the hand.  Yes, Calling Stations are out early often, but they also take a lot of players down with them.

My point isn't bad beats. That happens continuously. Some are world-class. It's how to play against the 6-9 players who don't know they are supposed to fold because that miracle could always happen. It's the intense need to gamble.

It's also why the lights burn bright in Las Vegas, isn't it?

Seems like the best thing to do is get into a Zen Flow and be positive and and play solid and hope for the best. Then if you lose, you really don't give a damn.

Last thing: If you want to see how difficult and unlikely it is to win a big tournament like the WSOP is, read MONEYMAKER. It's about how he won in 2003. He was not a bad player, but could have lost so many times along the way. No matter how good someone is, that would be the case.

Anyone out there won 3 big ones in a row yet? Best I could do was 1st in a 90 person game, 2nd in the next 90, then 1st in an 18. (All Full Tilt) Only 1 in a row in live games. Still have a long way to go to get good enough, but it's a challenge to try.

 

RD 

 

Not sure of the source. No, I don't think I am superior to the other players with whom I play. Perhaps a certain low percentage, but like I said, I am continuously trying to improve, and I don't think you can ever perfect this game. I have quite a ways to go, and the more you know, the more you know you don't know. Games where tricks are involved, like Bridge and Euchre and Hearts are all a lot easier to perfect. Too many variables in Hold 'em. 

You can know all the odds and things you are supposed to do and not do, but there are all the situational issues, and running through it all is the luck factor. And what I run into a lot is  failure to build enough chips to stay ahead of the blinds a couple of hours into a game. When you have only gotten from the original 4,000 to 20,000 or less, for whatever reasons and fates, the 4,000-8,000 blinds are going to kill you unless you get very lucky. This is especially true when the blinds are 15 minutes of less apart. Then it is much more of a crap shoot. I still have to work on being patient enough to avoid blowing away chips, and  aggressive enough to create a large enough chip stack. There is probably a slight residual fear of being knocked out on good hands if you put a lot on the line. And then being gone too early.

It's a continual experiment. And the streaks are all too real. Put all that together, and it's tough to be a Tiger Woods of poker and dominate every tournament.

Apparently Stu Ungar was like that, to a point, but if you read One of A Kind (quite good), you'll see that even he was busted out (and flat broke) many, many times.

I enjoy your input as I reflect on humiliating efforts and stupidity in key situations in the past few games. Gotta get back into the flow. It is quite a mental game, isn't it?

 

RD 

   bodog $500 freeroll, 4500 players, 1500 chips to start, first hand 3 ALL-INs in front of me.  THERE is a poker God, A-A, the complete table calls ALL-IN (not a stray Ace in the bunch either) the best hand up against me was J-J, with both other Jacks dead  J-9(favorite hand) , and, J-2(the dealer ..."pot odds") ??? The rest were all rags, I'll spare you the suspense A-A HIT & held up.  $1500 to $13,500 in 16 seconds.  That was enough of an edge for me to cruise onto the final table for 4th and, 12 bucks for free.  Lets keep the WINNING stories coming.

                                 Spaky

Ha Ha, I took cooking in high school instead of typing.

Spooky

" Can't tournaments in a row with more than 50 people playing"

If that's impossible them I must be really good. My best is 4 wins in a row with more then 90 players 1st place, recorded by Fort Mcdowell casino. Then if you want to cound Online poker into the mix I'v gone about 3 - 4 wins in a row daily.

You talk about getting mad when you raise with AK (big slick) & someone calls you? Well wtf you expect that person to read your mind that you have AK? Hell they could have a High pocket pair or even Pocket aces. Anyways my point is you can't blame getting beat by people that call to the river.  

Yeah okay, bitter much?

I was in the TOC qualifier final 3. I was the big blind 20000/40000 I had 45000 chip count. I told dealer give me a hand to play. I get big slick AKh. Button calls little blind goes all in I toss in my last 5000. Button calls. everyone turns up cards and what do we have (button) AQ s  (little) KcQd.I like my odds of a triple up. Flop comes 7s 4s 10s I was done. I am not saying that anyone made a donkey call. I am saying sometimes big slick just sucks all the fun out of you. 

Yet another reason you can't win 3 in a row: 

OK somebody. Anybody. Explain this to me. After enough hands and results like this, I have to know why.

Let's say you have AK suited. On the board is a King, 2, 5 rainbow. The pot is $400. You bet $550, so the pot odds aren't there for anyone to call with a bad hand, or for them to chase. You get a caller. An 8 hits the turn. You make another pot-sized bet which puts you all in. They call again. A 6 hits the river. Their hole cards are 7 4. Runner runner inside straight. About a 1% shot after the flop. How do you play against that? There are many, many similar ones.

Just wondering.