Bad Beat Diary

PokerStars.com Bloggers Tourney: Free Roll into WSOP

2006-06-08T19:11:00.001-07:00

I have registered to play in the PokerStars World Blogger Championship of Online Poker!

This Online Poker Tournament is a No Limit Texas Holdem event exclusive to Bloggers.

Registration code: 1976551

6/06/06

2006-06-07T20:58:00.000-07:00

" . . . Then I saw another beast, coming out of the earth. He had two horns like a lamb, but he spoke like a dragon. He exercised all the authority of the first beast on his behalf, and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed. And he performed great and miraculous signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to earth in full view of men. Because of the signs he was given power to do on behalf of the first beast, he deceived the inhabitants of the earth. He ordered them to set up an image in honor of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived. He was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that it could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed. He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead, so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name. This calls for wisdom. If anyone has insight, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is man's number. His number is 666 . . ."

Revelations 13:11-18

I don't mean to go Bible-belt on this post but I found it very appropriate for this post, June 6, 2006, which should have been an omen for me not to play but I did anyways.

So, it seems that most of the poker community of Manila has read my blog thanks to my friend, JOEY, the only person that I named on my blog cause of the BBS that he served to me gave me a gift, knowledge to everyone about the exsistence of this blog on his radio show. Sort of the gift that keeps on giving. Even my students in the class I teach, yes my day-job is a professor, were talking about it. One actually was saying that she heard poker was being discussed on the radio but didn't pick up that they were talking about me, she was quickly corrected by one of my other students.

Man o man, the shit storm that it has unleashed. I was thinking, hey, who listens to that radio station anyways? I listen to their competitor so I was like, yeah, that's safe. I couldn't be wrong(er?). I had requests for putting an RSS feed in the poker forum here and I was antsy about it but did it anyways, yes it seems like I am an attention monger. If I haven't stated it yet, everyone I play with knows about my little experiment, aside from the small group of about five that I told about it.

Couple this fact with the recent resetting of the poker matrix that I have been experiencing and I am in a world of hurt and the story goes like this . . .

I come to play at my regular ring game and everyone is there, to say that it was a packed house, is an understatement. I've never seen a room filled up like that with people with only one thing on their mind since I went to that strip club . . . but I digress.

So I play two sit-and-goes and bust out, trying to overplay cards that were not supposed to be overplayed. Nothing much to report on except that I wasn't catching my BBS on the flop hard enough for me to do much damage, but I wasn't hitting my premium hands as well, so I think the resetting is still ongoing.

Game summary - (2,400)
Running Total - 25,160

Should have been my call to exit stage left, but I decided to play the ring game. (Some foreshadowing music please) So here I am, sitting at seat 10, and everyone talking about the blog, blah blah, BBS served, blah blah . . . I was pretty much uncomfortable about the whole thing because 1) I really don't like to be talked about and more importantly 2) cause the other players know the game I am bringing and 3) I couldn't play tight cause they wanted to see some BBS, argh . . .

Ok, so I was down most of the night and except for one BBS situation, it was a night of suck-outs and flops that weren't hitting or hitting hard enough.

Game Summary (10,000)
Running total - 15,160

I think I will take this day as the omen it was supposed to be, ending this study into BBS where there were a lot of lessons I learned during this study which will be part of my game but. I need to rethink my game to make it fun to play again, not being a sort of freak show in a carnival. That being said, tight is might will be my mantra and will take it from there. . . . or will I.

PS - to those who have read my posts, there were no BBS served to people because of personal reasons but rather, situations that came up that I had to explore. I hope this study expands your game because of the analysis that I had put forth. See you at the felt.

6/01/06

2006-06-01T11:50:00.000-07:00

This was the day that I got a reset for all the BBS that I served. Wow, it was really bad. But before I go into that, let me set up the final BBS that I served before the reset in the BBS Matrix happened.

I went to my usual ring game and it was a fairly new table 20/40 blinds, just friend playing poker and then looking down on 45o the person to my left, a very good friend, raised to 960. I was like, "Huh?" So I am thinking, but everyone is trying to goad me into calling, even the dealer. So I do what I always do in that kind of situation, I call. She turns over AJ and everyone starts howling. The flop comes 7-5-2 and I am ahead. With a T coming on the Turn, she is further behind and a case 7 gives me two pair. If I said she was in shock, it would be an understatement. Such a sweet friend, but the situation called for it so I did.
BBS Served

Analysis - As always, I am a 67/33 underdog, but after the flop I was ahead 77/23, which is a nice lead after the flop. She gets pushed into the hole more with the Turn 83/13. So that was nice.

After a few more wild players come in, I began a roller coaster that made me want to hit the eject button, which came in the form of a player that was a friend of our friend from out of town and as a gracious player (albeit, losing at that time) I decide to move tables.

And here is where the reset began. It started promising, I see the same lady that warned me about the seat she left me in that birthday party I posted before, and again she was complaining about the bad beats that she was getting. I was like "On cue, alright . . . " But that being said a few factors were very suspicious for me. 1) The other table was the table placement in that joint where I NEVER won any money. 2) I didn't have my Johnnie Walker, can't do my drunker master without it. 3) Calling Stations all over.

What a recipe for disaster and wouldn’t you know it. YUCK. I have never seen more players give me a world of hurt in such a short amount of time. Suffice it to say, I got a player flopping a straight when I had an overpair from the board. I had a guy flop top two pair, when I had a OESD and the same guy getting top and bottom pair, when I got top pair with a higher kicker, both times he went all-in and I called. All three times, I had them beat pre-flop and they called my 3xBB. Got to work on that.
BBS Served to me x3

Ouch, but what can you do. It’s just the law of averages catching up to me. Its ok, it’s the game we love so much.

Game Summary – (12,000)
Running Total – 27,560

5/27/06

2006-05-28T07:47:00.000-07:00

And now, it was time to unleash the BBS on a lot of unsuspecting people at the ACF5k tournament. 88 players entered the tournament and most of those people I would be playing, it would have been the first time they would see me play, so I was reveling in that prospect.

