Bad Beat/Vent/Brag thread

Feb 23, 2009
32,140
45,739
Melbourne
AFL Club
Richmond
Other Teams
New York Jets
Yep

Funny thing was, hands I might've limped in earlier with when the blinds were low, but were getting later on and would've actually been connecting with flops, but the price to pay to see a flop for hands like low-medium suited connectors, one gapers, suited Jacks/Queens/Kings etc was 6-8-10k and I have only anywhere between 30-70k at any one time, no thanks. Both times I was the dealer and had a suited jack and a suited queen, the jacks hit a set and the queen would've had two pair and they both would've been winners and I did contemplate playing both of them, particularly the suited queen (Q8) but threw it away. If I play them, I win and I'm safe at over 100k probably as a few were limping in both hands.

Earlier on after that set over set disaster, a few times I saw flops where I had open enders or flush draws, they weren't getting there either, but I only chased twice, kept being the theme of the night actually, but I got away from those hands later on early enough and it was the right call every time as the outs for them just weren't coming.

Anyways, I'll try again in 2-3 weeks, hopefully there's a decent longer format tournament going on somewhere over the Xmas break that won't cost a heap to enter ($50 games or so), hopefully where there's around 50-100 players and a slower blind structure.
I have never played a tourney at Crown, but I know they have some $50+5 tournaments weekly, not sure of the chip and blind structure though.
 
Jun 27, 2013
46,976
43,976
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
Other Teams
Tottenham Hotspur, SSC Napoli, ESH
I have never played a tourney at Crown, but I know they have some $50+5 tournaments weekly, not sure of the chip and blind structure though.
The longer APL tournaments are solid, like the monthly states or the Grand Slam, but yeah, I gotta win these pub nights in order to get a seat there

Might suss Crown out I guess, haven't played there in years
 
Jun 27, 2013
46,976
43,976
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
Other Teams
Tottenham Hotspur, SSC Napoli, ESH
I have never played a tourney at Crown, but I know they have some $50+5 tournaments weekly, not sure of the chip and blind structure though.
Aussie Millions qualifiers are happening right now

There's a $10 Mega satellite qualifier event which gets a seat to the more expensive Mega satellite proper, which then gains entry to the main event, also a $20 5 seat guarantee satellite qualifier which also gets entry to the 5 seat satellite proper.

Gotta pay up quite a bit to have a shot at direct entry to any of these main events though.

Friday and Saturday schedule looks interesting though I think both Mega Satellite qualifiers and the 5 seat guarantee qualifiers are on those days (I should be free Fri-Sat)

Tempting, though it'd be an absolute grind going that cheap way.
 

MrKK

Norm Smith Medallist
Mar 11, 2012
6,740
16,691
City of churches
AFL Club
West Coast
Other Teams
Sturt, Southampton FC, LSU
The longer APL tournaments are solid, like the monthly states or the Grand Slam, but yeah, I gotta win these pub nights in order to get a seat there

Might suss Crown out I guess, haven't played there in years
Not sure what Vic is like, but in SA you can qualify for the longer events just by playing enough games, regardless of results. E.g. quarterly State Champs you only need 15 games, or just over 1 per week.
 
Feb 23, 2009
32,140
45,739
Melbourne
AFL Club
Richmond
Other Teams
New York Jets
Aussie Millions qualifiers are happening right now

There's a $10 Mega satellite qualifier event which gets a seat to the more expensive Mega satellite proper, which then gains entry to the main event, also a $20 5 seat guarantee satellite qualifier which also gets entry to the 5 seat satellite proper.

Gotta pay up quite a bit to have a shot at direct entry to any of these main events though.

Friday and Saturday schedule looks interesting though I think both Mega Satellite qualifiers and the 5 seat guarantee qualifiers are on those days (I should be free Fri-Sat)

Tempting, though it'd be an absolute grind going that cheap way.
I spoke to a guy recently who has played in the Aussie Millions a few times, his guess (and it was only based on his experiences not any hard data) was that 80% of the field were there from satellites or qualifying events, rather than direct buyins.

