So Close And Yet So Far
Posted by Bill @ 12:15 amIf you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!
I played in a PokerStars $33 plus rebuys for a seat at the main event at the WSOP last night. First paid, duh, a seat at the WSOP, 2 - 13 paid $650 and 15 paid something like $95. For the first couple of hours I maintained about an average chipstack without rebuying but then when we got down to around 30 I was really sucking wind. I was down to about $7000 with the blinds at $500/$1000 and I was thinking this was going to be it. Somehow I scooped some nice pots and I had about $25,000 putting me back in the game. That’s when Lady Luck decided to kiss me and kick me out of bed.
I’m in the CO and pick up ATo. I raise trying to steal the blinds and the SB re-raises. He was a pretty aggressive player and I had just stole the blinds from him in the previous hand so I thought he might be getting tired of being pushed around. I pushed it all in and he immediately called with AK. Crap! That’s when Lady Luck kissed me with a gentle ten on the flop and no K for my opponent. Now I was sitting pretty about 10th in chip count with $45,000.
But Lady Luck being the little hussy she is dealt me AA a few rounds later in UTG+1. I decided to get tricky so I just called in early position with my aces hoping someone would raise a big amount and I could come over the top all in. Instead I get three callers. Flop comes AKJ and I figure I’m gonna get plenty of action here so I check and sure enough someone bets out a nice healthy bet. I raise and . . . get a call from a player behind me. The original bettor folds. Maybe he’s got two pair (I hope). Turn is a blank and I fire again. He calls. River is a blank and I move all in figuring I’m not laying this hand down anyway and if he is on two pair than I want the rest of his chips. He calls and flips up QT for the flopped straight.
With $375 left it wasn’t long before my all-ins ran into a bigger hand and I busted in 21st place.
So my question is, was I simply destined to go broke on that hand? Any suggestions on how it could have been played differently?
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COMMENTS / 4 COMMENTS
Easycure added these pithy words on May 04 05 at 6:45 amI’ve never mucked trip As that I can remember, so I guess the answer is that there is really no way to get away from that hand. Or, maybe a top pro could have junked it after the turn. I don’t know. Tough one.
Mike added these pithy words on May 04 05 at 12:08 pmThis isn’t a suggestion on how to play it differently. Just a comment.
This is the sort of hand that drives players nuts. In hindsight you know that raising up front would have turned a win into a loss. However, I’m inclined to think that you were playing the hand optimally. Could you have known you were beat?
The biggest piece of information came when Mr. Straight cold called your raise. I’ve lost tons and tons of money not picking up the fact that someone cold called. Maybe this hand will help beat that into my head.
On the river you can check to him and see what he does. However, does it really make any difference? If he pushes or raises you all in are you going to fold? It’s a tough decision.Yes, you could have played it differently. Could you have changed the result? Probably not.
Bill Rini added these pithy words on May 04 05 at 12:45 pmYeah, the cold call did concern me a bit but his call could mean two pair just as likely as it meant a straight. The BB bet was weak (1/2 pot after it’s been checked around) so someone with KJ might not give me credit for a huge hand simply because I tried to take the pot away from a weak bet.
And the river had us both with around $5000 each so with $90,000 in the pot, neither of us was folding for $5000.
gaamblor added these pithy words on May 04 05 at 3:02 pmwell first of all there’s no 500/1000 blind level on stars…but assuming you meant either 4/8 or 6/12 the typical stars table will be raising a limper most of the time so limping isn’t a bad idea
once that flop hits in a winner take all (essentially) event you better go broke
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