A week of Pocket Kings

Call 'em what you like (Cowboys, King Kong), pocket Kings is one of the most frustrating hands in all of poker - commonly known as 'Ace Magnets' you are loathe to let them go, even when that bullet hits the flop.

This week has been a bit crazy and I have lived and died according to the Cowboys in several games.

Early in the week I played on of the most crazy SNG's ever. 9-seater and 10-min blinds, there's usually not a lot of action early; what happened was something I've never seen in a SNG (outside of a 'Super Turbo').

Hand 1 - The raising starts early as a 5xBB ($50) bet is re-raised to $250, followed by an all-in and a quick call. KK v QQ. There's a Q on the flop, the K's are crushed, and a player exits first hand.
Hand 2 - More pre-flop action with a raising war that ends up with two players putting all their chips in the middle (winner of hand 1 is not involved). AK v KK. There's an Ace on the turn and the cowboys take another beating. Player two exits on hand 2.
Hand 3 - I wake up with the KK this time. I raise about 5xBB ($50) and get one flat call. I'm determined I'm not going bust if there's an Ace on the flop and am prepared to get away cheaply.
Flop is all low and rainbow. I lead out for a pot-size bet and my opponent shoves all-in. I reckon he has an over-pair, something like 8's-T's, so I make the call and he turns over AA. Kings crippled again and another player exits on hand 3 (me).

Now, you can argue that with the randomness of poker and the sheer amount of possible hands that can be dealt that you are going to hit mada looking sequences like this. But, come on, the chances of pocket Kings being dealt 3 times in the first 3 hands and on each occasion to be accompanied by another massive hand at the table (QQ, AK, AA) is so mind-bogglingly astronomical that I wouldn't even bother trying to work it out.

The story of Kings didn't end there. A couple of days ago I won a 9-seat SNG on Ultimate and during the course of the game picked up pocket Kings on three separate occasions. On each of these occasions my raise was met with an all-in move and on all three occasions my opponent had an underpair (QQ, JJ, 99), and on all three occasions my hand held up. I would say that my opponents at the table must have been in some sort of shock that each time they picked up a decent pair I had them crushed with the cowboys.

Then, again, tonight I played a 9-seat SNG on Ultimate and Kings was the theme of the night.
During the first level with the blinds still at 5/10, I find myself with KK. I make it $100 to go (been a couple of limpers and wanted to trim the field). I get re-raised to $450 from the BB and it's folded to me. I almost contemplate folding the KK, especially this early in the game, as he could be going mad with A-9 suited, or even pocket 7's, but I don't want to just flat-call as if there's an Ace I am going to have to give it up - so I push and he calls.
he turns up Jc-Jd and I am relieved that it's not Aces. The board runs out harmlessly (no emerging straight or flush draws) and I'm massive chip leader.


About 15 hands later, in the 3rd level, with the blinds at 10/20 I wake up in the cut-off with the cowboys again. I make it $150 and get a very quick call from the SB; everyone else folds.
The flop comes down 4h-4d-3s and this looks totally harmless, but he could have A-2 suited (not likely, as I put him on a reasonably decent pair, something like Ten's), so I bet the pot and he flat calls.

Now, I have to believe that he may have Aces and was being cute pre-flop with the flat call and the flat call on the flop (either that, or he's a dreadful player with a mediocre hand). The turn is the 2h and now there's a straight and flush draw available, so I pu him all in and he calls.

Just about the last hand I expected to see was 4s-5s. A very speculative pre-flop call with the baby suited connectors, and I am drawing dead to a King on the river. Needless to say it doesn't come and I've lost half my stack.


I find myself card dead for quite a while until I manage to limp from mid-position with K-J (off) and the flop comes down (Kc-Kh-6c), There's a $400 bet from the SB and it's folded to me. My stack is now below starting level so I push and it's called by the SB who turns up Kd-Jd and unless I hit runner clubs it's a chop (I didn't and it was).


About 10 hands later I wake up UTG with King Kong. I contemplate just limping and trying to induce a raise so I can push, but decide against it and make it $400 (4xBB). I get an insta-call from the guy who crippled me with 4s-5s earlier and the other positions fold.

The flop comes down Jd-Th-4d and with no Ace on board I have to push. I get a snap call and he turns up 8d-9d (holy cow, does this guy get suited connectors every time I have KK?). He's now got 4xQ+4x7+9xd'd to beat me (that's 17 outs x 2 for the turn and river) actually making him a mathematical favourite. I expect the worse (as he has me covered), but the board runs out Tc, 4h and I've doubled up and in a good position to cash.


Mr 'Suited Connector' busts out on the bubble (chasing a draw) and I make the cash, but I'm the short-stack with only $2.5k and after a couple of orbits and the blinds eating into me I decide to push with Ah-8h (fully expecting this to be the best hand at a 3-handed table), only for the BB (and chip leader) to wake up with A-J. I'm dominated and don't catch up.

Well, at least he wasn't holding K-K!!

And the winning streak continues

Just played one game this evening, a 6-seater SNG on Absolute, and I came out on top; the streak continues!

It was one of the strangest games I've ever played, but one of the most rewarding at the end.

There were 2 players knocked out on the very first hand when the flop came down hitting everyone and all the chips went in - one guy had top set, another flopped 2-pair and the 3rd an up/down straight draw and a flush draw. Amazingly, the guy on the draw hit his straight on the river and we were down to 4.

2 hands later, seriously, another one bit the dust when top pair and a flush draw came up against a set (on the flop) and it all went in again - the set held up and we were down to 3 - I hadn't played a hand yet.

Now, there's one guy on 4.5k, the other on 3k and me sitting with my starting stack of 1.5k.

I made a couple of moves, knowing that these guys would want to protect their stacks, and got up to 2.5. This dwindled back to 1.8k when I pushed all-in with pocket 10's and got called by A-K (by the guy who'd tripled up first hand). The K hit the flop (inevitably) and I was all ready to call it a night when the miracle 10 hit the river. So, now I'm up to 3.6k and he's down to under 2k.

He must have been on major tilt as he went to war with the big-stack a couple of hands later, and hit the rail.

So now, I'm on 3k against 6k in a deep stack heads-up battle, with the blinds still at 10/20. Heads-up lasted about 40 mins (with the blinds at 8 mins), and I hit an amazing run of cards (as well as making some solid calls) to out-chip the other guy 8k-1k.

At this point I felt invincible and was calling his all-in's with anything, and he clawed his way back to level - then I hit a bad run of river suck-outs (like me flopping 2-pair against his overpair and him catching it on the river), and I ended up down to 2k against his 7k.

I picked up pocket 3's in the BB and when he raised I pushed. He turned up Q-J. The flop came down Q-3-Q - he'd made a set, but I'd flopped a house. I just had to fade a Jack and I was chip leader again. You can never count your chickens in this game, but it held up.

We played a dozen or so small pots and I took another 1k of his chips when we came down to the final hand. I had 5-6 in the SB and limped. He min-raised and I called. The flop came down 5-6-T. I pot bet and he pushed; I insta-called and he flipped up pocket Jacks. My 2-pair held up and after a mammoth heads-up battle I came out victorious.

