A Post of Poker Beats

If you don't like to hear about losing poker hands (both bad and legitimate beats), then I strongly advise you to skip this post.

So, as I mentioned in my previous post, I played some cards from late Saturday night until Sunday morning. And, while I can't say that I played all that well, I certainly didn't play horribly. If I were to rate my game that session, I'd give myself a solid B.

Here are three notable beats...

86c in the BB. We see the flop 7 handed for 2 bets apiece. The pre-flop raiser was this lady who doesn't play all that badly. She's not a strong player, but she was really hot that night and hit pretty much everything. So, the flop comes 5c 7x 9c (oh, flopping the nuts is so pretty), and we get 4 bets in on the flop 3-ways. The turn is a Qc, and the three of us put in a total of 2 bets each. The river is a blank, and my flush loses to the bigger one. Final hands: raiser had 99 for flopped top set, and the winning hand was KTc. Why the poker gods didn't give me a 7c on the river, I don't know. Ouch.

About 20 minutes later... I limp in MP with KsTx after a couple of EP limpers, and we see a 6-way flop for two bets apiece. The dealer deals me a beautiful flop of Qs Js 9x. Again, flopping the nuts is so nice... definitely a nice way to lose a lot of money. Anyway, we go two bets on the flop and the turn brings out a Ts. Ok, so I might be losing to a flush here, but at least I have outs with an open-ended straight flush draw with my beautiful King. Anyway, we go two bets 3 ways on that street, and we're off to see the River, the wonderful River of Oz. It's some low spade, and I lose to As4x. Double Ouch.

Later on, I've got KQh in the blinds and I call a raise. Four of us see the flop of Ks Qs 5x. I check-raise the flop, and 3 of us including the pre-flop raiser get to the see the turn. It was some blank, I bet and only the PFR calls. River comes some baby spade... I don't figure him for a flush draw, and go ahead and bet out. I get popped (ugh), and I call. Total put into the pot when I was ahead? Zero Dollars. Total I shoved into the pot when I was behind? Sixty Dollars. The look on my face when he turned over pocket Kings? Priceless. For everything else, there's the chip runner who can give you another rack of chips.

I was stuck a lot more at one point, but eventually clawed my way back to being stuck 260. Not really a big deal at just over 20 bets lost, but it does get to you when you get absolutely clobbered on a few hands that could have been so very nice. For me, losing when you're card dead just happens and I don't think that much of it. But, losing big pots in the manner described above just hurts. Okay, no more bad beat stories until after I go and play some tonight.