After registering, I found myself at table 1, which was the last table to be collapsed, so if I played my cards right (ok, pun intended) I wouldn't budge from that seat, which was Table 1 Seat 4. When the order from the TD to "shuffle up and deal" I was in the zone, I had my N91 playing Coldplay's A Rush of Blood to the Head, which seems to be a good soundtrack to my poker playing (always profitable, it seems), my chi was centered (whatever that means). In a span of ten minutes, I won 5 hands by raising pre-flop three successive times and then outplaying the players post-flop. All of those wins, my hole cards were never shown. How awesome is that. Early chip lead and then the roller coaster ride which was my tournament day started. I had a lot of fun, mind you, but trying to get a BBS to write about was still paramount in my mind.

Nothing going until, I look down at 52s and I raised it 3xBB which was 1,200 at that time. I get a raise to 4,200 and I know I was in big trouble, I'm thinking big pair, but I called. The flop comes T-7-6 with two clubs giving me a flush draw, and if you have been reading this blog for a while, you know I haven't gotten anything in the region of a straight (well, the night before the tournament) let alone a flush. I was giddy about the prospects. I bet out 800 and I get a raise from Seat 7 to 2,300. I was like, yup, feed him some rope, feed him some rope. So I call. Another T comes on the turn, and he checks. I didn't want to force the issue so I check as well and the river gave another 7. I sigh, cause I didn't get my flush but when seat 7 turns over pocket Aces, I was livid. That would have been one for the blog, certified hall of fame BBS but as it turned out,
BBS denied

Analysis - With the hole cards revealed now, I was a 81/19 underdog pre-flop. Nothing new for me, after the flop I was 61/39. Imagine that, I was 39% chance to win from that point, that is a big swing, more than doubling my 19% pre-flop. With the T coming on the turn, I was back to my 81/19 hole before the flop. Man, what could have been . . .

I was still happy about my potential pocket rocket killer, but I had to nurse my stack again. In a few minutes, I was near the chip lead again and this situation came up. UTG raised it to 3,000 when the blinds were 500/1000 and I had my friend Lil Joey in seat 3 calling it. I look down at pocket tens on the BB and decide that I wanted to win the pot right then. I re-raise to 6,000 and I didn't know that seat 5 would have been all-in with that re-raise so he called all-in. My friend Joey agonizes for awhile and me as well, because I didn't want anyone else in the pot with me and seat 5, but the darndest thing happened. He called, saying "Ok, let's gamble." My gut was doing back flips when I heard that, I knew he was up to something.

We had a side pot already and when the flop came Q-Q-4 with two spades, I was pissed. Someone might have a Queen and would have out-flopped my pocket tens. But even one Queen would have done the job anyways, right? Both of us checked, which I didn't know how Joey would react to a short stack going all-in and us checking it down, which is the right tournament move for us, but I wouldn't even think about telling him that at that time, so I was just hoping he knew that. The third spade hit the board and appropriately, it was the 3. So I was dancing on thin ice, I had to dodge a Q or two spades to win this hand. With the river coming out a case 7, I knew I was beat. When I showed Joey my pocket Tens, I was kinda assured . . . optimistic maybe? But he turned over 87 of spades, and I was like WTF? You dealt a BBS to ME . . . Bastard. . . Had to just make light of the moment so that I wouldn't do a Hellmuth tirade.

Anyways, the other guy flipped over AQ which gave him trips on the flop but it was moot because he was out of the tournament.
BBS Served TO ME

Analysis - I was ahead pre-flop 43% chance to win with the AQ at a close second at 36% and the 87 of spades at 21%, decent percentages pre-flop for everyone. But I was ahead. . . Post flop though, I got moved to the dog house, YUCK. I only had 8% chance to win at that point (the two other Tens in the deck), Joey had 22% chance to win with his flush draw (F-ing Bastard), and the AQ was way ahead, 70% at that point. When the Turn hit I only had 5% chance to win, still wasn't drawing dead, but Joey was ahead 72% and AQ still had outs at 23%.

Joey had the big stack now at the table, and I am perturbed to say the least. A few hands later, a Caucasian guy comes into the table to replace the person that just got busted out. I look down at 74o and I raise my usual 3xBB. The white guy folds and Joey decides to call. The flop comes K-Q-8 and I decide to check and Joey does the same. Another K comes off the Turn and we check it again. A 2 comes on the river and I did not hit anything at all and I check, but Joey checked to and he says, GET THIS, "Six high." I was like, "Really? I got Seven high." We laugh and I'm stacking my chips and the white guy slams the table, it seems that he had a King and I raised him out of the pot.
Story Continued

Analysis - I really don't want to analyze this but I have to just to see the math side of this. Pre-flop I was 61/39 ahead and was 62/38 ahead post flop. After the turn I was only 59/41 ahead, yikes, but closed the deal on that case 2. How funny was that hand, but it did set me up for something later.

I had the white guy on the verge of tilting but he was moved before I could do anything. Oh well, but it seems like a foreshadowing moment, right? Fast forward to the dinner break, where I was one of the chip leaders after clawing my way back from short stack just ten minutes prior to the break, at about 76k, and fast forward again to the final two tables where I begin to distribute my chips again to the rest of the players in my pursuit of the BBS.

With the blinds at 5,000/10,000, I was at the cutoff and I decide to take a stand with my last 27k on 42s. YES, I did. SB called me and he turns over A9, I turn over my 42 and the small crowd that was building around us, started to laugh. When the flop came T-5-4, they started to cheer me on. The board finished J-7 and I just doubled up with 42!!
BBS Served

Analysis – I was 61/39 underdog pre-flop, but when was I not? But when that 4 hit the flop I was 76/24 ahead, and 84/16 after the turn. Oh yeah!!

That is the highlight of my tournament so far, I didn’t have to go all-in at that time because I was at the cutoff but I liked the cards and I went all-in. Two players busts out and wouldn't you know it, the white guy came to the table again, this time holding a beer and a big stack. I get on his case already before he sits down about him having a beer and none of the players at this table having any, because he was white . . . Blah blah.