I'm still smiling from ear-to-ear, as this was one of the most satisfying wins I've ever had. I suppose it was a blessing that we were down to 3-handed so quickly, as the blind were small enough that I could peel off flops and make some moves, without having to put it all on the line.

Having been short-stacked at 3-handed, to watch the big stacks take each other on was beautiful, then to come back from so far behind (twice) heads-up was one of my greatest wins.

It's not over 'til the river

I opted for a little SNG action on Ultimate tonight and, all-in-all, it was a pretty uneventful game -until we got down to 3-handed.

I was the short-stack (my opponents had 6k and 5k repsectively, I was sitting on about 2.5k), so after making the money, and with the blinds at 100/200, I knew I had to double up quickly if I was going to have a chance to win.

I picked up pocket Queens in the small blind and decided to limp - the big stack had been very aggressive and I knew he would raise it up - he duly obliged, making it 600 to go. This was called by the button and I pushed my remaining chips into the middle.

The big-stack insta-folded and I got called by the button, who turned up Ks-Jd - this made me about a 2/1 favourite. The flop, however, was not so kind - Kh-Kc-5c and I was resigned to my fate, even saying my goodbyes and good luck's in the chat box.

I only had 2 outs and, according to my law of internet poker, the fact he had me covered meant there was no way I was getting out of this one.

I hadn't even seen the turn card, and just happened to look back at the screen as the river was dealt - Qs. Miracle, two-outer; I'd gone from being a 1/2 fav pre-flop, to about a 12/1 dog after the flop and a 24/1 dog come the river.

It just shows you, it's never over 'til the fat lady sings - miracles do happen on the river.


Unfortunately, I didn't go on to win this particular game. I doubled up the guy I'd given the bad beat to (twice), and he was back to just over 2k when he got tangled up in a hand against the big-stack and went out. This left me with a 3/1 chip deficit come heads-up and the game finished when I was holding K-T, on a flop of A-T-A - my opponent hadn't raised pre-flop, so I didn't put him on the Ace, but he duly turned up A-9 when I pushed, and he hit Quad Aces on the river, just for good measure.

Oh well, if you're going to lose might as well do it in style.

September's been good to me so far, I've cashed in every MTT & SNG that I've played, so showing a healthy profit (making up for the losses from June, through August).

Long may it continue.

Luck Changing? Finished 2nd in MTT

I've been playing very little poker over the last month, in fact I averaged 60 games a month from January to July of this year, and have only played 15 games from August until today (including tonight).

It was a 79 player MTT on Pacific888.com and I went into it with very little expectations, but hoping the rest had done me good and I could approach the tourney with a new attitude; not expecting that every good hand I get will be sucked out on. Don't get me wrong, I had my fair share of luck on the way.

I could have made an very good start, if I'd been loose enough to play 6-4 off, as I would have made Quads by the river - but there was no action in the pot anyway, so I probably would not have got paid.

My first decent hand came when I picked up pocket Jacks in the BB. The pot was raised by a very loose aggressive player in mid position, and was called two spots later. As the saying goes, there are three ways to play Pocket Jacks; all wrong. I had decided that the best move was all-in, so I pushed. It was insta-called by the initial raiser, and the other player opted to get out of the way.

I was amazed when he turned up Td-7d, maybe he was bored, or had to be somewhere, but I couldn't have hoped to see two better cards up against my J's (well, apart from 7-2 off).
He hit a Ten on the flop, and I got a little nervous, but the 4 on the turn left him with 2 outs on the river and luckily my J's held up and I doubled up.


We had gone past the first hour break and were approaching the bubble. I was sitting in the BB with J-8 off and was able to see a free flop, which came Jack-high (J-7-2), so I decided that just making the money was not good enough, I wanted to win, and pushed my remaining chips into the middle (too often I play too tight at the bubble and, although I often make it through, I'm so short of chips that I've no chance of winning). There was a couple of folds, but I was insta-called by the button, who flipped up J-7 for 2-pair. That was it, I thought my tourney was over, until I got an amazing stroke of luck on the turn, the 8h for a better 2-pair. A big suck-out and my opponent must have been seething, but it's nice to be in this side of the fence for once.


That double-up saw me through the bubble and to the final table. There was one massive chip leader (close to 60k), me with just over 20k and 3 others with around 10k-15k each. The blinds were now massive and in order to win I was going to have to steal, and if called, get lucky - that's exactly what happened.

I picked up A-7 suited in the SB and it went call, call, fold and I decided this was an ideal stealing position, so pushed. I had one caller covered and could afford to lose to them, but the big-stack decided to call and the shorter stack folded. Thankfully it was a very loose call, with Qc-Jc (I suppose he was feeling invincible with his massive stack).

Now, according to my 'law of internet poker', there was no way my hand should hold up (I had the best hand, and even had the suit covered), but up against a massive stack he should suck out almost 100% of the time. But not this time! The flop came down As-4h-7h, and I had made 2-pair and he had no draw. Another 7 on the river gave me a full house, not that I needed it, but it was nice.


I was now chip leader, and decided to let the rest of them cut each other up, and picked my spots to raise pre-flop with big hands. I never got into any trouble or called an all-in by a shorter stack. We got down to the last 3, and I could have ended it in once hand. I had K-7 suited and would have liked to have seen a flop, but there was a raise and re-raise ahead of me, so I had to lay it down. All the chips ended up in the middle and they turned up pocket Queen's and pocket Jack's respectively. Of course, the flop comes down K-K-9-T-4, and I would have won the tournament.

As it stood, my heads-up opponent now had a 3/2 chip lead. Heads-up didn't last very long, as I was card-dead. I'd raise, he's call, I'd miss the flop and c-bet and he'd come over the top. It got to the stage where he had a 4/1 chip lead and I picked up A-4 suited - of course I pushed and he called with A-8. The flop came down 8-8-J and it was all over.

It's never nice to get all the way to heads-up and lose, but I was pretty happy with the way I played. Yes, I got lucky in spots, but you need that if you're going to make it all the way. I think I was only ever all-in, with a chance of busting out, 4 times in the tourney - three hands I've highlighted here , and the very last hand.

Oh well, it's by far my best MTT result in a long while, so onwards and upwards.

What do you have to do to win?

I'm back after an extended break for a summer vacation and am easing myself back into the game. Played some (very) low stakes cash and SNG's a couple of nights last week, but decided to put myself back in the mix tonight, and entered a 9-seater SNG at Ultimatebet.

Things went pretty good in the beginning, as I picked up a couple of small pocket pairs early on and both turned into sets on the flop, so I quickly pad my starting stack. A few raises and calls that turn into nothing see me whittle away about 800 chips, so I'm sitting on just over 2k.

Then a couple of strange things happened; twice I got my opponents all in on the turn, twice I was behind and on both occasions I sucked out.. Now, anyone who's read many of the posts on this blog will know that I am a conspiracy theorist and maintain that it is (virtually) impossible for a shorter stacked player to get all-in against a bigger stack and have their hand hold up. Well, that stayed true for a little while, at least when I got mega lucky in these two hands.

