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.