I look down at JTo and I raise it 3xBB and everyone folds except the white guy. The flop comes J-J-9 and I check, the white guy puts me all-in and I beat him into the pot turning my trips as he turns over KQ. He's shouting for a Ten and I shout for a Ten as well cause that would have given me the Nuts, and he sees it and decides to abandon the shouting for the Ten bit. Two blanks come off and I doubled up again and his chip stack is severly crippled.
BBS Effect Served

Analysis - How funny is that, I set up a guy and I get my man at the end. Pre flop I was behind 65/35 but I didn't know that. After the flop I was 99/1 and he was in a world of hurt, at the turn he was drawing dead already.

The next hand he was busted out and he walked away, I think until now, in disbelief. I make it to the final table and the roller coaster had another rise for me as I was at about 150k in chips and was battling the chip leader. I wanted to stop but I couldn't because it wasn't keeping with my BBS style. Inevitably, a really bad dealer did me in. I guess there was a shift change, but man, that dealer stank. I think he didn't even know how to deal poker, I think he knew how to run the Paigow table so he figured that was ok already.

I placed 7th and I had a lot of fun. It was the deepest I have gotten in any tournament and I did it the BBS way. Yeha . . .

Game Summary - 22,000
Running Total - 39,560

5/26/06

2006-05-28T07:16:00.000-07:00

I hosted a poker party for a friend and after the initial tournament, I decided to play as well. Nothing going at all, just that one hand, which I think was more of an abberation than the norm. It went down like this, I pick up 63o and I raise it 3xBB when the levels were still 100/200, a guy goes all-in and, like the adventurer that I was, I called with my 3,200. He turns over pocket 8's and I am in a world of hurt. I have never gotten past an overpair yet. I was kinda upbeat when the flop wasQ-4-2, but an inside straight draw would be harder for this type of situation. But wouldn't you know it, a 5 hit the turn AND the river.

I was like, SHIT. You see, I had a big tournament the next day, and I just spent my best scenario EVER with BBS hands in a game that didn't really count. ARGH . .
BBS served

Analysis - I was really dominated pre-flop 85/15, that is tough to come back from any way you cut it. After the flop I was still in that dark deep hole 81/19, albeit a little less deep than I was pre-flop. But with the turn, I was out of that well and was doing my dance of Joy.

Well I ended out of the money in both tournaments that I played with those guys, who were ALL calling stations, no way to out-play those types of players but hey, you live you learn.

Game summary - (1000)
Running Total - 17,560

5/22/06

2006-05-23T22:41:00.000-07:00

It was my friend's birthday so we trekked to this underground poker place which we never usually go to. We came early so we were playing pool because there was only one table doing 10/20. They were going to have a sit and go for 500 so I signed up. Well, I lost that and moved to the 10/20 ring game, seat 10. The lady that just stood up from that seat was still fuming about the bad beats she got from that seat. I was like "perfect, now its my turn to deal some."

Mind you, the game was 10/20. As usual I raise to 60 UTG with 85o and everyone calls, except for the person in seat 7, who bets 1200 pre-flop. Actually seat 7 got another player to play for him, a friend of mine who usually plays at the biggest tables in town, one of the big table players (BTP). So I'm like, "What's up with that dude? 1,200 pre-flop in a 10/20 game?" Of course I call, kinda seething about that type of BS. I just bought in for 1k and only had 830 in chips left at this point, so I called with my 830. He flips over AKo and I flip over my 85. Wouldn't you know it, the flop came T-9-5 and with the board finishing up Q-4, I just dealt a BBS to one of the BTP.
BBS Served

Analysis - My only true concern was that he had an overpair, because experience has shown that overpairs are hard to come back from but as it was I was just a 65/35 underdog, easy for me. Post flop, I was way ahead 75% chance to win from that point and with the Q on the turn, giving him an inside straight draw, kept him afloat at 23% chance to win. A blank on the turn would have pushed him lower, to only about 13% chance to win at that point.

So I was kinda marked as a wild player by those who never saw me play before. Looking down at 76o I raise it again to 60 and now everyone calls. The flop comes 9-8-7 with two clubs so I decide to try to take down the pot that that point, betting 300 (in a 10/20 game) and wouldnt you know it, I had one called in seat 1 (more on him later) and seat 7 goes bezerk again, going all-in. Now I know its not his money, and the person whose money it is, we really don't care too much about, so maybe he's throwing that guy's money away just to spite him. I call and so does seat 1. Wouldn't you know it, they had A6h and A4h, taking away seat 7's straight draw, we could tie but he couldn't win outright with a T or a 5. The board ended up K-K and I won my next big hand in a span of ten minutes and the once-healthy stack of the guy was reduced to a molehill.
BBS Served.

Analysis - Preflop I was behind the A6h but on equal footing with the A4o. Post flop, I was very ahead at 70% chance to win at that point with A6h only 19% chance to win and A4 at 11%. When the K hit the board I increased my advantage to 85% and they needed a miracle to win.

As the night progressed, seat 7 gave back the seat (and the stack) to the owner and I was involved with some discussion with seat 1. After calling a bet on the river, I didn't make my straight, he showed his hand and I mucked it. He insisted on asking for my cards. I told him that I mucked it already but he persisted. So I taught the dealer how to show a called hand. Put the called hand aside, push the pot to the winner, collect the board and the other cards, tap the called hand to the muck and show the hand. At that point, there is no pot to contest and no board to compare it to. I just was very pissed.

Looking down on pocket threes, I managed my best not to go hog wild and only raise 3xBB, which everyone called anyways. But with the flop coming 8-3-2, I was in very good shape. I bet 300 and only seat one calls. With the 2 coming off the turn, my thoughts were on him having pocket 2's. Chances of him having pocket 8's and not going hog wild was very slim and I knew he didn't have it. I bet 800 and he calls. The turn gave a 7 and I go all-in which he calls, and my sinking feeling went out the window when I tured over my pocket 3's and he turned over A4. WTF? What a chump, but as one of my favorite pros said, never tap the aquarium. Another BTP comes in and we're really going to town with these fishes. It was kinda late and I had to leave to go home. I told the BTP, we're never going to get invited here again. I mean look at this, and I wave my hand around the room, I've never seen so much fish and we just took a huge chunk of their money.