I call a min-raise from the BB with pocket 3's and we go to the flop 4-handed. The flop comes down 2c-6d-3s and, being first to act, I check. There's a check behind me and one small bet. This is called from the button, so now I decide to spice things up and raise it to 4xbet ($160). There are two folds, and a call from the BB.
The Jc hits the turn and the BB checks and I bet about 3/4 of the pot (as there's now a flush draw out there) and he immediately moves all-in for $660 more. I have him covered, and making the call would still leave me with 20 big blinds, so I make the call. He flips over 4c-5c for a flopped straight and a turned flush draw. I'm drawing pretty thin and need either the case 3 or the board to pair. Amazingly (for me, anyway) the 2d hits the river and I've sucked out by making a Full-House.

It's the kind of nasty bad-beat that I am usually on the receiving end of, so I thank my lucky stars and rub my hands 'cos now I'm big chip leader with over 3.5k in chips.


A few hands later I pick up pocket 5's in the SB. It's folded round to the button who pushes his last $550 into the middle. I tank for several seconds then decided to isolate by pushing all-in and getting the BB out of the way so I can go heads up.

He turns over Kh-Qh, and the flop hits him immediately - Qd-Th-4c. Oh well, it was a race that I could afford to lose, but amazingly the 2c hits the turn followed by the miracle (2-outer) of the 5c on the river. I'd made my set and sucked out again, big time. Now I'm thinking I am blessed and this tourney is mine.


I play it pretty safe for a while and don't get involved with big hands. The guy 3 seats to my left had knocked a couple of players out and was sitting on over 7k, so I folded any time he was involved.

We eventually get down to 3-handed and the short-stack ($800) pushes when I have Kh-5h, and I decide he's just stealing the blinds and make the call. As it turned out I had his Kc-3c dominated and actually hit my 5 on the flop to get me to heads up about $1k behind the leader.

We joust back and forward for an eternity, and at one stage I had him out-chipped $11k - $3k, but hit a bad run of pocket Q's against his K-T, and he hit 2-pair, then my pocket J's against his Q-T and he spiked his Q.

I've got him covered by a couple of thousand chips when I we get into a raising war and all the chips end up in the middle. My A-9 versus his pocket 6's. I immediately pair up on the 9c-Ks-Qd flop and am almost counting my winnings, when the Tc its the turn and the first thought was that there was going to be a J on the river for a chop.

No, it was worse, he spiked his 2-outer, 6h on the river and I'm now crippled.


I throw my money in over the next 2-3 hands and he folds twice and calls once. I get lucky and pair up with Q-5 against his K-9 and now have enough that another double-through would put me in the lead.

He limps from the SB and I check with 8c-5d. The flop is beautiful - Jc-5h-5s and I immediately check. I decide I'm slow playing this to the max in order to get as many of his chips in as possible. He's been playing aggressive when I check and mostly I've been either folding or re-raising.
He bets out $600 and I wait a few seconds before flat calling. The flop brings the 7h, so now there's a possible flush draw, so I lead out this time. and he just calls.
The river is the 6h and I am fearing the worst, but you can't be afraid of the flush all the time so I push the rest of my chips in hoping he had a J and would call. He did call, and turned over 8d-9c for a runner-runner straight.


What is a guy supposed to do. If I'd pushed on the flop he would have folded and I'd have wasted the opportunity to try and take the chip lead, but by letting the pot get to the river he's sucked out big time.

This hand alone kind-of proves my theory. We'd been heads up for about 20 minutes and the lead was flip-flopping. This was literally the first hand we'd played fully (without being all-in pre-flop) down to the river, and the big stack sucked out on the short-stack to end the game and (as far as Ultimate are concerned) get us buying into another table.

There has to be an exception to every rule, so I suppose him sucking out with the 6 on the river earlier when I had him covered was the exception - although, he was ahead pre-flop that time.

Oh well, at least it's a cash and I can re-invest the winnings and put myself through it all again!

Bad run compounded by missed opportunities

For a change of pace I was trying a little 5c/10c no limit hold'em cash game. I sat down with $20 and after about 20 minutes had built it to nearly $25.

I felt I was playing OK and picking my spots and if I was patient I could get it up to $30, then call it a night. Things, however, were about to take a turn for the worse.

I picked up pocket 10's and made a pot-sized raise to 0.45c - it attracted 1 caller, from the BB.

The flop came down J-6-2 rainbow. The BB bet out, but kinda-weak and I probably should have raised at that point to see if he really had the J - but I flat called.

The turn was a harmless looking 4, and the BB checked, so I bet about 3/4 pot and he made the call. The river was meaningless looking 8 and this time he bet out $2.50 (just under the pot size). Had he made Jacks-up in the river?

I reckoned he had a busted straight, there was no flush to go after, so I called. He turns over 2h-4h - he'd made his 2-pair on the turn. I couldn't believe it - first that he called with the baby connectors and that he'd got so lucky.

I was now down to under my starting stack, but things were about to get a lot worse.

I limped into a pot with 6s-7s, with two opponents. The flop was 3d-Qs-3s and it was checked round to me, so I had a little stab at taking it down there, with a pot sized bet; both players called. The turn was the Js, completing my flush, and this time I checked. Both others checked behind.

The river was the 5d. First to act I pushed out $1 (about 1/2 the pot), one player folded, and the other tanked for ages before re-raising to $2. It looked fishy, especially on a paired board, but I was hoping he thought I was bluffing at the pot, so I called. He turned up As-9s for the nut flush.
What are the chances of running up against another player with a bigger flush?

That hand cost me about another $4, but I shrugged it off and took a 5 minute break from the table. I'd just sat back down and I picked up pocket Q's on the button. There's been a few limpers so I made a decent sized raise to $0.80c.

The blinds folded, and the UTG player immediately raises to $2.75 (leaving only $0.90 behind).
This is the kind of play that short-stacked players make hoping to double up, and I've seen this many times with pocket 9's or 10's so I put him all in. Of course, he's got Aces. The board brings some hope - Tc-8d-9d. I now need either a Q for the win. The turn is the 7h, bringing some more outs, as a 6 would now split the pot. The Kh is no help on the river and I've done another $4.

About 10 hands later I pick up pocket 7's in the BB. A mid position player (the guy who caught me with 2-4 earlier) pot raises (to $0.35) - after a few seconds the player behind him re-raises this to $1.10. It it folded round to me and I tank for nearly all my allowed time - I can't believe I've run into another overpair; surely he must have AA or KK - so I fold (the prudent play after a raise and a re-raise).

The flop comes down 7h-5h-Qd, and I'm immediately kicking myself. The initial raiser bets out the size of the pot and is immediately put all-in by the other player.

I am praying that one of them has pocket Q's, but they turn up Qc-Kh (for top pair) and Ah-Jh for the nut flush draw. I can't believe what I'm seeing. The two of them are going to war and there's nearly $20 in chips in the middle.

I'm now rooting for the flush, but the board runs out a harmless 9s, 6c. I am probably more on tilt now (for not playing the hand) than I was losing to the 2-4. And the fact that I had the opportunity to bust the player who had bettered me earlier was just sick.


Literally, the next hand, I am dealt Qs-4h in middle position, and tick the automatic 'fold' button before there's any action. It's folded round past me where there's a call, followed my a min-raise.
The blinds both fold, and the other player makes the call.

