Monday, February 13, 2006

Just so I don't get too cocky:

The Poker Gods have a way of making sure you remain humble.
I still was up last night, so it was a good night, but I played a $2 SnG, full table, over my dinner break at work.
I was in third place with six to go, with about $3,500 in chips. You start with 1500.
These hands were, amazingly, all in a row or close to it.
• I'm dealt 10,10. I raise 4x because I tend to raise more with the lower pairs, if I do at all, to increase my chances of winning.
Guy goes all in. I'm tempted, but this guy has a large stack, almost has me covered, and he seems like a really solid player. I fold.
He shows me A,A.
• I'm dealt J,8 in the BB. No one raises, so I check,and it's a J-high, trash flop. I bet half the pot because the blinds are worth taking and I hope, with two other callers, no one has a J. I plan to pitch if I meant resistance because I don't like my kicker.
Guy puts me all in again. I fold.
He shows me J,A.
• I'm dealt Q,Q. A guy with about two-thirds of my stack goes all in. I have to admit, the previous two all-ins influenced this call, even if they were good folds. I call for two reasons: It's a great hand, the blinds are getting big, and if I win, I totally dominante the table and insure my self of a cash. OK, those are three reasons. My fourth is typically in these games, people will go all in with ANY pocket pair, he's getting low, so his standards are decreasing, and most people would call with Q,Q anyway. It's not like I'm facing a double re-raise. Everyone else folded.
He has K,K.
Ouch.
• Now I'm crippled, with only 600 left, but I'm dealt J,J and I push.
No one calls.
Damn.
• I'm still crippled, and I have Q,J. A weak player does the minimum raise, and I push, thinking that my cards will probably be live, at least.
He has K,K.
I'm done.
:)
One reason I love NL Texas Hold Em, and the reason I can hate it, is you can play hands perfectly fine and get knocked out in a short time. I don't think I misplayed any of those hands (although I'd love to hear from you if you think I did).
I'm always reminded when I think I start to figure out this game at how dangerous it is.

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