Game Result - 3500
Running Total - 18,560

5/16/06

2006-05-16T18:23:00.000-07:00

I go to my usual ring game place because they were having SNG's. I miss the first one and decide to play the 20/40 ring. I lose my first buy-in, which was half of the max, and when my second buy-in comes, the next SNG is announced. I decide the ring wasn't for me at that time and played the SNG. I got to say, the saying "The more things change, the more things stay the same," got it spot on. Man, was I having a bad night. Couple that with the winner of the first SNG, cleaning up in the second, I kinda lost interest and pushed all-in with my 82s, which didn't felt like a winner but I pushed in anyways. Well, I lost and moved back to the ring game.

I get a marker for a buy-in for half the max for the table and lose that with bonehead plays. None of my BBS were coming out, neither were my straights nor flushes and I was getting sucked out on, which was really a bad combination. I decide to buckle down and get a marker buying-in for half the max again, and if you are keeping score at home that is about 1.5x max buy-in already. The strangest things happened, I actually won hands, a lot of hands, and I had customers in most of them.

Looking down on pocket sixes I raise 3xBB and I get everyone to call. I check when the flop came T-6-4 but seat 4 bets 200, which the player to my right calls and I call as well. With the turn coming J, I had to bet to protect myself from the straight, getting both players to call my 300 bet. The turn came 5 and I bet 500 and both players called. Seat 4 turns over JTo giving her two pair and the player to my right showing pocket Q's, I show my set and take down a big pot.

I get pocket Aces, which has been a rare thing for me these days, and I decide not to go wild and just raise 3xBB. Everyone calls, I've been doing 3xBB all night, why wouldn't they. The flop comes low cards and I bet 300, making eveyone fold except seat 3 who calls. A possible flush draw comes out on the turn and I am beside myself for slow-playing my Aces. My opponent check as well as I. The turn pairs the board and my opponent goes all-in. I covered him, but that would not really be a smart move for me if I get the bet wrong. So I study the player and wouldn't you know it, he gave me a tell that he was weak. I call and show him my pocket Aces. He mucks his cards, stands up and says goodbye and leaves.

Analysis - WOW, how scary was that. I didn't really knew what he was holding until I saw that tell. Thank you Mike Caro.

I build my stack enough to pay back the markers I took out and still had a healthy stack. A couple of hands later, I look down at pocket Aces, again, and my stomach turns, I know these are going to get cracked now but I still raise only 3xBB. I get one caller in seat 6 and again with the flop coming T-4-3 rainbow, I bet 500, trying to take down the pot then, but seat 6 called. The turn gave the 6h which made a straight possibility and a flush draw, seat 6 decides to go all-in for about 4,700, I was really getting sick. I needed information and I tried to extract it from him. I count the 4,700 in front of him trying to get information but he wasn't giving any information, and then he did. He gave me the tell that he was weak, so I called. He turned over J9 of hearts giving him a flush draw and I turn over my Aces, which was still shakey to say the least, but I managed to hold out and win the pot.

Analysis - I can't remember the last time I got pocket aces, let alone two pocket rockets in the same session, but what a way to win with them. If not for Mike Caro, I probably would have folded those rockets. Playing BBS and trying to catch up really has given me a new appreciation for premium cards, but I'd still play the BBS, cause its more fun. Hehe

I win a couple of more hands and bully the players into folding hands when flops looked very weak. I set my departure time at 3am and decide to coast along, not repeating what had happened the last time I had a monster stack in this ring game. When I cashed out for the night, I was really feeling good about myself.

Game result - 12,000
Running total - 15,260

5/12/06

2006-05-16T17:54:00.000-07:00

I had to go around my usual places to spread the word of my tournament. I sat at a SNG in the usual place I played and here was an interesting hand I played around midway through the second level.

So with the blinds at 50-100, I look at 45o and I raise it to 3xBB. I get two callers and with the flop 3hQhTc, both players in front of me check so I did as well. The turn gave the 4h and I decide to represent a flush if not a flush draw, with both players calling I smelled something was up. The river came 5h and I was definitely sure someone made their flush and in that place, everyone check-raised so when the both players checked to me, I showed my two pair. Wouldn't you know it, neither player had a heart but both players did have pocket pairs. One had sixes the other had twos.
BBS Served

Analysis - The sixes were way ahead preflop 74% to win with me only having a 12% chance to win, and the pocket twos having 14%. After the flop, I am only 4% to win with the pocket 6's way up 88%. I eat up some of their advantage on the turn tripling my percentage to win to 12% which is still not high, especially with the 6's still hovering at 83%. It was just a funny hand to be involved.

Midway through the tournament, I actually got a bad beat served to me. I was on the button and decided to limp in my AKo. With the flop coming 6-T-3 I bet 200 and I get one caller but when the turn comes off 4, that caller went all-in. By that time I had a healthy stack and I really didn't think he had anything, maybe pair tens? I got him covered and I decide to call. He turns over 25o making the nut straight and me holding my nuts, drawing dead.
BBS Served to ME

Analysis - Limping in really doesn't protect your premium hand, while I was a 66/33 favorite, I didn't protect it. I just couldn't belive it but since I limped in, I should have known.

With my stack spiralling downward, I decide to take a stand with my AKo going all-in with about 1,500 in chips. I get called with KJ and wouldn't you know it, a J comes off the flop which read J-6-9 and when the turn and river not providing any help with their 8-3, I get busted out.

Analysis - I really hate AK. I dominate the guy pre-flop 75/25 but fall on my face the rest of the way, busting out.