Now, if I'd been in the BB, I probably would have folded anyway, but what transpired is sick.
The flop comes down 3h-5h-2h and both players go check-check. At this point, if I'd still been in the hand, I would have got a free card - which was the 6h, completing a Straight-Flush.

Immediately, there's a raising war between the two players in the hand and all the money ends up in the middle (nearly $25). with one holding the Kh and the other with the Qh (not even the nut flush).


Oh, if by some miracle, I could have still been in this hand by the turn I would have raked a tidy pot. It's always the hands you don't play!

Anyway, I got out of dodge with my stack at exactly $10. Incredibly disappointing after sitting down with $20 and building it quickly to $25, to hit such an insanely bad run (a net loss of $10, but it feels like $15) - then compound it by not being in the hands where you would have cleaned up.

Ah well, there's always tomorrow.

One time!

Oh, the trials and tribulations of Multi-Table tournaments.

I was playing in a 719 runner 'Sniper' (Bounty Hunter) tournament on Absolute this evening and experienced both the highs and the lows. Early on I had a piece of good fortune, and more than doubled my starting stack, when I flopped a set after calling a min-raise with pocket 2's

I had folded pocket 5's a couple of hands earlier, to an all-in, and would have made a set on the flop there - so I was set mining again, and was lucky enough to hit.

There were two other players in the pot, and I had them both covered, so I bet the pot (enough to put them both all-in), hoping one would call; both called and flipped up A-K and Q-J respectively; two-pair and an up/down straight draw - so I still had some cards to dodge.

The turn was the 4d, putting two diamonds on board, but there was no flush draw for either player, so I just had to dodge a Ten, Queen or Jack on the river. I was expecting the worst, but amazingly (one time) my set held up and I was in great shape.


I shipped half my stack a couple of hands later, when I called an all-in with pocket 7's and ran into pocket 8's. But I was patient and picked my spots and after 2 and 1/2 hours of play I had made the money (just). I'd taken 4 bounties on the way, so I'd more than covered my buy-in, but was in the bottom 10 of the tournament so would have to move quickly to be in with a chance of laddering and possibly taking down a good prize.

It was the first hand after the bubble, and the player to my left (in the BB) had announced, in the chat-box, that he was going to go all-in on this hand (not great etiquette), but there had been action before me from a very short stack who had pushed his last $5k, or so, and I had a decision to make, as I was holding pocket 3's.

I decided that I had to take a chance in order to progress, so I pushed all-in over the top, hoping that the BB had picked up rubbish and wouldn't stay true to his word. No such luck - he shipped it all-in, covering us both, so now it was in the lap of the gods. The cards were flipped up and the first player showed Ah-6C and the BB showed Kh-Qh.

I was dancing when the flop came down Ac-Kd-3s, both had hit their top pair, but I had hit my set and was in a great position to treble through and rocket into the top 10 of the tourney.

One of them was going to need runners to beat me, as any trips they might make would give me a house. Joy quickly turned to concern as the turn brought the Js, giving the BB a straight draw - now only a Ten on the river could end my tournament. There's a maximum of 4 in the deck, which makes me about a 90% favourite - but, hey, what are odds when your tournament is at stake against a bigger stack player - in my experience it's 100% that I am going to lose.

You can easily guess what's coming next - yes, the Th pops up on the river. I couldn't believe it - how freaking insane is that.


I've posted some bad beats on this blog, usually when I'm all-in with a pair against overcards, and they catch their card on the river - but to go runner-runner and make a straight after I had hit my set was just one of the sickest beats I have ever taken.

An hour has gone by since that hand, and as I write this I still can't believe it.
It's yet another one to add to my list of 'big stack gets all-in against shorter stack and sucks out' stories. If this doesn't prove my theory that it's impossible for a short-stack player to beat a bigger stack when all the chips are at stake then nothing will.

It's just so hard to take after you've played your A-game for nearly 3 hours. I got my money in good (I wasn't dominated by an overpair), so was ahead pre-flop, hit the flop, so was massively ahead, then lost to just about the only 2 running cards that could bust me.

It's going to take a long time to shake this one off.

Newsflash - P0kerJedi comes from behind to win a hand!

I know this is only a single hand of poker, but it means an incredible amount to me.

For once, I got all my money in bad and came out smelling of roses.

I've picked up pocket Jacks in mid position and put in a raise to $350 (blinds are $50-$100). It's folded all the way round to the UTG who had limped in previously - he is the only player to make the call.

Flop comes down 5s-Kc-8d and my opponent checks to me. I've got to assume he's weak, as he only limped pre-flop and only flat called my raise - so I put him on a low to mid pair.

I make my move and push all-in - he insta-calls and flips up A-K and my heart sinks. Anyone who's read through this blog will know how much I hate A-K, in fact, it's my absolute nemesis hand - and here was me about to bust out to it again.

The something very strange and unexpected happened. A Jack popped out on the turn!
I had to blink and take a second look; this kind of thing never happens to me, I got my money in bad and had come from behind, against A-K no less.


However, my luck was not to last. We had just got down to 4-handed (I had knocked out a short-stacked player the hand before holding A-4 against his Q-J), and I pick up pocket 3's in the Small Blind.

I consider all three options and was on the verge of just folding it, when I decided to limp. The BB immediately pushes all-in. I have him covered by only $600 chips, so this call is realistically for my tournament.

The 30 second clock runs down to 2 seconds and, begrudgingly, I make the call. Every fibre of me is saying "fold, goddamit fold", but I've often been too tight at the bubble of a tourney and been blinded out. I know it's a squeeze play, and he probably has an Ace of some description.

He turns over Ac-Qs, so at least I am not dominated by an overpair. But, my hope was dashed as the Ace popped out on the flop.

I've lost count of the number of times I've pushed with A-K or A-Q, been called by a small pair and it has held up. This was the other way round, and I still couldn't win.

To make things worse, the board ran out T-8-A-J-9 and he actually completed a Queen high straight.


Even if I'd called with pocket 8's, 9's, T's J's or Aces I still would have lost.

My earlier piece of good fortune with the pocket Jacks couldn't prevent me from exiting yet another game on the bubble.

This isn't funny any more

I've just busted out of a MTT to probably the worst, and luckiest, player ever.

Here's the scene: Blinds are 150/300 and I'm in the SB - it's limped around and I have Q-j, so I make up the BB and 4 of us see a J-2-3 rainbow flop.

I'm first to act and put out $490 into a pot of $600. This gets rid of two players, and (after an eternity) I get one caller.


The turn pairs the board (another 3), I consider pushing, but eventually put out a bet of $700 (into a pot of $1,580) - again, he smooth calls.


Now, I'm starting to think he might have an overpair, but if it were me I would have been re-raising by now, so perhaps he limped with A-3 and now has trips an he's trapping me.

The river comes down 6h and I'm perplexed. There were no possible flush draws or straight draws that he could have been calling me with (save 4-5), so I put him on perhaps a medium pair (7's - 10's) and he was possibly putting me on A-K or A-Q, either that or he was slow playing Aces to the max.