My best large MTT result was in an online format, 175 runners, decent prize pool and buyin, came 3rd. I don't know the field sizes for these satellites and qualifying events, but to win tournaments that large you need to generally play well early, run well with cards, avoid the bad beats, win most of your coin flips. Even if you play well, you can still get it in with Aces against Sixes and get unlucky. I'd imagine there will be a lot of losing MTT satellites before a player cracks in to the main event, but this would be dependent on field sizes.
 
Jun 27, 2013
46,976
43,976
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
Other Teams
Tottenham Hotspur, SSC Napoli, ESH
Not sure what Vic is like, but in SA you can qualify for the longer events just by playing enough games, regardless of results. E.g. quarterly State Champs you only need 15 games, or just over 1 per week.
It's 8 a month at any Full House Group venue I think here

As a student I can't afford to play twice a week :( (no cheap games out my way all around the $20-30 range)

So yeah, gotta do it by regularly placing high at my venue or winning there
 

MrKK

Norm Smith Medallist
Mar 11, 2012
6,740
16,691
City of churches
AFL Club
West Coast
Other Teams
Sturt, Southampton FC, LSU
It's 8 a month at any Full House Group venue I think here

As a student I can't afford to play twice a week :( (no cheap games out my way all around the $20-30 range)

So yeah, gotta do it by regularly placing high at my venue or winning there
That sucks. I guess they need to make qualification harder to keep the major event field size manageable.

As well as playing 15 events, you can also qualify here by coming 1st or 2nd in any single event. It's awesome if I can bink one early in the season then don't have to worry about playing x events.
 
Jun 27, 2013
46,976
43,976
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
Other Teams
Tottenham Hotspur, SSC Napoli, ESH
That sucks. I guess they need to make qualification harder to keep the major event field size manageable.

As well as playing 15 events, you can also qualify here by coming 1st or 2nd in any single event. It's awesome if I can bink one early in the season then don't have to worry about playing x events.
Yeah winning gains entry, I think placing 2nd or 3rd in big APL pub events with 80-120 players also does too.

I qualified for the August Vic one somehow (made a couple of final tables at my pub previous to that, dunno how I qualified though), but did pretty well and much preferred the long day structure, came top 40 and cashed there (think I came 20th or 21st). The field was about 520 deep I think.
 
Jun 27, 2013
46,976
43,976
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
Other Teams
Tottenham Hotspur, SSC Napoli, ESH
Lol

Same old story this week

Coin flip when I'm going short, I'm ahead on preflop showdown

A8 vs Q10 last week, they turn a ten

K9 vs J10 tonight, they river a ten

Probably gunna shove any 10 hand next week if I'm short

Seriously garbage how the cards dry up for me once the blinds hit 3-6/4-8 etc
 

MrKK

Norm Smith Medallist
Mar 11, 2012
6,740
16,691
City of churches
AFL Club
West Coast
Other Teams
Sturt, Southampton FC, LSU
Screenshot_20191126-190518_Facebook.jpg


Check out the sick final hand from this local tournament on Sunday. Imagine losing with aces full heads-up.
 
Jun 27, 2013
46,976
43,976
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
Other Teams
Tottenham Hotspur, SSC Napoli, ESH
View attachment 785029

Check out the sick final hand from this local tournament on Sunday. Imagine losing with aces full heads-up.
Lol, I lost an extremely low probability hand that crippled me badly the other night (got blinded out a few hands later) similar to this, but not as sick

Had pocket kings in mid-late position, raise 4x BB, 1 limper and the blinds fold, just 1 caller

Flop comes like A79, I bet 3x BB hoping to get him off his hand, he calls, so I think crap maybe he has an ace, turn comes a 6, river a 9, we check it down (maybe he put me on aces), he turns over K9...