Game result - (400)
Running Total - 3260

So I move to the other place I play but this time it's the usual 20/40 Ring game. I don't have much going , I wasn't really hitting my BBS but was winning hands with premium hands or semi-premium hands, until this hand. I look down at 47o and I raise it to 120, I get one caller. The flop comes A-5-6 and he bets out 300 which I call. The turn gives me my straight with a 3 but it also shows a flush draw so I'm kinda antsy to do anything. He bets 500 and I call. The river gives out a Q and he checks, as well as I, turning over my 45 for the straight. He shows AKo.
BBS Served

Analysis - I was behind preflop with only 35% chance to win, but what else is new. The percentages stay the same after the flop with his top pair but me with my OESD. After the turn, it was really just a matter of finding out if he had a flush or if my straight was good.

My stack dwindles to break even and I call it a night, at around 3am.

Game result - 0
Running total - 3260

5/9/06

2006-05-09T18:28:00.000-07:00

I went to the other underground game last night to play. I missed the SNG so I settled on playing a 20-40 ring game. Sitting down on the table, there were five of us that started to play, I didn't know anyone. That's good, I guess. I proceed to grow my stack, I could not do anything wrong and I wasn't showing anyone my cards, I was not being called. When I did get called, I would show respectible cards, no BBS, so it was good. As the night went on, my chips leveled to about 7-8x buy-in. I still couldn't believe it how good the cards were coming, but I still haven't gotten a BBS to write about, and then this hand happened.

I look down on 56o and I raise it 3xBB which made most of the players fold except for the the player in seat 2 who raised it to 300. I called and we were the only ones in this pot. The flop comes K-8-7, giving me an open ended straight draw. I checked blind because I was out of position (still haven't learned my lesson) and seat 2 bet 300 which I called. The turn gave a Q and seat 2 bet 1,000. I knew seat 2 was a loose-aggressive player that could have anything, but I still had that open ended draw, if it was a gut shot, I would have folded, but in this instance I called. The river gave me a 9 and the straight that I needed. I checked, again to try to trap, which doesn't work and I turn over my straight and he turns over AKo.
BBS Served

Analysis - Obviously, I was an underdog all the way in that hand. Preflop I was behind 38/62 but gained a little bit after the flop 34/66. The turn pushed me further behind 18/82 but I got saved by the river.

After that hand, I was playing careless, I mean just raising on everything and chasing everything. So much so that my stack dwindled to about 3-4x buy-in. Looking down at T9o I raised 3xBB and get one caller. With the flop coming T-T-3, I was in great shape and checked to my opponent who checked as well. The turn came off a 7 and I bet 300, which he calls, but I check on the river with another 7 coming off. He bets about 1,200 and that made me think, barring that he had pocket 7's, the worst I could do is split the pot if he had the other T. So I raise all-in with my remaining 1500+ and he calls. I turn over my cards and he shows his 74o.

That should have been it for me, but I continue to play, very VERY loose and getting cards which would hit the flop not as hard as I wanted or I would chase down and lose a bit, and when the night wound down for me, around 2am, I look down and cash out 3k. Not bad for the night, could have been better. Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda. . .

Game Result - 3,000
Running Total - 3,660

5/3/06 - Part 2

2006-05-07T20:08:00.000-07:00

(note - I was rushing my last post because I had a lot of family stuff to do over the weekend so I have to finish my story today.)

I played a SNG after busting out in the multi-table tournament and after winning some hands with premium hands (seems players don't really believe I play premium hands) I came across this situation. I'm sitting in seat 11 and the player at seat 2 goes all-in preflop with the player at seat four calling. I had both of them covered and when I looked down at 82o, I kinda liked my chances. Seat 2 flipped over AKo and seat five turned over KT (I've been starting to call that Tom Cruise, cause its a hand only he can like, get it, KT - Katie Holmes, anyway) I turn my 82o with a smile on my face. I know I am way behind but with both of them playing premium hands, I was in good shape. The flop came 7-4-2 and I am liking it, I am ahead, albeit still an underdog I presume. The Turn gives a 3 and I can sense a bad beat coming, cause a river 5 would give the AK a wheel beating my pair and like those accidents you see in the movies where everything is in slow motion, the dealer turns over the river, and wouldn't you know it, it was a 5.
BBS Denied

Analysis - Preflop, I was actually ahead of the Tom Cruise 28/23, imagine that, with the AK being the favorite at 49%. After the flop I am WAY ahead with 67% chance to win from that point while the AK and KT only had 21% and 11% to win respectively. With the turn being a 3, I stretch my lead to 71% chance to win, the AK holding steady at 21% and the KT droping only to 7% chance to win. That is a suck out. Now I'm pissed I got bad beat by an AK. Haha.

Still reeling from that bad beat I got, I look down at A3o and raise it 3xBB. I get a caller and since I didn't have position on him, I checked blind to him. The flop came 6-6-3 and I was in good shape. I didn't put him on a 6 and when he checked, that confirmed it. The turn came K and now I check and he bets, I call. The river comes K and I check again and he bets and I call. I turn over my cards and he turns over his K9o, giving him Kings full.
BBS Denied

Analysis - Another instance where my blind check caused my downfall. If I led out betting after the flop, chances are he wouldn't call and never would have seen the runner-runner full house. Pre-flop I was ahead 60/40 with my ace and after the flop was more ahead 77/23. With the turn coming out free, and the K showing up, the advantage moved to my opponent 84/14, which is a big swing. I really should have pressured him with a bet or moving in after the flop.

With my stack dwindling, I get my money in with KT and get beat.

Game Total - (500)
Running Total - 660

5/3/06 - Part 1

2006-05-03T20:36:00.000-07:00

Went back to my ususal underground SNG place and everyone is happy that I don't have my BBS notebook, which I forgot at home. I just say that, I just need a piece of paper to write my BBS and they sigh . . . I laugh, on the inside of course. I stumbled upon the rare, mutli-table tournament here and I buy-in because there were seats left and were just being blinded out.

As I am sitting down, action is to me and I look down at A5o and I raise 3xBB on my first hand. Everyone groans and says, oh here we go again. The player to my left calls as the rest of the players fold. The flop comes 7-3-5 and I bet 200, he calls. The turn comes with an A and I check, and he bets out 500 which I call. When another 5 comes on the river, I bet out 500 and the player mucks his hand. Nothing too spectacular, but always a good thing when you win your first hand.
BBS-effect served

Analysis - When I sat down people knew already what game I was bringing to the table. I guess thats good and bad at the same time. With a flop like that, my A5 wasn't really hidden and I think that's why it scared my opponent.