I decide my top pair with an over-kicker is probably good, so push my last $1,000 into the pot and it is immediately called.

Incredibly, he turns up Jc-6c. What the f**k?!?!? He called me all the way down to the river and got lucky enough to make 2-pair.


I don't mean to keep harping on about it, but this is just another example of a big stack player getting down to the river against a smaller stack and sucking out. Really, he's on a 3-outer to win the pot outright, and only an Ace or King on the river for a chop.

I know this isn't a classic 'draw' situation, where he's either up+down or on a flush, with multiple outs on the turn/river. He invested nearly $2,500 of his $4,000 chips on top pair - no kicker.

By rights, anyone who plays that bad deserves to lose all his chips, so why do these idiot keep sucking out on me?

I can't see any other way I could have played that pot - except, maybe, pushing all-in on the flop - but the idiot would probably have called with his top pair anyway, and I would still have lost.

I honestly don't know how many more of these insane bad beats I can take - poker isn't fun anymore. Every time I pick up Aces, Kings or A-K the first thing I think is "here's my opportunity to go bust", because I know I am going to get called by some idiot with a big stack, holding Q-J suited who'll make 2-pair, a straight or a flush.

Really, I could have lived with being slow played by Aces or Kings - I could hold my hands up and say "well played", but the way this hand went down is just sick.

Anyway, I'm off for more punishment - await another instalment of P0kerJedi's bad beats very soon.

And they say internet poker isn't fixed!

The debate will rage on forever as to whether internet poker is, in fact, a total fix.

Now, I don't believe that play is weighted in any single particular player (or type of player's style), but I am convinced that it is totally weighed in the favour of big stack players when all the chips are in against shorter stacks.

Check out these two hands that I've just played, and you'll see exactly what I mean.

Hand 1: Heads-Up Pot Limit Omaha

The guy has been running all over me, and I haven't seen a decent hand, in like, forever.
We both limp into this pot, and I've got about $500 behind (against his $2,500).

I flop a set of Deuces and a flush draw, so bet the pot. He raises, I go all in, he calls.
The Ah hits the turn, improving me from a set to a flush. He only has two outs in the whole deck, making him over a 20/1 shot to beat me - only one of the two remaining Queens can give him the hand, and the game.

The software pauses for, like, 5 seconds (seriously, no exaggeration) and out pops the Qs on the river.


Hand 2: 3-seat winner takes all Triple Up

We're down to two players, and my opponent has doubled up by knocking out the other player in the tournament.

I've got about $900, against his $2,700 and I pick up Qs-Th in the BB. He flat calls from the button and I push all-in. I figure his limp is quite weak and he won't call for 1/3 of his stack.

But, he does, in fact, make the call and turns up Ts-9d. I am in as dominating a position as you can be heads-up. He's only got 3 cards in the deck he can hit.

The flop is safe (I was expecting something like J-Q or 7-8). The turn pairs the board, so only the river to dodge and I'll have doubled up to about $1,800, and we'll be level in chips.

Again, the software pauses for about 5 seconds before peeling off the 9s on the river. It was about a 16/1 shot for him to hit one of the three remaining 9's - but amazingly the poker software managed to find one of them in the right place in the deck.


These two hands happened to me in two consecutive games. On both occasions we were down to the river and my opponent was behind, needing a miracle card.

By my calculations, the odds of me losing those two hands on the river is over 350/1, but time after time after time, when I get all my chips in ahead and am called by a player who has me covered, this continually happens.

It seems, the only way to play internet poker is to get your money in bad against a player with less chips and suck out on them.

Of course, if I were running one of these poker sites, I would want each and every game over in the first hand, so all the players can buy into another tournament as soon as possible. It's all about turnover. Poker rooms don't want games like this going on for any longer than is needed. Why, we could have played each of these games for another 10 minutes - 10 minutes that we could have spent buying into another game.

I only hope that one of these days I can post a hand in this blog where was all-in with less chips than my opponent and won - but don't hold your breath.

This never (almost) happens to me...

If you read through some of the posts on this blog you'll see some insane bad beats (virtually all of them against me), but tonight it was my turn to hand one out - kind of.

I'm in a 10-seat SNG and we're down to 6 players. I'm the short stack and have been waiting for a chance to make a move with a half decent hand.

I limp in UTG with a suited Ace (As-6s) and only the blinds stay in. The flop comes down 5h-Ac-9h, and the SB immediately puts $550 in the middle (enough to put me all-in). The BB, with quite a sizeable stack, gets out of the way, and I've got to decide if he's got a (slightly) bigger A, has hit 2-pair, or is on a flush draw. I tank for almost all my allowed time and decide that I've got the odds if he's on a draw (would make me a 4/6 fav), so I put myself at risk.

Sure enough, he turns over the Th-Jh and I've got to avoid a heart down the next two streets. No such luck, out pops the 6h on the turn. I'm not completely dead yet, as this has made my 2-pair, and miracle of all miracles, the 6c hits the river to complete my house.


This is the kind of insane runner, runner bad beat that I am usually on the receiving end of. Granted, I was ahead after the flop, so did get my money in good, but my opponent must have been absolutely seething at the cruel way he lost the pot.

He had me well covered, and got his revenge a couple of hands later when he got his last $400 in the middle and I called with pocket 4's. He turned over A-J and immediately hit his A on the flop.

I'd like to say that my luck has changed somewhat for the better, but I ended up going out of the tourney on the bubble when I pushed with a suited A-4 and ran into the BB with A-K (my nemesis hand, I either bust out with it, or bust out to it - countless times).

The sick thing is I had so many chances to put it all in with Q-T suited (would have hit two Q's on the flop) or J-9 off (would have flopped a straight), and I end up folding these hands until I get blinded down to a position where my all-in is easily callable by any two cards.

Crazily, at the bubble, there was a shorter stacked player who got all his chips in three times in a row, got called on each occasion, and doubled up all three times to take a massive chip lead. (he had, like, pocket K's, A-K & A-J suited).

I'm still waiting for the day when the deck hits me that hard.

What a way to go out

Following my earlier Heads-Up exploits, I entered a MTT with 81 runners.

After almost 3 hours of play we were down to 3 players, and I was the short stack at the table.
In the BB I picked up Th-3d, and the SB just limped.

The flop was 9s-4h-7d, and we both checked it. The turn brought the 8c, so now I have an up and down draw. Again, we both check.

The river turned out to be the killer - 6s. I've made my straight, and the top end of it too.
My opponent bets out $8k (from a stack of $51k), and I have $21k behind - so, of course, I move all-in. At worst I was expecting a chop, but the poker Gods were not that kind, and my opponent flips up Td-Js, for a better straight.


A double up there puts me on $47k, and makes me chip leader - instead I exit in 3rd, after my deepest MTT run for a very long time.

I really thought tonight was my night to make a breakthrough - I'd gotten my fair share of luck in earlier hands, most notably when I was all-in with the dreaded A-K, and got called by pocket 6's. I spiked my Ace on the turn and that put me in a good position to cash.

I'd also got all-in with Aces, very early on, against Jacks, and they held up. I also limped in with pocket 4's and spiked a set and doubled up against a player who'd hit 2-pair.