Lol
 
Mar 21, 2016
73,845
116,769
Down South Corvus Tristis
AFL Club
Adelaide
Other Teams
Sturt, White Sox
Lol, I lost an extremely low probability hand that crippled me badly the other night (got blinded out a few hands later) similar to this, but not as sick

Had pocket kings in mid-late position, raise 4x BB, 1 limper and the blinds fold, just 1 caller

Flop comes like A79, I bet 3x BB hoping to get him off his hand, he calls, so I think crap maybe he has an ace, turn comes a 6, river a 9, we check it down (maybe he put me on aces), he turns over K9...

Lol
''but they were suited''
 
Jun 27, 2013
46,976
43,976
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
Other Teams
Tottenham Hotspur, SSC Napoli, ESH
''but they were suited''
Lel

Nah aggressive player, we took chips off each other all night, but that was the final say really

He did fold a couple of shoves on him, likes a bluff from late position, but he did have a knack of catching cards
 
Jun 27, 2013
46,976
43,976
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
Other Teams
Tottenham Hotspur, SSC Napoli, ESH
I've been playing poorly in Pub tournaments, I don't think the rapid shorter stack turbo structure suits my game, conversely been making money consistently in online small stakes cash games.
Yeah I'm not a fan, but last week I had nearly 200k early into the 2nd hour (around 2/4k bbs), dominated the 500/1k and 1/2k levels, then copped 1 or two hands where I would be ahead most of the time, but didn't get there (AK losing to A10, they hit their ten and called a 30k shove with 8s, he had aces, I had a spade draw too on the flop but didn't catch and his aces held)

Then I played conservatively for a bit but mainly limped in places I could and yoyod from about 80k-150k after that until the 5/10k BB level when I copped that kings vs K9 hand as I said before

That being said, I probably played more aggressive than I normally would have and it worked for a good half hour. Didn't get the luck I needed, particularly that kings hand which was an outrageously bad beat which saw me whittle off half my stack, where I didn't recover from. Anyways, I'll try again next week, came between 10th-12th from 25-30 players last 3 weeks, consistently getting to 5/10k bbs just not getting the luck before final table.
 
Feb 23, 2009
32,140
45,739
Melbourne
AFL Club
Richmond
Other Teams
New York Jets
Yeah I'm not a fan, but last week I had nearly 200k early into the 2nd hour (around 2/4k bbs), dominated the 500/1k and 1/2k levels, then copped 1 or two hands where I would be ahead most of the time, but didn't get there (AK losing to A10, they hit their ten and called a 30k shove with 8s, he had aces, I had a spade draw too on the flop but didn't catch and his aces held)

Then I played conservatively for a bit but mainly limped in places I could and yoyod from about 80k-150k after that until the 5/10k BB level when I copped that kings vs K9 hand as I said before

That being said, I probably played more aggressive than I normally would have and it worked for a good half hour. Didn't get the luck I needed, particularly that kings hand which was an outrageously bad beat which saw me whittle off half my stack, where I didn't recover from. Anyways, I'll try again next week, came between 10th-12th from 25-30 players last 3 weeks, consistently getting to 5/10k bbs just not getting the luck before final table.
I generally play well when the blinds are lower relative to stack size, but then I'm not good at adjusting. For example last night I had built about 115k going into the break, then however when the blinds were 3/6k shortly after, I called a preflop raise and a flop bet only to fold on the turn because the board paired with Kings and a straight was out there. With larger blinds relative to the stack, lost about 40k on that play because I had a nice hand to see the flop with. Once that happened I was back to around 65-75k then the blinds went to 4/8k and effectively I was playing short stacked push or fold for the rest of the tournament. Shoved QQ preflop into AK and the board went AAJ10J to give him a full house and sent me home. Nothing wrong with the preflop shove, but I just didn't adjust well after the break and lost too much looking at flops or folding to aggression. It's a big leak in my game, I do well early but slowly drip all my chips away as the blinds get bigger.
 