Later on that game, a guy goes all-in and I'm BB and look down at 53o, and I call about 2/3 of my stack. He flips up JTo and I flip up my cards. I like my chances, as always. The flop comes T-5-6 so both of us hitting the flop but with a 4 coming on the turn, my opponent starts to sweat now. But when I see that open-ended straight draw, I knew I was going to lose that hand, which I did when a K came.
BBS denied

Analysis - Pre-flop I was behind, as usual, 67/33 and after the flop I was already 78/22 behind, I really didn't like that T coming out. The 4 on the turn game me some breathing space and was only down 70/30 but got denied. Another case of a straight draw not materializing. I'm beginning to think that BBS really are not for straights or flushes.

I nurse my stack and had only about about 2xBB left so I decide to go all-in with my 65o when someone goes all-in to my left and a player calls to my right. I and mildly shock to see that the original all-in raiser opens up K6 but the other guy had KJo which was stranger still. The board came 6-J-4-4-A and both of us bust out.
BBS denied

Analysis - Pre-flop I wasn't the total underdog that I thought I was, with 26% chance to win. K6o only had 16% chance to win while KJ was the favorite, of course, 57%. After the flop K6 was almost drawing dead with only 9% chance to win, I actually was around there as well with only 15% chance to win. I wouldn't be such an underdog if the K6 guy wasn't in the pot but what can you do, I wasn't supposed to be in the pot either.

Game total - (500)
Running Total - 1160

5/2/06

2006-05-03T20:00:00.000-07:00

Went to a different venue to play a cash game, low stakes 20-40 so I wanted to test my theory there. I sat and I looked around and only saw two guys I knew. One was a player who've I've played with since this whole Hold'em thing stated and another was a guy I haven't seen since the turn of the century in LA. I didn't even know he played poker, so it was good to catch up.

I bought in for half of the max buy-in, something I like to do, not really the right thing but what can you do. I sit in seat 2 with a loose player in the seat one and a loose player with is friend in seats 7 and 8. I'm playing my BBS and not hitting the flops at all or not hard enough. In one hand, someone goes all in with about 800 and I look down at 76o, and I'm thinking looks good. I call and he turns over pocket eights and I am thinking DOMINATION. The flop comes 2-J-7 and I am kinda alright, it did feel that one of my cards would come out and with the board finishing up 5-4, I lose most of my stack and rebuy again for half the max.
BBS Denied

Analysis - Overcards vs BBS is ok for me but overpairs are very hard to comeback from. I don't think any of my BBS have come back from an overpair, it would be nice but it hasn't happen yet. Pre-flop I was behind already 85/15 and was 83/17 dog after, that 7 stopped the bleeding a little bit.

After buying, I was thinking of tightening up but what fun would that be? I look down at ATo and I raise to 3xBB. I get the guy at seat 7 to call along with four others, they've been calling all my raises after that 76o hand. With the flop coming Q-J-T, I put in a feeler of 300 and everyone folds except for seat 7 who calls, chased some people out but no information gained from seat 7. An A comes out on the turn, giving me two pair and without a flush draw on board, I'm just worried about Broadway. I bet 300 again and he calls. A T comes on the river making me Tens full, and I try to trap by checking but seat 7 checks so I turn over my Boat and he checks his cards and mucks his hand.
BBS-effect served

Analysis - At that point, most people on the table, I think, labeled me Loose-Aggressive, which I am and not really. I really think the beauty of playing BBS is that players can't put you on a hand, not even a range of hands. If you play the same holding a BBS and a premium hand, players will really have a hard time figuring you out.

By the end of the night, and the table winding down, I am up around 1k for the night and still wanting to play. But when a player asks to play a "One hand Satellite," I just call the floor to ask him to cash me out. WTF?

Game Result - 1000
Running Total - 1660

4/29/06

2006-04-29T12:57:00.000-07:00

Had some time to kill before going to a party so we trekked back to the underground SNG place I usually go to and it pretty quiet, but we did manage to get an 11-player game going. I was sitting in seat 1 which is really not good, with respect to serving BBS but its more the position of the button that anything else.

It was a quiet game from the start with me not hitting flops, much and sometimes not at all. Given that unpaired hole cards pair up with the flop 30% of the time, I was thinking there will be a late rush coming, I would just be patient to wait for the Wahoo. We'll it was tough but I did manage to get bad beat myself with a premium AQs when KJs came and flopped a flush draw and proceed to get it on the turn. But in the middle part of the game, I am getting more premium hands and most of the players are not giving me credit. With AKs and raising 3xBB with one caller, I flop Broadway and I go all-in. My opponent agonizes with this decision and decided to call with his two pair, QJo and didn't improved, doubling me up in the process.
BBS-effect Served

Analysis - My reputation of playing BBS works to my advantage when I get a premium hand and flop the nuts. Getting any AK only happens 1.2% of the time and the board is sequenced only 3.5% of the time which was very spot on for my purposes. Preflop I was a 2-1 favorite, which is something new for me, and a little more than a 4-1 favorite after flopping the nut straight, which I should have slow played but I was really short stacked at the time, so I had no such luxury.

The end came with three players left and me staring down at pocket threes and not liking my chaces. I raise my BB to a little short of a full 3xBB raise with a caller. He had overcards which was a race situation with me a slight favorite. I cringe at the possibility, but with him flopping a pair with his hole cards, it was all he needed to bust me out, in the money.

Game Result - 660
Running Total - 660

Resting on sunday with my regular poker game on a holiday monday.

4/28/06

2006-04-29T12:51:00.000-07:00

I tried a different approach this night at the same underground SNG place I went the night before. I wanted to see if what would happen if I played ALL the low hole cards that I got dealt. Very risky but I wanted to test this. Also another thing I wanted to try out was Hi-lo cards, which I think is more risky to play than BBS, because you are encroaching more into the Premium hand territory.