These are the kinds of hands I would normally be losing with, and things seemed to be going my way. On that last hand, when I completed the straight on the river I really thought that tonight was going to be my lucky night - instead, as usual, I ran into a sick hand. I can't really call it a bad beat, as I was never ahead in the hand, but this game can be so cruel sometimes.

He played it well, as he actually made his straight on the turn, and only checked it, and put a small enough bet out on the river that I had to push - so fair play. Any other card on the river and I can get away with most of my stack intact.

Oh, well - it's an improvement on recent results, so I should be thankful of a decent cash.

A chip and a chair

I've just been involved in the most insane game of Heads-Up Pot-Limit-Omaha, where my opponent literally came back from a chip and a chair with an insane run of winning hands.

After about 3 hands, I was 120 chips behind my opponent (we both started with 1500), when all the chips went in on after I had turned a straight.


I'm now massively ahead, and my opponent is down to $120. The sequence of hands that followed can only be described as miraculous.

It was quite obviously all going to go in next hand, after I flopped two pair. Of course, he hits the J he needs for a straight and has doubled up to $240


The very next hand I get dealt pocket Jacks and hit a J on the flop for a set, so in it all goes again.

Of course, he has an up and down draw and spikes the A on the turn and doubles up again, to $480.


I'm starting to get a bit annoyed that I haven't finished this guy off and fold a couple of rag hands to his pot bets.

Three hands later, he's up to $860, against my $2,140, and we both limp in. I spike 2-pair on the flop, and there's no made straight yet, so I pop it to the max and he raises. It all goes in again, and he catches the miracle 9 on the river to make a straight.


He's now doubled through and is chip leader, with $1,720, and I'm down to $1,280. I am totally flabbergasted.

The last hand (the very next hand) was the absolute cooler of a lifetime. I'm dealt pocket A's and raise pre-flop, he re-raises and I just call. I spike and Ace on the flop and, all the money ends up in the middle. He turns over pocket K' and had hit a K on the flop (alongside a harmless 4h).

I'm smiling from ear-to-ear as I've finally got him down to a one outer, the case King (or so I thought).

I hadn't even noticed his other two cards, and the board ran out 5s, 3s. No flush worries, and I was expecting all the chips to be shipped my way.

They all went in his direction and the game was over. The table closed and I was left staring at the poker lobby wondering what the hell had happened.

I had to go to the hand history to see how I'd lost. Amazingly, his other cards were 6c, 7h and he had hit a runner-runner straight.


The entire heads-up match lasted only 10 hands, of which I won 1 - the one I doubled through with the straight (hand 3). I had proceeded to lose 7 hands in a row, after all the money went into the middle on 5 of them, and on all 5 occasions I was ahead when the money went in and was insanely sucked out on.

I can't even begin to calculate the odds of that run of bad luck.

How sick is this?

How's this for losing two hands in a row, to runner runner!

I'm playing Heads-Up Pot-Limit-Omaha, and we're at about the 3rd level.
I've got a 1600 - 1400 chip lead, when this happens.

I flop the flush, and pot bet - he calls (no raise, with a bigger flush, or anything like that). Turn makes him a straght, with the 5. Again, I pot bet, he just smooth calls. River, another 5. I bet half the pot and he doubles the bet. I call, he turns over a full house. I know he was calling to hit an 8, a 6 or a 7, but to lose to a runner-runner pair is just a nightmare.

I've done about 600 chips, so the stacks are at 1800 - 1200. The very next hand (no exaggeration, I mean the very next hand), this happens.

We both check the flop, and I make my flush on the turn. So I bet half the pot, and he just flat calls. The river pairs the board (again), so I bet half the pot again. I get instantly re-raised.
My first thought is that he's bluffing and trying to get me off a small flush (which is essentially what I have), I mean, for Pete's sake, I can't have expected him to runner me again.

So, I call. Insane - he turns over another full house. Seriously, what are the odds that I would lose two hands in a row, where I made my flush, both to runner-runner turn and river paired boards.

That hand cost me half my stack, so I'm down to 600, versus 2400. No matter what hand I played I got out-drawn until I eventually got all my chips in (last 300) with top pair and a flush draw, and he sucked out with runner-runner to make a straight.

Recently I played a series of about 20 PLO heads-up on PKR and won 15 of them. So I know what I am doing and consider myself a pretty good heads-up PLO player. Over the last two days I have played 4 HU PLO games on Absolute, and lost all of them.

There's variance, and then there's variance. I won't be playing HU PLO on Absolute any more; unless I can learn to get it in with the worst hand and hope for the best.

Short-Stack all-in against chip leader - no contest.

I've often harped on about how a short-stacked player, in a SNG or MTT, who gets it all-in against a bigger stack always loses. Here's another example.

We're down to 4-handed (bubble) from a 9-handed table, and there's two massive stacks, and I have about equal chips with the 4th player. The blinds are starting to increase, so I have to make some moves, and I do so with pocket 6's, pocket 10's, Ad-Jd and A-K - on each occasion the other three players folded, so all I did was recycle the blinds.

Then, the other player with about the same chips as me doubles through the chip leader after hitting a flush on the river. Now, he was never all-in pre-flop, he played through the streets and only put it all on the line with the nuts, on the river.

So, now I am seriously in danger and have to move with anything bigger than the average hand. The next hand I pick up is As-6d, and from UTG I push. Fold, fold, call - the call is from the big blind with the biggest stack at the table. He turns over Ah-4h - so I've got him dominated, but as usual I am expecting the worst. I'm gearing myself up for the flush, when the flop comes down 3h-5s-2d, not the flush, but the next best thing, he's flopped the wheel.

It would have been bad if he'd just out-drawn me with the 4, the flush would have been just as bad, but to flop a straight when I got my money in good again is just sick.


There was a possibility of a re-draw, if a 4 had hit the turn or river. But, honestly, that was never in danger of happening. It was the only time in the whole game that I had been called when all-in, and I lost - with the better hand.

I don't know how many times I can keep saying the same thing. There are always lots of speculation about online poker being fixed. Day by day I am becoming more and more sure that it is. This kind of thing happens too often to be a coincidence.

I could live with the fact that he may have called with a better hand, and good luck to him. But to consistently get called by a worse hand and always lose, it starting to get a bit wearing.

Aces hold up, again!! A-K busted again (what's new?)

A few times a week I play in a 'Bounty Hunter' style MTT, and I've been doing reasonably well, cashing more often than not, but never getting in a position to make the final table.

Early in the tourney I had tried to pull off a bluff with T-J suited, after I completely missed the flop, and got called. I had lost half my stack, but next hand I picked up the Pocket Rockets, and min raised. I got two callers and the flop came down Kc-Qh-9d - no flush draws, but plenty of scary straight draws, so I overbet the pot, not really wanting any action, but the player behind me moved all-in; the 3rd player folded. Praying he had hit top pair, and wasn't holding T-J, I made the call (as he had me covered). He flipped up A-Q, so I was in good shape, but had recently lost to a player holding K-Q who made two-pair on the turn, so I still had to dodge another Q.

The turn was paint, but luckily the Kd. There was no possible flush, so he had a two-outer on the river and fortunately it was a brick, 7c. So I had more than doubled up and was again above my starting stack.