Jun 27, 2013
46,976
43,976
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
Other Teams
Tottenham Hotspur, SSC Napoli, ESH
I generally play well when the blinds are lower relative to stack size, but then I'm not good at adjusting. For example last night I had built about 115k going into the break, then however when the blinds were 3/6k shortly after, I called a preflop raise and a flop bet only to fold on the turn because the board paired with Kings and a straight was out there. With larger blinds relative to the stack, lost about 40k on that play because I had a nice hand to see the flop with. Once that happened I was back to around 65-75k then the blinds went to 4/8k and effectively I was playing short stacked push or fold for the rest of the tournament. Shoved QQ preflop into AK and the board went AAJ10J to give him a full house and sent me home. Nothing wrong with the preflop shove, but I just didn't adjust well after the break and lost too much looking at flops or folding to aggression. It's a big leak in my game, I do well early but slowly drip all my chips away as the blinds get bigger.
Think you're just unlucky mate

The last few weeks has taught me luck plays a massive part going deep

From 36bbs to 510bbs a few hands I played that I recall

36bbs

Stack size around 90k, get Q9 early position, limp in. Shoved on by 2 short stacks, I call the 17k to see. Up against 4s and aces, I crack 4s catching a 9 but not the aces

Q5 os in the BB, 2 limpers, flop comes 323, turn 5, river 5, bet both turn and river, turn bet called by aces guy, river value bet folded though. Tells me he was on a draw (suspected he had 67)

Limp in with both 89 suited and JT, get shoved on both times by aces guy I throw both away, first time aces guy has kings against 6s, kings hold, second time he shoved again with 6s, called by KQ, queen comes on the flop and eliminates him (don't get why he shoved with that, he had nearly the same stack size as me by then), I would've just limped and saw a flop which would've happened imo as KQ guy wasn't that aggressive.

In SB, get JQ os with about 85k, button raises to 15k, I check my stack size, looks around a fifth/sixth to flat, put him on trying to pick up blinds as he does have that in his artillery. Flop comes J78, he barrels 10k and I cut out my chips then shove on him, he throws it away. So my read was right (he said he had 73), so back over 100k there

48bbs

J8 suited, limp in, 1 other limp, and BB checks. Flop comes TT9, I've got an open ender thinking you beauty, checks all around, turn comes an 8, 73 guy bets into it, I call, the other 2 fold, river comes another ten, we both check it and my little boat is good (he said he turned a straight), up to like 130k or so after that

510bbs

Get pocket tens, raise to 40k on one limper and the blinds, they all fold (would've snap called any shove), over 150k now, then my stack got chopped down

The pocket kings hand where I lost 70k to K9 (trip 9s)

Get A7, limp in, K9 guy and another are in, flop comes K74,, other guy leads out for 10, I call, turn comes a 2, he bets again, I put him on the king, but felt I had to chase my 5 outer, K9 calls too, river a dud, and we both pay him off still (K9 guy had a 4), I'm down to 30k after that, felt I was priced into call that as somehow he might not have been good (he won a few hands with just ace high earlier on), alas it wasn't.

So looking at that

I was reamed once

Outplayed another time (bad chase)

Got lucky river cards twice, read the play well a couple other times knowing when to call/fold

Eh, just wish we had more play
 
Jun 27, 2013
46,976
43,976
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
Other Teams
Tottenham Hotspur, SSC Napoli, ESH
Well, played at the other venue in town and I just copped a brutal run after being well placed at the break with 112k going into 2/4k bbs.

