I’ve had a decent month, as far as cards go. A couple of decent tournament finishes (9th and 11th out of between 50-60 entrants) just shy of the money where I played great. I played great in last week’s tournament but was dealt back-to-back bad beats late in the game (KJ vs QJ who runner-runnered a baby straight; and pocket tens vs. AJ where a jack came on the river for the rest of my paltry stack) and finished on the bubble. I made a middling profit on the cash games until last Friday when I was running great and finally made a decent sized hit (+$540).
I played again last night and played terribly. I went out early in the tourney when my A9 flopped two pair against a friend of mine, playing directly to my left, who flopped top-two with AT. I bet heavy and he just smooth called me to the river where I finally check-called the rest of my stack away, knowing full well he had me beat. I was hoping he had AK but, looking back, knew he had AT or a set and should have layed it down.
I sat right down at the cash game and played tight for about an hour, picking up a couple of small pots when I checked the big blind with Texas-Dolly. The flop comes 10-6-2 and I lead out for $15 into a pot of $12 or $14. Everybody folds except another friend of mine from the Monday Night Game who pops it up to $40. I stupidly insta-push for around $100 and he says, “Sorry, man, but I gotta call ya,” and flips over a set of ducks. I rebuy for another $100 and a few hands later get KT-suited (diamonds) in middle position and put in a standard raise of $8 and get 3 callers. The flop comes QcJc8h giving me an awfully pretty double gut-shot draw. I lead out for $20 and get one call from strange player whom I’ve read to be tight but inexperienced. The turn comes 9c filling my nut straight. I lead out for $40, stupidly pot committing myself with a flush on the board and get re-raised. I know he has the flush, but can’t lay it down. He flips over A8c for the nut flush. Adding insult to injury, the Tc comes on the river giving him the straight-flush to the Queen and I’m left with $15.
A couple hands later I get busto in another weird hand. I raise to $8 with AT-suited in early position. The lady to my left (whom I know from the Monday Night Game) raises all in for $14 and another MNG player–a crazy gambler of a player who is also very good–two seats to her left decides to “protect her” by re-raising to $40. Another MNG player calls (wtf) and I’m forced to put it all in and hope to quadruple up. Turns out I had the best pre-flop hand, AT vs. her KT. The other players flip up rags like J7 and Q4. A four comes on the turn giving player wtf the best hand with a pair of 4s.
I had a headache the whole night and probably should have left after my bad play in the tourney. I definitely need to stop pot committing myself with pretty looking hands that aren’t the nuts.