To cut a long story short, I made the cash (just) then, with only 6 BB's left I pushed with Kc-Jc and got no callers, but picking up the blinds and ante's was enough to bolster me for another orbit. However, I called a min raise with a small pocket pair and had to let it go on the flop, so I'd lost what I just picked up and was back to 6 BB's.

Next hand I picked up K-J again, and pushed again. This time two callers. The flop came J high, so I had to sweat it. It was checked down by the other two, and the best they could manage between them was pocket 7's, so I had tripled up to over $15k.

After the tourney break I picked up Ac-Kc and my first thought was "Here's my chance to bust out". I pushed and everyone folded; at least my $15k had some fold equity, even with the chip leader ($78k) at the table.

I wasn't so lucky a few hands later when I picked up the A-k (off) again. I bet 3xBB and got through everyone, except the BB. He waited forever before making the call. The flop came 8s-2h-9s. The pot was now more than my stack, and first to act I hd to push.

I got insta-called, and he flipped up Tc-Jc, for an open-ender. This was a serious deja-vu moment, as I had busted out of a tourney quite recently when holding pocket K's against a player with Q-T who had flopped a draw. He hit his on the turn that time, and wouldn't you just know it, out pops the 7s on the turn here, to make his straight.

I had a lifeline, in that there was now 3 spades on board, so any spade on the river makes my flush - but, hey, miracles like that just don't happen (at least when you're all in with a shorter stack than your opponent).


The Kd on the river was no consolation and, again, I've busted out after going deep in a tourney getting it all in with the best hand and getting badly out-drawn.

Crash and Burn

I followed up my PokerHeaven.com MTT with a 10-seat (pays 4) SNG.

I limped and folded a few hands, then picked up 9d-Th, and called a 3xBB raise, after there had been 3 other callers (had the odds). Flop came down Td-Tc-Ts, for flopped quads.

There was a pot-sized bet and two folds, and I flat called, then pushed on the turn and my opponent called with pocket Q's. Unlucky for him, but I think I was owed that one.


Very next hand I pick up Ah-Qh in the SB and 3x raise the BB. He flat calls and the board comes down Q high. I bet 3/4 of the pot and he instantly pushes all-in. Now, it's gonna cost me about 3/4 of my stack to call, and all the chips I just won with the quads. But I feel lucky and make the call - he turns up K-Q, so I just have to dodge a K; and I do. I'm now up to over $6k and massive chip leader.

However, I couldn't leave it alone, and got involved with 8h-Th on a flop of 8-9-Q. I flat called a min bet, and spiked a J on the turn for the straight. I bet out and am instantly put all-in. Now, I'd just folded top pair to an all-in from this player the hand before, so I thought he was bullying, and I called. Of course, he turned over K-T for a higher straight and I had lost half my stack.

I managed to build it back up to $4.5k, when it came down to 6 handed. I made a move with 9s-Ts, trying to steal the blinds, but I got a caller, then the short stack moved all-in. I made the call, only for the player behind me to call as well, for all his chips. They flip up A-Q and A-A respectively, so I am now drawing to only straights or flushes, neither of which came. Looks like I picked a bad spot!

I was now down to just over $2k, when the short stack pushes for about $1,200. I've found A-K so I make the call - he flips up pocket 4's. The flop comes down 9-T-Q, giving me a gutshot and two overs, but another Q on the turn and a brick on the river sees me now crippled.

I've gone from massive chip leader to just covering the blinds. We are on the bubble and I am UTG - with the blinds coming round I push the last of my $800 with 6c-5c, praying everyone will be tight as they want to cash. I get through 2 players, but the 3rd (who just crippled me with pocket 4's) pushes all-in to isolate. The BB folds and he turns over A-K - how insane is that.
I've just lost a massive hand holding A-K, then the very next hand that same opponent finds the same hand. The board runs out J-Q-7-9-9, without a club in sight, and I've gone out on the bubble.

There was a point at 6-handed that two players had less than a BB, and both were forced all-in and hit miracle cards to stay alive, but when I hit decent starting hands, I manage to lose with them. The two of them must have thought it was Christmas that I kept getting it all-in with monster hands and finding myself behind by the river. I literally went from chip-lead to bubble buster in about 10 hands, losing every big hand I played.

New site, same old story!

The software company I work for is partners (under a parent company umbrella) with a Poker software supplier, and they supply the software for PokerHeaven.com.

During an in-house testing phase I won some money in a freeroll and was given a €35 bankroll, and tonight decided to play with some of it. I entered a deep & steep MTT, and within a couple of hands was in action against a player who had lost about $3,000 (of $5,000) chips earlier.

I was holding Ks-Qd, called his min-raise to see a flop, heads-up. Tc-Jc-Ac hits the board, and my opponent immediately pushes all-in for his last $1,000. I credit him with a pair and perhaps a flush draw, so make the call with my broadway straight; he turns over Ad-Th, for two-pair, and no draw. Looks like I made a great call and was about to add over $2,000 chips to my stack, when the Ah hits the turn, filling his boat and leaving me drawing dead. I mean, for crying out loud, he's got 4 outs to win this hand and, with only a 15% chance.

Just once I want to make the right call and be rewarded.

A couple of hands later I pick up Qh-Td in mid position and flat call against four opponents. Flop comes down 9h-Jh-Ts, so I've got middle pair and an open ender. There's a min bet of 100, which I call and is called in one other spot. The turn brings the Kh (making someone a flush, if that's what they were after), and the first bet is $200, which is flat-called before me and I also call.

I figure there's no flush out there (yet) as they probably would have raised, so the 3c on the river is meaningless. P1 bets out $200 again, this is raised to $600, and I make the call, so does P1. Unfortunately P2 has made a bigger straight, turning over Ad-Th - there's always just one better hand than yours out there!


I'm now down to under $1,500, but pick up A-Q so push all-in. I get only 1 caller, with only $500, and my hand holds up. Things pick up when I find Ac-Jc and push my $1,900 into the middle, this time picking up two callers. I spike the A on the flop and it holds up, for a triple up. I'm now back to just under my starting stack, but way behind the average and the blinds are already $100/$200 (5 min blind action).

I muck a load of hands until I limp with Kd-Td. It's raised to $800 further round, and I make the call. Flop comes down Jd-Jh-Qd, giving me an up and down straight with the 2nd nut flush. I'm first to act and push my last €3,000. I get called by As-Th, and I'm actually a favourite. Once again, I got my money in good (albeit behind), and lost - as the 2s-7c turn-river do me no favours. So many boards tease you with four-to-the-flush, only to deceive (unless you fold, or you're up against it).


A brutal introduction to PokerHeaven - probably should never have played as the fast blinds do not suit my play.

A few hands earlier, during a period of mucking everything, I could have put myself in a great position, if only I'd limped pre-flop. There was an all-in (for $2,000) followed by a re-raise all-in to $4,500, followed by another re-raise all-in to $5,445. They turned over pocket 9's, followed by two sets of A-T. The 9's were in pretty good shape as the other two had each removed one of the other's outs.

