Most Recent Beat Stories

[how cliche]

I played in a 300+30 deep stack(12,000)tourney at a local club Saturday. 76 players. Paid out to 7. 30 minute rounds w/extreme level increases made it feel like a turbo. For example, we were down to 9 and the chip leader had 35 big blinds where the short stack had 9. Not a lot of wiggle room for anyone. I had 28.

Chip leader from middle position led out for 3.5x the bb. Folded around to me in the cutoff. I looked down at . I called. Button and blinds folded.

Board comes out rainbow. CL leads out with a large bet, pot sized, 9bb.

You might call it tanking, cuz I took a long time. Typing now what was going through my mind.

My first thought was the most likely hand he had was AK, the 2nd most likely was AQ. Eliminate any 7, also eliminate 88, as he'd check either for value. It's not likely this close to the end & with the chip lead he's raising with or suited. It's possible he leads with . Unlikely he leads with JJ,QQ, KK, AA for the same reason he wouldn't with any 7 or 88. I can't call. I can shove or fold. I thought it might not be smart to come this far just to shove on a read, when I not only could be wrong, but I would be in everest heights of variance if he does turn over AK or AQ. But, I figured if right I'm the 70% favorite and I'd likely be pricing him out.

I decided to do it. I shoved. I was stoked when he didn't snap call. He then also proceeded to tank, but eventually called. He turned over Ace suited diamonds. The very next card was an Ace & I was eliminated in 9th.

[lsbets]

That's a tough beat. Good shove on your part, but I would have done it preflop.

3.5 x is a large open. If that's his normal raise he's probably a weak player. A strong player would go more like 2.2 at those stack sizes.

Either way, abuse the bubble. With a MP open from a seemingly weak player, reraise all in. You are way ahead of his range with 10s. If he wakes up with JJ-AA, oh well, at least you played to win. What I have found in most of the smaller buy in tourneys is guys aren't calling a shove at bubble time with less than QQ or AKs. Weak players tighten up on the bubble, and that's the time to build a stack to make a deep run. There are a ton of flops you will hate with 10s, and you will be faced with tough decision unless you hit a set.

[thaskalos]

That's what has soured me on tournaments. You play great to get close to the money...and then one bad beat sends you home empty-handed.

Nothing beats the excitement generated by tournament play, but, from a profit standpoint, give me a cash game anytime.

[lsbets]

I split it about 50/50 between tournaments and cash. I greatly prefer tournaments - with a start point and a defined end point, they are much more strategic, and most players in tournaments have no clue about overall tournament strategy. Variance is way higher in tournaments, but I enjoy them a lot more. I will say though, that the 2/5 cash game at the Aria in the middle of the day is like printing money.

[thaskalos]

Originally Posted by lsbets

I split it about 50/50 between tournaments and cash. I greatly prefer tournaments - with a start point and a defined end point, they are much more strategic, and most players in tournaments have no clue about overall tournament strategy. Variance is way higher in tournaments, but I enjoy them a lot more. I will say though, that the 2/5 cash game at the Aria in the middle of the day is like printing money.

Same with the 2-5 at the Elgin Il, casino.

Have played there 6 times over the last 3 weeks...and I am thinking of making it my permanent hangout.

[proximity]

just returned from a losing 3 day a.c. trip. got crushed at bally's, but rallied somewhat at revel and showboat.

before that i had one bad night-day at a local racino where i just wanted to play for a few hours (lol) after racing. lost with kings 3x vs 10-2 o, q-j o, and a4 s. villians all flopped 2 pair. luckily chopped a pot when i flopped a straight j (10-9) 87 and villian also flopped a straight, but with a flush draw. no diamond coming on the turn or river was the bright spot of the night.

as the sun was coming up i got moved to my last table where i would stay until about 530pm the next afternoon before leaving about $125 short. some crazy action at this table. almost immediately a girl to my left got all in preflop for a little over $100 with a-j and was called by a7. a7 took the lead on the flop, but she rivered a jack. maybe 2 hours later the same girl calls a $30 preflop raise with q-j and immediately pushes all in for about $250 on a jack high flop. the pre flop raiser, who had about $200 behind, hesitated for a second but then called and flipped over aces but another jack comes on the turn and she wins again. finally she's up to around $700+ and raises aq to $12 and is rereaised to $40 by a guy who has her covered. a-q-x comes on the flop and she immediately goes all in for over $700 and this time gets felted when the guy snap calls and flips over aces!!

very nice room there at revel, btw, but not a lot of games going when i was there.

[how cliche]

Originally Posted by lsbets

That's a tough beat. Good shove on your part, but I would have done it preflop.

3.5 x is a large open. If that's his normal raise he's probably a weak player. A strong player would go more like 2.2 at those stack sizes.

Either way, abuse the bubble. With a MP open from a seemingly weak player, reraise all in. You are way ahead of his range with 10s. If he wakes up with JJ-AA, oh well, at least you played to win. What I have found in most of the smaller buy in tourneys is guys aren't calling a shove at bubble time with less than QQ or AKs. Weak players tighten up on the bubble, and that's the time to build a stack to make a deep run. There are a ton of flops you will hate with 10s, and you will be faced with tough decision unless you hit a set.

Everything you wrote is correct, imo.

I need to work on my psychology more than anything. I'm one of those weak players you speak of that gets snug come bubble time, which is contrary to how I get that far at the preliminary tables. It would behoove me to have a more optimistic point of view. I'm often left thinking I'm likely behind, when often I'm not. Your strategy is correct. My mindset prompted the call pre-define his range/shove post weaker play.

[lsbets]

Originally Posted by how cliche

Everything you wrote is correct, imo.