See a few hands at 2/4k get AJ and raise to 12k, just the BB calls, check the flop then get shoved on on the turn, think about calling a 34k shove on a QT83 board (had a double gutter) but threw it away, asked the dealer to see the river, was a 7, so was a good fold as I didn't get the 9 or king that I was chasing (she said she had two pair, probably had Q8)

Blinds raised to 3/6

Pick up 3s in the small blind, dealer made an absolute meal of it by hitting the player next to him hand, so that burn card was a 5, then later stuffs up the turn card by not burning first, so a queen was out there too

Everyone folds anyway, BB checks, flop comes K63, I think you beauty, but decided to slow play it as I want to extract value, if there was another player in the hand I would've bet out, but thought otherwise. Turn comes a jack, I bet 6k, get called, I'm thinking she might have a jack here then, river comes a 9 making a semi-disguised straight, I bet 10k thinking my set is good against a pair/two pair but wanting a call so I don't overbet it, she calls and turns over the QT........runner bloody runner. Funny she just flat called me too with the nuts instead of raising me, I probably would've called a 20-25k bet, some real amateurs at that table that were just sucking out.

Down to 66k now and up to 4/8k bbs, throw away garbage, get a much needed AK in the big blind after about 10 hands of trash, the button has shoved already after a few had limped in beforehand, all in for 52k, I snap call as he had shoved with weaker aces previously and they came good, so put him on some sort of ace and yep he has AJ of spades, everyone else folds

Flop comes T87, 1 spade, he hits his 3 outer jack on the turn and as per usual, I don't catch my 7 outer KQ

Next hand in the small blind I shove my last 14k with A9

2 callers, blinds both fold weirdly

Flop comes 353, AJ guy bets out to get rid of the other player, he turns over J3 off suit and I'm outta there

Just absolutely garbage after I had a good run prebreak just playing the basics with good hands/in position. If my set of 3s hold and my AK holds then I'm sitting at like 180-190k, but nope, get sucked out on like normal.

Feeling a bit like Mike Matusow at the moment. Always seem to cop bad beats come 3/6-5/10k levels, always have the better hand preflop when I go hard and can never chip up when I should be.
 
Feb 23, 2009
32,140
45,739
Melbourne
AFL Club
Richmond
Other Teams
New York Jets
Well, played at the other venue in town and I just copped a brutal run after being well placed at the break with 112k going into 2/4k bbs.

See a few hands at 2/4k get AJ and raise to 12k, just the BB calls, check the flop then get shoved on on the turn, think about calling a 34k shove on a QT83 board (had a double gutter) but threw it away, asked the dealer to see the river, was a 7, so was a good fold as I didn't get the 9 or king that I was chasing (she said she had two pair, probably had Q8)

Blinds raised to 3/6

Pick up 3s in the small blind, dealer made an absolute meal of it by hitting the player next to him hand, so that burn card was a 5, then later stuffs up the turn card by not burning first, so a queen was out there too

Everyone folds anyway, BB checks, flop comes K63, I think you beauty, but decided to slow play it as I want to extract value, if there was another player in the hand I would've bet out, but thought otherwise. Turn comes a jack, I bet 6k, get called, I'm thinking she might have a jack here then, river comes a 9 making a semi-disguised straight, I bet 10k thinking my set is good against a pair/two pair but wanting a call so I don't overbet it, she calls and turns over the QT........runner bloody runner. Funny she just flat called me too with the nuts instead of raising me, I probably would've called a 20-25k bet, some real amateurs at that table that were just sucking out.

Down to 66k now and up to 4/8k bbs, throw away garbage, get a much needed AK in the big blind after about 10 hands of trash, the button has shoved already after a few had limped in beforehand, all in for 52k, I snap call as he had shoved with weaker aces previously and they came good, so put him on some sort of ace and yep he has AJ of spades, everyone else folds

Flop comes T87, 1 spade, he hits his 3 outer jack on the turn and as per usual, I don't catch my 7 outer KQ

Next hand in the small blind I shove my last 14k with A9

2 callers, blinds both fold weirdly

Flop comes 353, AJ guy bets out to get rid of the other player, he turns over J3 off suit and I'm outta there

Just absolutely garbage after I had a good run prebreak just playing the basics with good hands/in position. If my set of 3s hold and my AK holds then I'm sitting at like 180-190k, but nope, get sucked out on like normal.