If I'd been foolish enough to play my Kc-3s I would have seen a flop of Ks-3c-6h, followed by 4c and the Kd on the river to make a house - I would have quadrupled up.

It's always the hands you don't play that connect.

I won!!

It's been quite a long time since I actually won a table. Had plenty of 2nd's & 3rd's at SNG's, but eventually made the breakthrough tonight, largely thanks to hitting a Straight Flush, during heads-up play.

I'd made a steady start and after winning a couple of decent pots had more than doubled my starting stack and was sitting on about $3,500. There I ended up almost card dead for about 30 hands, perhaps winning one or two sets of blinds (which were still ony 30/60).

As players dropped out others chipped up and when we were down to one player was on $2,000, myself and another player were on $3,500 and the chip leader had just shy of $5,000.

4-way action lasted ages, and my stack was dwindling as the blinds crept up to 100/200. The big stack eventually bust out the shortest player to take a commanding lead; but I'd made the money and was reasonably happy.

There was a lot of folding the blinds 3-handed when I picked up AK on the button and the shortest stack of about $1,000 pushed with A3. The flop came down A-K-x, and I was almost safe. The 3 hit the turn to make things a bit nervy, but it held up. The stacks were about $7.5k v $5k, so I wasn't in bad shape.

I've played a lot of PLO heads-up recently, but was out of practice at NLH, but we battled back and forward and the stacks stayed pretty much the same. I made one move, with 5s-6s , when the board came down 5d-Xs-Xs, for middle pair and a flush draw, and got my opponent to lay down top pair.

The hand that really set me up for the win came when I limped with 6d-Td from the button and saw a flop of 4c-5h-8d. I didn't feel as confident pushing, so made a min-bet and was called. The turn was the 9d giving me a flush draw as well as an inside straight draw.

I min-bet again and was just called. The river was delightful - 7d, not just completing the straight, but the straight flush. I min-bet ($300) and my opponent min-raised to $600. I waited a few seconds before raising to $1,200, praying he had made a flush and was going to push. He only called and turned over 8s-5c, for two pair. I was left wondering if he had pushed on the turn, would I have called for my tournament life; guess we'll never know!

That hand turned the tables, and I was in a decent chip lead. I folded a couple of marginal hands when my opponent pushed all-in, but eventually all the chips ended up in the middle; me 5-5, him A-2 suited. And thankfully it held up.

It's nice to be back on top of the podium for a change.

Aces Busted

Recently I posted an amazing hand where I got all-in with Aces and they held up. Well, normal service was resumed tonight.

I was in a Bounty Hunter style MTT and had made it through the first hour with just below average chips. At the start of hour two I picked up pocket 3's and pocket 8's twice, and couldn't manage to win a pot. This was followed by about 20 hands of muck, when I picked up the Rockets.

I put in a standard 3xBB raise, to $300 and got 1 caller. Flop comes down 7c-Qh-2d and my opponent leads out for 3/4 pot - $650. I instantly push all-in, and after about 5 seconds he calls, flipping up Ks-Qd, for top pair, but crushed by my overpair.

He's got 6 outs, with two cards to come - making him about a 25% shot to catch up. However, odds like that do not matter when your playing online poker. Of course, he had me outchipped and, of course, the Kh hits the turn.


It's insane -I didn't slow play, I didn't let him catch up, I played the hand perfectly, got my money in good and still lost. It just helps solidify my firm belief that online poker is completely fixed.

I mean, what are the chances that, at a 9-handed table, the one and only caller I get would have a hand that could beat me. Every single time I get my money in good against a player with a bigger stack, they manage to find the miracle cards that they need to bust me.

I am seriously losing all faith in playing online.

One time!!!!!

My nemesis hand has always been 'Big Slick' - the good old Ace-King.

I've lost count of the number of tourney's I've busted out of either holding it and losing, or getting all in against it and busting out.

Tonight, eventually, the shoe was on the other foot.

I limped from middle position with 5s-3s and there were no raisers. The flop came down 5c-Ad-3d, giving me two-pair.

It was checked round to me and I bet half the pot. The player behind me tanked for almost all his time before pushing all-in. I had him covered by a mere few chips, so this was for my tournament.

Almost begrudgingly I made the call, expecting to see A-3 or A-5, or even pocket Aces.

Luckily, it was A-K. There was no flush draw or straight draw possible, so only the K (or runner-runner overpair) to avoid. And I did; amazingly I'd handed out one of those insane beats that always seems to happen to A-K. I did spare a momentary thought for my opponent, imagining him ranting and raving (the way I tend to do when it happens to me).


I've been on the receiving end of this type of hand many, many times, so felt I was owed this one.

Headline: Pocket Aces in 'hold up' shocker

I got dealt pocket Aces, got a customer, got all the chips in pre-flop, and they held up.

I know, hard to believe, isn't it!

I qualified for a Freeroll Pot Limit Hold'em MTT on Full Tilt (qualified via my WSOP Fantasy Team), and inside the first level must have hit about a dozen pocket pairs. Most of them low, and most didn't net me any chips. I had already had Aces once, but everyone folded to my pre-flop raise.

In the hand before this, two players went to war with KK v QQ, and a Q hit the flop. The player who double up was my opponent in the next hand. I was in early position and pot-raised. It was folded round to the SB, who pot-raised again. I instantly pot-raised again, and he tanked - eventually raising enough to put me all-in; of course, I instantly called.

He turned over pocket Jacks (he must have thought it was Christmas, hitting Jacks immediately after Queens), and had just sucked out against an overpair in the previous hand, so I was not counting my chickens. In fact, I was expecting either a J on the flop, or some sort of sick draw, like 8-9-T. But the board ran out relatively uneventfully and, amazingly, I had doubled up.


Doesn't happen very often, so I am thankful.

Update: Busted!

Managed to make it through the bubble, and a couple of hands later picked up pocket K's. I pot raised to $1,050 and amazingly picked up 3 callers.

Flop came down Qh-Th-2h. I was first to act and had no option but to push, as my remaining stack was about the size of the pot. The player to my left insta-calls and the other two fold; he turns up Kh-9s, for a gut-shot straight draw and a flush draw.

You guessed it, Jc on the turn made his straight (isn't that incredible?!?). I had the Ace redraw (or a 9 for a chop), and was half expecting the Ah (or even the 9h) on the river, just to rub it in, but it was an innocuous 2c.


I've said it before, and I'll continue to say it. Poker rooms are rigged so that shorter stacked players, when they get all their chips in against a larger stacked player, will always lose - ALWAYS!! It's just a fact. The cards find a way of delivering exactly what the other player needs to bust even your biggest hands.

I mean, what was the guy doing calling such a big raise with K9-off? And how come the flop was so good to him. And even when he calls, still behind, and only on a draw, does he hit the miracle card he needs? I mean, he snap called, without even a second's hesitation, most likely in the full knowledge that his hand was destined to connect.

I honestly can't remember the last time I got into a situation like this and my hand held up. In the hand above I should be a 90% favourite pre-flop, and should win this hand 9/10 times. So why is it that I ALWAYS lose - I don't even win 1/10 times, I lose every time. Statistically that is an anomaly that can only be explained by card rooms being rigged.