I need to work on my psychology more than anything. I'm one of those weak players you speak of that gets snug come bubble time, which is contrary to how I get that far at the preliminary tables. It would behoove me to have a more optimistic point of view. I'm often left thinking I'm likely behind, when often I'm not. Your strategy is correct. My mindset prompted the call pre-define his range/shove post weaker play.

Think of it as basic math. If you tighten up near the bubble and end up with a min cash, you cannot cash often enough to turn a profit. But if you accumulate chips at the bubble and go deep you can cash less often and show a profit.

Don't be reckless and shove garbage, but be aggressive and force the other guy to make tough decisions.

If you don't have pokerstove download it. It's free and it's great. Put in a range of hands and see what the ev of your hand is. It can help you get a good feel for a reshoving range near the bubble. If someone is opening 25% of the time, but will only call your shove with a top 10% hand shoving tens is incredibly profitable, even if you will lose more often than not when called. Remember, there is always another tourney the next day.

Hell, I got knocked out of a tourney an hour ago. I opened with 2 black kings and got called by a whale. The flop came kq8 with 2 hearts. I bet, he raised, I shoved, he called with q4 of hearts. Heart on the turn. Oh well, that's poker. I look forward to playing with him again.

[proximity]

I've been having some tough times away from gambling lately and tried to escape to a.c. for a relaxing vacation last week.

but things started real bad with big losses at the showboat on Thursday night and Friday morning. i took a walk to bally's to clear my head and was having a good session of 2-6 limit when the game got down to four people and broke. there were three open seats in the other 2-6 game and we drew cards for the spots. i drew the low card and got placed on the waiting list. about ten minutes later the bad beat hits on a table about 15 feet away from where i was waiting. everyone in the room gets $775..... except me.

[wiffleball whizz]

Originally Posted by proximity

just returned from a losing 3 day a.c. trip. got crushed at bally's, but rallied somewhat at revel and showboat.

before that i had one bad night-day at a local racino where i just wanted to play for a few hours (lol) after racing. lost with kings 3x vs 10-2 o, q-j o, and a4 s. villians all flopped 2 pair. luckily chopped a pot when i flopped a straight j (10-9) 87 and villian also flopped a straight, but with a flush draw. no diamond coming on the turn or river was the bright spot of the night.

as the sun was coming up i got moved to my last table where i would stay until about 530pm the next afternoon before leaving about $125 short. some crazy action at this table. almost immediately a girl to my left got all in preflop for a little over $100 with a-j and was called by a7. a7 took the lead on the flop, but she rivered a jack. maybe 2 hours later the same girl calls a $30 preflop raise with q-j and immediately pushes all in for about $250 on a jack high flop. the pre flop raiser, who had about $200 behind, hesitated for a second but then called and flipped over aces but another jack comes on the turn and she wins again. finally she's up to around $700+ and raises aq to $12 and is rereaised to $40 by a guy who has her covered. a-q-x comes on the flop and she immediately goes all in for over $700 and this time gets felted when the guy snap calls and flips over aces!!

very nice room there at revel, btw, but not a lot of games going when i was there.

And u didn't stop by and say hi to me?????? If you come back down let me know u won't find better 1/2 action then at revel that's for damn sure!!!

[wiffleball whizz]

Originally Posted by proximity

I've been having some tough times away from gambling lately and tried to escape to a.c. for a relaxing vacation last week.

but things started real bad with big losses at the showboat on Thursday night and Friday morning. i took a walk to bally's to clear my head and was having a good session of 2-6 limit when the game got down to four people and broke. there were three open seats in the other 2-6 game and we drew cards for the spots. i drew the low card and got placed on the waiting list. about ten minutes later the bad beat hits on a table about 15 feet away from where i was waiting. everyone in the room gets $775..... except me.

Bad beat was being confirmed around the same time as the race before the oaks.....of course I was at harrahs sitting on a dead table handicapping Abd not playing.....what would I need an extra 775 for....really pisses me off....then get blown out of the oaks derby double I was steaming all night...

[proximity]

heard paris Hilton was over at harrah's on Saturday. was going to stop by on my way out of town and see if she'd spot me a buy in, but got lost in Absecon instead. fun times!!

[wiffleball whizz]

Originally Posted by proximity

heard paris Hilton was over at harrah's on Saturday. was going to stop by on my way out of town and see if she'd spot me a buy in, but got lost in Absecon instead. fun times!!

She would have if she still owned the Hilton in Ac....

Good thing u are still alive after being lost in ahhb-seeee-khan...

Before I moved down next to ac I used to stay at those filth box hotels....after a bad night gambling now I just think of that....

Im gonna miss ac when I menace here

[wiffleball whizz]

Originally Posted by proximity

I've been having some tough times away from gambling lately and tried to escape to a.c. for a relaxing vacation last week.

but things started real bad with big losses at the showboat on Thursday night and Friday morning. i took a walk to bally's to clear my head and was having a good session of 2-6 limit when the game got down to four people and broke. there were three open seats in the other 2-6 game and we drew cards for the spots. i drew the low card and got placed on the waiting list. about ten minutes later the bad beat hits on a table about 15 feet away from where i was waiting. everyone in the room gets $775..... except me.

Be careful in the 2-6 game....I love limit and started out there but the rake now is unbearable at all 4 Caesars properties....here's the new rake structure(highway robbery)

$1 at 10
$1 at 20
$1 bad beat at 20
$1 at 30
$1 bad beat at 30
$1 at 40
$1 tip

How can you win....costs u $7 to win a pot....

Basically rake is $7 on $40.......can't beat it

[proximity]

yeah, I don't like what they did there. too many gimics and promotions with caesars properties. regulars glued to their seats the other day trying to hit half hourly drawings, lol.

hopefully things will pick up at revel. heard you're giving like $2 an hour comps?? and the room is so much nicer.