First game I played, I get my money in with really low hole cards and I was not hitting the flop much if at all actually. I look down at T5o and was facing a 2xBB raise from a player on my right. I call and since I was the first to act, I did my "check blind" thing and was awarded with a J-T-5 flop. But with my opponent checking, the turn was free and it was an 8. I bet 250 and my opponent raised it to 750 which I called. and with a 6 on the river, I checked and my opponent as well. I flipped up my hole cards and I got beat by T8o.
BBS Denied

Analysis - My check blind routine preflop, which was money for me recently, became my undoing this hand. Preflop I was 33/66 dog, what else is new but postflop I was ahead 75/25. After the turn, I was severely behind 8/92 and that's all she wrote. If I didn't check blind, I could have moved all in, which would have forced my opponent to look really hard at his hand, which was at that point, mid pair low kicker.

Same game, I look down at 74o and I raised 3xBB. I got only one caller and with the flop J-7-2 I check and my opponent check. I didn't really take good notes on this hand but the board ended with 2-10 and my opponent checking to me and I made a value bet of 250, which he called. I turned over my cards and he turned over pocket threes. That actually caught me by surprise because of the cards there on the board. He couldn't beat anything on the board, even the two because if I had a two that would have given me trips. Maybe just a stuborn player.
BBS Served

Analysis - So preflop it was a classic race situation with a pair vs. over cards, that was fine. But after the flop I was 92/8 favorite to win but dipped down a little after the turn, 95/5 but still commanding position.

In my last hand of that game, I looked down at 34o and called a 600 bet which was 3xBB at the time. A-K-2 came on the flop which gave me an inside straight draw (not really open ended cause if it was, then I would have made my straight already). Both of us check but I decided to push all-in after another 2 came out on the turn. My opponent quickly called and he turned over pocket nines. Somehow I still liked my chances at that point but I lost when a 6 came out on the river.
BBS Denied

Analysis - Preflop I was a dominated dog 16/84, which is a tough hole to come out of, but having live cards usually helps and with the flop, I clawed back, albeit a little, now with 19% chance to win at that point. With the two coming out on the turn, I was pretty much drawing dead with only 9% chance to win or about 4 outs.

Game Result - (400)
Running Total - 600

After that we played another short handed game with a bigger buy-in. I manage to serve a BBS to a player with pocket sevens with me holding 36o but in my last hand, I was semi-short stack looking down at 26o waiting for the action to come to me and Lo and behold, one player goes all-in with another player calling. I covered the player calling but the person who was the primary all-in player covered both of us. I called and the original all-in player opened Pocket Queens and the caller opened AKo. The flop all gave us a piece of the action coming 2-K-Q but with the pocket Queens becoming a set it was pretty much a done deal. A case ten came on the turn sending us underdogs deeper in the hole and pretty much drawing dead. A six came on the river only to tease me of what could have been. If I had only Big Slick to contend with I would have served a BBS but not this time.
BBS Denied

Analysis - I was totally deep in the hole with only 13% chance to win the game preflop with the pocket queens ahead 49% and Big Slick with 38%. Post flop the Queens were ahead, 94% chance to win from there while I had the dreaded <1% chance to win. Overcards are ok to challenge but Overpairs seems to hard to serve a BBS to, we'll keep trying and post results either way. Game

Result - (600)
Running Total - Even

BBS Sidebar - I have been keeping a very nice leather notebook to record my BBS servings recently and after one incident, while I was writing my entry, a player on the other side of the table asks what I was doing, and I said that I was keeping track of my Bad Beats. This seemed to triggered a chorus of "Dear Diary" from three players. I just said "Its for my blog, I put in all the players that I have dealt bad beats to," which quickly shut them up.
BBS Served - You just got F'd in the A.

4/27/06

2006-04-28T01:24:00.000-07:00

I played at an underground SNG joint last night and played two SNG's.

In the first game, I sat in late as the game was already started and couldn't find decent position to do a BBS. Most of the flops missed me but action was very brisk in the 10-man table. We were about 5 players left and I was very short stacked with probably 12x BB left, which is not bad but still totally below average stack at that point.

I get 43o and I raised it to 300 (3xBB) and I get a raise for all my chips, I look back at my hand again and at the 43o and it looked kinda good so I called. When the player opened his KQo, I smirk and turn over my cards. The rest of the players, who've seen me play and had been served BBS by me as well, knew what I was doing. The favorite was nervous eventhough he had a 2-1 advantage preflop. It was an uneventful flop J-2-9 and I was deeper in the whole with only 25% chance of winning this hand. But when the 5 hit the table, which only increased my chances by 5% to 30% of winning the hand, the favorite now was sweating bullets. A Q showed up on the river. I got busted out.
BBS Denied

Analysis - Open ended straight draw was not bad, but a draw I haven't been getting of late and the trend continued with

Game result - (400)
Running Total (400)

In the second game, we were short handed, as compared to the previous game of 11 people. Here we were only 7 players but slightly higher stakes, thanks to yours truly. With a medium stack midway to the game, I get 82o and raise it to 500 which wasn't 3xBB but I think was close enough. Being out of position, I check in the dark for the flop which came 2-2-5. I hit the flop hard and when the player bet out 200, I raised all-in. He called, I turned over my 82o, to the surprise of my opponents (still?), and the other player flipped over KJo. The board ended up with A-3 and I busted out a player.

Analysis - I was about a 1-2 underdog preflop but was a 99% favorite post flop. BBS served.

