Bad Beat/Vent/Brag thread

[juss]

Played last night and was home before the break. Nothing worse than having good hands that are second best that cost you big, I'm talking QQ vs KK, flopping a set vs flopping a straight, and with a backdoor straight draw and the nuts flush draw on the flop as well as middle pair with A kicker only to not hit anything on the turn and river and your opponent rivers a 2 pair.

Those 3 hands sent me home within 45 minutes.

 

[Stevi_Tigers]

Played last night and was home before the break. Nothing worse than having good hands that are second best that cost you big, I'm talking QQ vs KK, flopping a set vs flopping a straight, and with a backdoor straight draw and the nuts flush draw on the flop as well as middle pair with A kicker only to not hit anything on the turn and river and your opponent rivers a 2 pair.

Those 3 hands sent me home within 45 minutes.

Not much you can do in the first example

 

[Stevi_Tigers]

Reading this thread has made me remember my most hated bad beat few years back wpp had a big 2 day final for a wsop ticket/flight etc

I sit down the room at tab Corp park Melton is full I get pocket jacks third hand in as the big blind

Dealer position puts in a raise I hate jacks so decide to re raise to find out how strong he is if he re raises I can fold and move on he ends up flatting

Board comes down j 9 3 rainbow I check he puts in a pretty big bet and I flat thinking time to milk it

Turn is a 6 but now two hearts on the board

I put in a big bet to try and end it if he’s flush chasing he thinks for a bit and goes all in i obviously call he turns over ak of hearts

River 2 of hearts and I’m out third hand in

 

[juss]

Not much you can do in the first example

On another night I win all 3 as I'll be up against the next best hand to mine, but yeh this was the night everyone else seemed to have the top of their possible range every time.

 

[Stevi_Tigers]

On another night I win all 3 as I'll be up against the next best hand to mine, but yeh this was the night everyone else seemed to have the top of their possible range every time.

The great game mate as long as you make more right decisions than wrong you should come out ahead ev wise

*pub poker not included

 

[go you pups]

Well that was shitful, worst pub performance in regards to being eliminated before the break at 2/4k bbs

Ran ok first hour, made about 30k profit from starting 20k stack, then s**t hit the fan come 1/2k bbs

Get pocket 5s, raise to 5k, miss the flop, all overcards no real draw possibilities, couple bets, fold them

UTG a few hands later, just got my chip up card given to me, got like 85-90k, get two black aces. I'm wondering how to play it as I normally do not get value from them. If I put in a decent raise I only pick up blinds, if I jam I probably only pick up blinds. There were 3 guys sitting to my left 2-4 spots around who were regular table aggressors. I decide to min raise hoping an aggressor 3bets me, then I'd jam on them.

Surprise surprise, get a family ******* pot instead.

Flop comes 872 rainbow, BB bets out 6k, I call putting her on some sort of 8, maybe 9 or 10 something, 87 was probably in her range too, but I think she would've bet bigger had she had 87, 1 other caller (guy running absolute hot), turn comes a 6, BB again bets 6k, I call, running hot guy raises to 15k, 9T scares me a little, but I feel priced in so we both call.

River another 7, BB and I both check, running hot guy bets 10k, we both pay him off, I flip my aces over first, He has 5 ******* 9 off suit for a straight...

Absolutely spewing I got them UTG, WTF do I do 7 handed to get value from them? BB had an 8, so had her covered. But seriously, what's the point of playing them really aggressively UTG and only get blinds? I'd do similar next time, maybe make it 3.5x bb, anyways, I don't think I made a bad decision preflop here considering my early position, tried to extract value, nearly did. Maybe I could've got away from them on the turn, anyways.

Anyways, that's half my stack gone, get a nice suited queen, call a min raise at 2/4k, get a gutter on the flop, aggressor bets, I call, turn comes a king, aggressor jammed, I gave it up still needing a 9 for a straight, of course running hot guy calls. Jammer hit his king plus has a gutter, running hot guy has 37 hearts 4 to a flush and of course he rivers his flush.

I'm down to 30 something, 2/4k bbs still, I get 5s on the button after a few limps, I jam, and for some stupid reason I get 4 callers even though I jammed at least 8x the BB.

I miss and am done by a rivered AK (limped preflop too), looked like someone flopped a queen too, just did not get some of the decisions made by some...

