Friday Night Top Ten Tournament

Last night was one of my top ten tournaments that the participants are playing for a $250 casino buy-in. Chips were given based on points that were accumulated over a 12 week period. Regular blind schedule was used. It was an interesting final table with a wide variety of poker styles. Mostly it was played very tight as the players didn't want to lose. Here are a few highlights or lowlights, depends on your prospective.

Chip leader had a little under 10,000 in chips. 10th had 4700.
I am not sure about the preflop action of the hand, but in the end the chip leader called an all in and showed 7-2 for I think two pair or trips not sure. The other player turned over Q-8 and was drawing very slim and hit a flush or straight on the river to win the hand. My first question is what is the chip leader doing playing 7-2 in middle position? The play by Q-8 is understandable as that is how he plays and I wouldn't expect anything different from him. Chip leader went on tilt after the hand and never really recovered from the play. If you chose to play 7-2 from out of position don't be upset if you lose! The bad play was by you for playing the hand in the first place not the other player for sucking out on the river.

Once the table was down to 4 players, the play got extremely tight. Chips were very evenly distributed. No one took the initiative to become aggressive to try and win. They all just waited for big hands. Remember people, poker is as much about playing the other players and position then it is about the cards. The player that ended fourth went on tilt because he couldn't get a big hand to push all in with. He would look at his cards and complain how bad they were. Any bet was going to get him to fold. Yet, just about anyone of the hands he could have pushed all in and taken down the blinds and try and stay alive. Worst case he gets a call and at least has a chance to win. Instead he folded until he was all in on his small blind and was beaten by 2-3 off in the big blind because he had to call for less.

In the end a very tight solid player ended up winning basically because he got the best hands on the final table. It is a strategy that rarely gets you the win, but worked in last nights game. Nice playing! Good luck at the Casino!

Poker Streaks

It is interesting how you go in streaks in poker. Some are good and some are really bad. I am currently in one of the bad kind. Over the last week I have played in 3 tournaments and have decent runs being on two final tables. I have had KK in all three tournaments at critical times when I need to chip up. They have been cracked all three times. Once by A-4 suited catching runner runner to get a flush. Once with a runner runner four card straight and the last time it was a call by 6-2 in the big blind because it was only 3 times the blind with one caller and he had a big chip stack. He hit a third 6 on the river. Now I know that you don't win every time with a Big hand like KK, but it would be nice to lose early in a tournament when all or most of my chips aren't at risk. It makes you wonder do I need to play them different. The answer, of course, is no. Late in a tournament you have to make the best of those few big hands that get and accept the fact that you may lose. I may be able to lay them down if I am close to the money bubble at a cash tournament, but I like think that I am always playing to win. Hopefully, when I play tomorrow when I get the big hand at that critical time, I will make the right play and win this time.

Bad Beats

As a person that runs lots of bar poker games, I have seen more then my share of bad beats. In fact, I have been on both ends of them many times myself. Today I am going to talk about dealing with bad beats. You play poker, it's going to happen to you.

Now remember if you are playing bar poker that not all players may take it as serious as you may. Some people play solely as a form of socialization. To them it is about the people and the evening more then it is about poker. Other, face it, are just not smart enough to know any better. Then there are players like me that take the game very serious and use each poker game as a learning experience. Yes, we do suck out sometimes, but it is usually because of being all in or by pot odded into calling.

Now taking this all into account, how should you handle a bad beat? My suggestion is to say "Nice Hand" or "Nice Hand Sir". Walk away and take a second to catch your breath before you say something you might later regret. Always remember that you have done about the same thing to another player at some time in your poker endeavors. I am person that always tries to teach players to improve their game. Later, I may ask the player what he was thinking when making a call. It is nice to understand what other players are thinking for future reference. I will usually explain why that what did, even though they won, might not have been the best option at the time. Getting mad at player does you and the person no good. It accomplishes nothing except maybe making the player want to try and bad beat you again to get the same reaction next time.

Rules for being Bad Beat!
1. Remain calm
2. Say Nice hand or Nice Hand Sir
3. Walk away and catch your breath
4. Remain calm
5. Spend next 24 hrs telling your bad beats story! LOL!
6. Let it go before you play again!

If all else fails start a blog like me!