19 replies to this topic

[PhilHellmuth]

full tilt tourny. $24+2. 408 people. 9th pays $195, 1st pays $2440.

my biggest ever tourny cash prior to this was $720 for 2nd in a stars 180 sng

i get to the final table about 4th in chips. [username = dorian0006]

here's the thing - the poker gods have been pretty good to me lately. and to keep myself level and balanced i have constantly reminded myself that the luck will turn.
in fact i have explicitly said to myself numerous times, "you will get cracked in a big imporant pot, you will have aces cracked. but you must be ready for it. you must know it's gonna come, and dont break down." i promise you i've been saying this to myself for like the last week.

middle position, i get AA. i make a typical 3x raise - im obviously hoping my opponents will think this cant be extreme strength.
they fold to the button. the button has me covered. the button reraises me. i move all in. he calls and turns over KK.
i already know what's going to happen, there is little doubt in my mind.
the flop comes - all rags, the turn is another irrelevant card. there are no flush draws and no straight draws.
it seems i'm going to win the hand, and yet somehow i knew i was supposed to lose it. i'm genuinely confused. i actually say to myself "well i guess it has to be the river."
river - king of hearts.
if i win that pot i have a gigantic amount of chips and am virtually assured of 3rd place at least, which pays $1,126. and i would have an excellent shot at first, which pays $2,440. instead i finish 9th and get $195.

here's the kicker - after the hand i felt remarkably at peace. and it wasn't forced, it was real.
in poker, as in life, everything happens for a reason.
and in poker, as in life, winners keep their chin up and stay emotionally balanced - they know they'll be there again.

PS - thanks to killah and kangaroo for the support

[DrawingDeadInDM]

That sucks--a lot, trust me, I know.

But, I expected a little more for 'much drama'.

[PhilHellmuth]

But, I expected a little more for 'much drama'.

lol. i guess the old 'AA gets cracked' doesnt do it anymore.
that's fair

[dball1981]

Phil, glad to see you and drawing dead have kissed and made up :clap:

[PotDragon]

Much Drama ? How about...Bad beat forum.

[AceyDeucy]

I was in a live tournament at the final table. There was the previous week's runner-up on my right and the second-to-last table that I had missed a chance to bust when I laid down my pocket nines to his all-in. It turned out that he had overvalued his pocket 8s and acting like they were something like jacks. Anyhow, I would have flopped a set and filled up on him.

At the final table, he is two seats to my right. He pushes again, i have him covered by a little more than last time, and I get the nines AGAIN. I think it over and push. As it goes around, I already know what's happening. Sure enough, he calls and shows me kings. But then, I flop a nine. I don't get up, don't celebrate, don't even acknowledge it. I know I am still behind. Lo and behold, on the river...king, for the monster suck-resuck. Or, as I normally call it, justice. Nothing, no rage, no anger.

Anger comes from surprise. That's why pessimists are rarely angry.

[Ron_Mexico]

so much drama at the FTP

with me and my partner, Snoop D-o double G

[Shizzmoney]

i already know what's going to happen, there is little doubt in my mind.

hate that feeling - I have had some tremendously bad beats in poker tournaments lately and everytime I almost know when exactly the card is going to come that ruins my dreams lol

[Kangaroo]

bad luck man, I was really hoping you were going to take that down when i saw you chip leader for so long. Oh well, keep playing your game. it'll happen.

[Cap'n Mal]

Know the feeling too well. Last night, final table, 5 left, I'm 2nd in chips. Get JJ, make standard raise, small stack pushes (we were all close in chips), I call. JJ vs. 55. Flop comes down 8 9 T rainbow ... turn 5, river blank. Two hands later, now the short stack, call a small raise with 8Ts, board comes 4 5 8 rainbow. I push, same guy calls /w KTo. Turn K, river blank ... from 2nd to out in 3 hands.

[Longshanks]

bad beat forum

[Mercury69]

A good one happened to me the other night in the US Daily:

41 players left, 40 get paid. I get AKo in third position (or so), I bet 800 (BB was 300 at the time). Buddy two to my right bets enough to put me all-in. Everyone else folds. I debate heavily not going in, but I decide to gut it out, hit the button and, lo and behold, he also has AKo. Flop comes down club-club-spade. I look at his A of clubs and I know what's coming. Yep, runner-runner clubs to make him a flush and I'm out on the bubble. Would a chop have been too much to ask? Suckiest suck-out I can recall.

[GrinderMJ]

That's a horrible mindset to have a poker tournament regardless of what you think it does for you. I'm glad you are able to handle beats, but if you expect to lose and get unlucky, you are not thinking right. you have to KNOW you are going to win, that you are the best player left, that it's your tournament to lose. you should think that nobody can take it away from you, certainly not bad beats. Expect to win, and your results will be better.

[Ron_Mexico]

That's a horrible mindset to have a poker tournament regardless of what you think it does for you. I'm glad you are able to handle beats, but if you expect to lose and get unlucky, you are not thinking right. you have to KNOW you are going to win, that you are the best player left, that it's your tournament to lose. you should think that nobody can take it away from you, certainly not bad beats. Expect to win, and your results will be better.

THERE IS NO TOMORROW. THERE IS NO TOMORROW.

[GrinderMJ]

That's a horrible mindset to have a poker tournament regardless of what you think it does for you. I'm glad you are able to handle beats, but if you expect to lose and get unlucky, you are not thinking right. you have to KNOW you are going to win, that you are the best player left, that it's your tournament to lose. you should think that nobody can take it away from you, certainly not bad beats. Expect to win, and your results will be better.

THERE IS NO TOMORROW. THERE IS NO TOMORROW.

glad to see you are posting again :roll:

[zimmer4141]

with so much drama at the FTP

It's kinda hard bein Snoop D O Double G

FYRL

[Ron_Mexico]

with so much drama at the FTP

It's kinda hard bein Snoop D O Double G

FYRL

I paraphrased.


Did I mention that it's 80 degrees here today?

[zimmer4141]

with so much drama at the FTP

It's kinda hard bein Snoop D O Double G

FYRL

I paraphrased.


Did I mention that it's 80 degrees here today?

Did I mention that the shitty weather here gets me out of school 2 days in a row?

[GrinderMJ]

with so much drama at the FTP

It's kinda hard bein Snoop D O Double G

FYRL

I paraphrased.


Did I mention that it's 80 degrees here today?

Did I mention that the shitty weather here gets me out of school 2 days in a row?

did i mention we get "winter break" so i have today and monday off, and it's 80 degrees?

[PhilHellmuth]

That's a horrible mindset to have a poker tournament regardless of what you think it does for you. I'm glad you are able to handle beats, but if you expect to lose and get unlucky, you are not thinking right. you have to KNOW you are going to win, that you are the best player left, that it's your tournament to lose. you should think that nobody can take it away from you, certainly not bad beats. Expect to win, and your results will be better.

there is something to be said for this. you have a legitimate point.

i was never going into any one specific tournament saying to myself that it was gonna happen in that particular tournament. i was simply saying to myself that one day in the near future it would happen, and i should be ready for it. i played 'my game' every step of the way, but only once the hands were turned over did i realize this was the hand.