Late in the SNG, I have a very healthy stack, a player raised it to 1600 which was an extremely high raise, given the blinds which was probably 100-200. I look down at 56c and I decide to play. I called him and decided not to check blind on the flop (have to mix it up a bit) and the flop came A-5-8. I check and my opponent bet 500, which seemed fishy after the huge over raise pre-flop, and I call. With the turn coming out a 2, I decide to represent the Ace and bet out 1000 which he quickly called. Texture was not a problem on this board and my clubs were not at all. With a 6 coming on the river, I decided to trap and checked to my opponent, who checked as well. I open up my hand and he takes a quick look at my hand and decides to muck his cards. Later he told me he had pocket tens

Analysis - I was a 22/78 underdog preflop which is usually the case with the over pair. But I think the Ace on the flop scared him a little and gave a weak feeler bet, the percentages stay the same at that point. My representing the Ace on the turn, even though I had only 12% chance of winning, might have scared him out of betting on the river.
BBS Served

Sidebar - This SNG also featured an effect of the BBS when I looked down on AQo and raised it UTG 3xBB, and with a Q coming on the flop, I went all-in. With only one player left in the hand to my left. He called quickly and I turned over my AQo and he the KQs. He said "I was hoping that you were playing low cards this time." I just smirked as I was pushing his chips into my stack after busting him out.
BBS-effect Served

I had a healthy chip lead coming into heads up but it was 3am already and I decided just to chop it with the second place guy, which only came to a 10% decrease in the prize.

Game analysis - Most of my BBS were rarely seen when they were unsuccessful which was good. But with the reputation that is going around now, they know how I play. Which only makes me more harder to read. Its all good.

Game result - 1400
Running Total - 1000

More to come

Background

2006-04-26T21:16:00.000-07:00

I have been on this kick recently for about two to three months, where I have to deal someone a bad beat or else my poker day is not complete. If addicts get their high from their drugs, my high is dealing bad beats to people. The worse the bad beat the better the rush I get.

Example: A player on my left goes all-in and everyone folds to me and when I look down on my 43s, it kinda looked good. I had a medium sized stack at that point so I called about a third to half my stack. He turns over AKo and when I turn my 43s, all my friends laughs, cause they know already what I'm doing. I am a 60/40 underdog preflop, which is not a bad situation for me. The flop comes J-9-2 rainbow and I am deeper in the hole 70/30 and become a 90/10 dog when an A comes on the turn, but when a 5 shows up on the river, I smile and the guy shakes my hand and leaves without saying goodbye to anyone else.

I don't mean backing into a bad beat when you just limp in or check your BB, because that would mean that you got lucky, I mean coming into the flop you know that you are the underdog, might even be dominated. There is that overriding feeling that I get when I look at my hole cards and I feel that those are winners or losers. I've called all-in's with cards that I felt that were winners, even if they were 3-4 or 7-4 which I call Bad Beat Specials (BBS) and sometimes I've looked down on pocket Aces or Kings and had a bad feeling about them and sure enough they get beat. Position plays a lot into the BBS as well.

Here is my method for playing bad beats. If I feel that my hole cards are winners, I raise 3xBB regardless of the blinds in a tournament level or in the ring games in the casino. The reason being, if you are playing BBS, you have to be the only one on the table with that type of hand. If you limp in, there is a chance that the SB or the BB will be holding a similar hand that might have you beat. Raising also gives the players an impression that you have good cards, and if they have good cards as well they wil call your 3xBB raise.

If there are numerous callers to my raise, I know that my BBS in a great position. Think about it, if there are three or four callers of the 3xBB raise, chances are they got good to premium hands, crowding that side of the spectrum thus giving them less outs to work with. The BBS on the other hand has the lower end of the spectrum pretty much to itself with plenty of outs to work with.

Example: In an underground SNG, and the blinds at 300/600 I look at 64o and I raise it 3xBB, I get three callers and I feel good. Flop comes J-7-5 and everyone checks to me where I bet out 600 and the three players quickly called. A 5 comes on the turn and everyone checks, including me. With a 6 coming on the river, I bet 1800 and the next two players goes all-in with their remaining stack and the third player calls. I turn over my 64 giving me two pair and the other players are in disbelief as they turn over AK, QT and KT. I bust out two of the three players in that hand.

With unpaird hole cards, there is a 30% chance that you will make exactly one pair. Not much to work with, but that is the same percentage for ALL unpaired hole cards. So if my opponent doesn't have a wired pair, we would be working with the same percentage. Again, this fact works in the BBS' favor with multiple callers.

When the flop comes and you hit it, the BBS will be disguised in the low cards, confusing your opponents more, especially when you bet out. The chances of multiple players hitting the flop with exactly one pair with their unpaird hole cards are very small, so if you are in position and everyone checks to you, you might want to bet out. If you don't hit the flop and there is a bet in front of you, after you muck your cards, no one else will know that you were playing a BBS.

Hit the flop hard enough like two pairs or trips and go all-in, other players will not believe that they think and call. Then you have them dominated. The most exciting scenario would be that you got two pairs with your BBS and another player has high pair. If you have position on him and he leads out, you can go all-in. Reason being that with his overcards, preflop he was 60/40 ahead but with your two pair and his top pair, you become a 74/26 favorite. If a blank comes on the turn, you extend your lead 82/18, which is drawing pretty slim on the river.

Example: Late, in a multi-table tournament and the blinds at 500/1000, the player two to my right raises it to 3000. I look down at 72o, giving it some thought I called. The flop came J-7-2 and the player checks to me and I went all-in, he calls and is surprised to see my 72o and he turns over AJo, he's in bad shape and as my two pair holds up, I bust him out.

Sure, most of the time when I play BBS and I get my feeling wrong, it would affect my stack but if I don't have to show my cards the BBS would stay hidden. Sometimes I call all-in bets preflop with my BBS and I have to show my BBS, I'm not too nervous because I know I am the underdog, and its the favorite is usually sweating it out. If I'm suited and I flop a flush draw which will happen 10% of the time, not even talking about flopping a flush which happens .84% of the time. The pressure on the favorite is tremendous.

Whether I deal the bad beat or not, the players that I use the BBS on, will play me differently in the future, a little bit more weary about my pre-flop raises and makes me more hard to read. So even if I didn't deal out a bad beat, the after effects on the opponent would be still the same. Showing your BBS is also not a bad thing, because your table image is then a Loose-Aggresive Player (LAG) which gives you the advantage when you are holding a premium hand. It really pays to advertise.

I don't say that the BBS is a profitable play or that it is a correct way to play No Limit Texas Hold'em, I'm just saying its so much fun dealing someone a big hot helping of Bad Beat.