Saturday 5 January 2008

You only sing when you're winning

It's true.

I hate poker, I can't take much more. The last 4 months has been terrible. I'm probably running at nearing £1,500 down. I just seem to be the best player in the world at finding the fish at my table. They just get lucky. I haven't hit a big hand in god knows how long. I've not won more than £160 since September 1st.

I've tried a return to cash games, sticking $550 on Full Tilt. I've employed sensible table selection, using Poker Tracker, and making sure I've got position on any stacks bigger than me if possible. It's done bugger all.

Some hands over just the last 3 weeks - mine in bold:

5h6h(UTG+1) v 55 (BB) on 24K3 board. 56s min raises pre-flop and minimum bets 5 player flop - calls a too small reraise on the flop and hits the gutshot.

KQo (UTG) v 98s (Button) on A56T9 board. My UTG raise and bets are called pre-flop, flop and river.

77 (BB) v 6d2d (HJ) v Kd9c (CO) on Td8d4d board. HJ and CO limp. I overraise from BB, am called by both - it is 1/3 of K9's stack.

Qc3s (BB) v As8s (SB) on Kc Qs Js Ad 8c board. Two aggressive late limpers, SB completes. I overraise from BB, limpers pass, SB calls. He then check calls a 3/4 pot bet on the flop and turn - by this time it's 2/3 of his stack to call. This was a £150 comp!

AsJc (BB) v 3c5c (CO) on Ac Kc 2s board. Blinds 25c/50c HJ raises to $1.75. CO and button call. I reraise to $10, leaving $41 behind. Get called by the CO. I check raise his pot flop bet all-in, his 3c 5c hits the Qc on the turn and I miss the redraw.

In 2 nights of cash game play. I've hit one straight with KJ on a 69TQ board...to split it with KJ. In 200+ hands on Full Tilt, I have just seen this one straight, no flushes, only two trips (neither with pocket pairs, have had 15 of those and not hit one set - add to that 150+ hands on PKR without hitting a single set). I have lost with AK v A4 all-in pre. Hit top two pair, only to run into bottom set. Had JT on 3J4T board only to run into 33, A3 and KK, with a K rivering. Have had AA, QQ and 88 uncalled in a session where around 80-90% of my raises were being called.

I have had KK twice and seen an A high flop both times. The only walk in a 170 hand session saw me holding QQ on the BB. I've bet out with an 8 on 9c 9s 8s 7c board, to be called by 7h 2h which rivers a 7. I've run JJ into AA in heads up play, and a misclick caused me to run A8 into QQ on a blind v blind confrontation, not withstanding he insta-called an all-in on a 3 spade board, holding no spades. I have had a check raise on a 34K flop met with a reshove from A4.

T6 hitting an 865 board, T on the turn, to run into T8 - held by a muppet who'd been the final caller in a 3 way all-in holding Qh6h.

I've raised a single limper from the BB holding JdTd, the flop comes 248 with one diamond. I c-bet flop and turn 8. I am called all streets by the limper. The river is a 7, I check, he checks behind...with Qd5d.

I've overbet the flop with AdJc on 2d6dJs flop, received one check-caller, who pot bets the turn 3d, forcing me to pass. I've held a pair + flush draw, a gutshot + flush draw (twice) and a pair, gutshot + flush draw, and have missed the lot.

Most of the above in just 24 hours. I hate poker so much. APAT next weekend though, am due enough cards to win the tournament!