Absolute garbage 15-20 minutes of play, let's just play any two cards...

 

[go you pups]

Kinda continues on with my run well then bad then well then bad up and down streak since the start of December.

Would be nice to get some consistency again and put a few solid nights in a row together, but eh.

I think I'm dealing better with bad beats, kinda just expect them now. Onto the next game, whenever it'll be.

 

[GreyCrow]

First time in a long time I was going home before 1st break

7/9 off (yeah yeah I know) and it's raised to 400

Ehh OK call. Flop a straight, 6/8/10 bet 500 get called . Turn is a J bet 1000 raised to 5k

Hmm trips or Qx.OK call

River is an 8 to pair the board. I try and represent the full house and get called

Turns over 88 for quads

Bad calling bad betting but Tuesday $5 game.

Final table tonight which keeps me at 50% for the season. So happy with consistency

 

[juss]

Well that was shitful, worst pub performance in regards to being eliminated before the break at 2/4k bbs

Ran ok first hour, made about 30k profit from starting 20k stack, then s**t hit the fan come 1/2k bbs

Get pocket 5s, raise to 5k, miss the flop, all overcards no real draw possibilities, couple bets, fold them

UTG a few hands later, just got my chip up card given to me, got like 85-90k, get two black aces. I'm wondering how to play it as I normally do not get value from them. If I put in a decent raise I only pick up blinds, if I jam I probably only pick up blinds. There were 3 guys sitting to my left 2-4 spots around who were regular table aggressors. I decide to min raise hoping an aggressor 3bets me, then I'd jam on them.

Surprise surprise, get a family ******* pot instead.

Flop comes 872 rainbow, BB bets out 6k, I call putting her on some sort of 8, maybe 9 or 10 something, 87 was probably in her range too, but I think she would've bet bigger had she had 87, 1 other caller (guy running absolute hot), turn comes a 6, BB again bets 6k, I call, running hot guy raises to 15k, 9T scares me a little, but I feel priced in so we both call.

River another 7, BB and I both check, running hot guy bets 10k, we both pay him off, I flip my aces over first, He has 5 ******* 9 off suit for a straight...

Absolutely spewing I got them UTG, WTF do I do 7 handed to get value from them? BB had an 8, so had her covered. But seriously, what's the point of playing them really aggressively UTG and only get blinds? I'd do similar next time, maybe make it 3.5x bb, anyways, I don't think I made a bad decision preflop here considering my early position, tried to extract value, nearly did. Maybe I could've got away from them on the turn, anyways.

Anyways, that's half my stack gone, get a nice suited queen, call a min raise at 2/4k, get a gutter on the flop, aggressor bets, I call, turn comes a king, aggressor jammed, I gave it up still needing a 9 for a straight, of course running hot guy calls. Jammer hit his king plus has a gutter, running hot guy has 37 hearts 4 to a flush and of course he rivers his flush.

I'm down to 30 something, 2/4k bbs still, I get 5s on the button after a few limps, I jam, and for some stupid reason I get 4 callers even though I jammed at least 8x the BB.

I miss and am done by a rivered AK (limped preflop too), looked like someone flopped a queen too, just did not get some of the decisions made by some...

Absolute garbage 15-20 minutes of play, let's just play any two cards...

Big pockets are a heads up hand. Ideally you want to be heads up. The hands you min raise with are the ones that play well multi way that hit big draws and youre happy to have multiple callers because your straight or flush crushes them all, think J10s, suited A hands, etc.

I know it's a s**t feeling to raise and get no one call your aces, but you are happy to win the blinds. Thats a long term profitable play. This is backed up by like every GTO solver out there. If you min raise, you let s**t in, and you lose a lot of equity for every other player in the hand because AA rarely finishes as more than an overpair at best and some sucker always hits a 2 pair.

Second tip, do not get married to AA. When the board and action dictates it, fold them. The board was paired, there was a straight out there, and the board hits the BB range way harder than yours, and youre against 2 players. What were the chances an overpair was good here? When you reflect on it later, probably not much. Also, if you do get that flop, you cant let people hit their draws. Thats an all in shove flop, you kind of let the s**t hand get their draw in the end.