Feeling a bit like Mike Matusow at the moment. Always seem to cop bad beats come 3/6-5/10k levels, always have the better hand preflop when I go hard and can never chip up when I should be.
Unfortunate isn't it. Nobody folds in pub poker which means you are generally always up against reasonable equity and live cards preflop.

Remember that to keep improving your game you need to accept that you are rarely ever 100% favourite at any point unless you have the absolute nuts when it goes in.

Don't let the bad beats or lucky wins that you get (because it will work both ways where you will also catch lucky rivers when you are behind) determine whether you assess your play as good or bad, that's results orientated thinking and it won't improve your play.

It's one of the only games in the world where the results don't justify your ability. You can play perfectly, the best ever poker you have ever played and still be absolutely crushed by the cards. Likewise you can play like an absolute donkey and hit a full house on the book playing 8/3 off. Keep doing the first regardless of the results and in the long term variance should smooth out so that the better players show a return. But it's made a lot harder in turbo pub tournaments, you gotta accept that. Remember always the sooner the game is short stack all in poker, the more you are down to the luck of the cards.
 
Jun 27, 2013
46,976
43,976
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
Other Teams
Tottenham Hotspur, SSC Napoli, ESH
Unfortunate isn't it. Nobody folds in pub poker which means you are generally always up against reasonable equity and live cards preflop.

Remember that to keep improving your game you need to accept that you are rarely ever 100% favourite at any point unless you have the absolute nuts when it goes in.

Don't let the bad beats or lucky wins that you get (because it will work both ways where you will also catch lucky rivers when you are behind) determine whether you assess your play as good or bad, that's results orientated thinking and it won't improve your play.

It's one of the only games in the world where the results don't justify your ability. You can play perfectly, the best ever poker you have ever played and still be absolutely crushed by the cards. Likewise you can play like an absolute donkey and hit a full house on the book playing 8/3 off. Keep doing the first regardless of the results and in the long term variance should smooth out so that the better players show a return. But it's made a lot harder in turbo pub tournaments, you gotta accept that. Remember always the sooner the game is short stack all in poker, the more you are down to the luck of the cards.
It just always goes to s**t once 3/6k comes around though, lol

Lost too many coin flip shoves over the last month where statistically preflop I'm well better than 55-60% to win (AK vs AJ in particular) yet I don't

The only ones I can recall winning over the last month were AJ vs 5s (only time I was behind preflop), QQ vs KQ and AQ vs KQ and even then, they weren't significant in the end game, they just gave me extra play for another level.
 
Last edited:
Feb 23, 2009
32,140
45,739
Melbourne
AFL Club
Richmond
Other Teams
New York Jets
It just always goes to s**t once 3/6k comes around though, lol

Lost too many coin flip shoves over the last month where statistically preflop I'm well better than 55-60% to win (AK vs AJ in particular) yet I don't

The only ones I can recall winning over the last month were AJ vs 5s (only time I was behind preflop), QQ vs KQ and AQ vs KQ and even then, they weren't significant in the end game, they just gave me extra play for another level.
Bad runs can go for a long time, but probabilities in the long term (100s or 1000s of hands) mean that it should turn around eventually. That's the theory anyway. It's never going to even out exactly, but the longer you play the more the probabilities are in your favour.
 
Feb 23, 2009
32,140
45,739
Melbourne
AFL Club
Richmond
Other Teams
New York Jets
And yeah, the old AK stinking it up now like AQ over winter, lol

All well, I'll win or cash one of these weeks and I'll forget about it for a while :p
Have you given cash games a go either live or online? There is no turbo blind pressure so you can be a lot more patient and aren't forced to shove/call preflop with A high because you have 8BB left.
 
Back