Im always raising AA to a minimum of 3x, and ideally more because I want all the money in before the flop against one caller. Winning the blinds > losing stack to shitty players who will play anything, but you let them in and you let them get there by not going all in on the flop. Personally I reckon you need to look at this hand as one you could have played much better. Easier to do with other people's hands than your own, but thats how we improve. I used to limp with big pockets to get fancy and reraise or check raise. I made the same mistake multiple times before I realised winning the blinds is a perfectly fine outcome.

 

[go you pups]

Big pockets are a heads up hand. Ideally you want to be heads up. The hands you min raise with are the ones that play well multi way that hit big draws and youre happy to have multiple callers because your straight or flush crushes them all, think J10s, suited A hands, etc.

I know it's a s**t feeling to raise and get no one call your aces, but you are happy to win the blinds. Thats a long term profitable play. This is backed up by like every GTO solver out there. If you min raise, you let s**t in, and you lose a lot of equity for every other player in the hand because AA rarely finishes as more than an overpair at best and some sucker always hits a 2 pair.

Second tip, do not get married to AA. When the board and action dictates it, fold them. The board was paired, there was a straight out there, and the board hits the BB range way harder than yours, and youre against 2 players. What were the chances an overpair was good here? When you reflect on it later, probably not much. Also, if you do get that flop, you cant let people hit their draws. Thats an all in shove flop, you kind of let the s**t hand get their draw in the end.

Im always raising AA to a minimum of 3x, and ideally more because I want all the money in before the flop against one caller. Winning the blinds > losing stack to shitty players who will play anything, but you let them in and you let them get there by not going all in on the flop. Personally I reckon you need to look at this hand as one you could have played much better. Easier to do with other people's hands than your own, but thats how we improve. I used to limp with big pockets to get fancy and reraise or check raise. I made the same mistake multiple times before I realised winning the blinds is a perfectly fine outcome.

I'm seriously not having a good run with Aces kings and queens lately and I've played those hands differently and more aggressively.

Last time I had aces before last night I raised 7.5x BB in late position, still got 3 callers as blinds were lowish

Guy beat me with a Q ****** 5 two pair that he flopped, put him on a queen but not two pair, lost a third of my stack.

Last time I had queens I was UTG also, raised nearly 6x BB (300/600 bbs, to 3.5k), only the blinds called. BB lead out on a T72 board, I jammed as I had an over pair to the board, BB called and flipped over 7s. Last night sure I could've jammed the flop after getting value, but after the last time I jammed having an overpair to the board it did not end well, 59 guy would've called imo anyway, absolute loose cannon who didn't like folding.

Do I just jam every single time I get a big pair now? I only ever seem to get tens to hold these days. Everything else gets sucked out on.

I get what you're saying in allowing them to catch and I probably should've folded the turn, as 9T was a possibility, maybe 45, but I felt priced in.

Seriously this was one table that just did not want to fold at times though and they overbet their hands regularly with just middle pair, seen one guy early on shove like 3 hands in with AT after he caught an ace on the flop, he easily could've been stacked as the preflop aggressor folded kings and showed (I do not believe he put him on a big underpair for a second), it was an extremely risky move as AQ AK could've easily been in the aggressors range

 

[go you pups]

Also, every single hand I raised last night was no good and folded most of those hands early as there were generally overcards or big draws against my hand, dunno if that hurt my table imagine as I'd imagine any time I raise = no one believes I'm strong maybe too aside from the players I regularly play against?

I limp in/flat though, I hit. JT ran really good for example whenever I had it, turned a straight after having a double gutter on the flop (K97 board, hit my 8 on the turn), another pair time I flopped top two pair and got a bit of value from one preflop aggressor before he folded the river.

 

[GreyCrow]

AA early when blind structures allow/leave it open for others to speculate is a hard spot

I tend to 6x and continue that bet. If I win I get some value if I get beat I have time to recover

I find the 1/2k blind level to be the spot people start playing for chips and final table

ie the early stuff was for fun

 

[juss]

I'm seriously not having a good run with Aces kings and queens lately and I've played those hands differently and more aggressively.

Last time I had aces before last night I raised 7.5x BB in late position, still got 3 callers as blinds were lowish

Guy beat me with a Q ****** 5 two pair that he flopped, put him on a queen but not two pair, lost a third of my stack.

Last time I had queens I was UTG also, raised nearly 6x BB (300/600 bbs, to 3.5k), only the blinds called. BB lead out on a T72 board, I jammed as I had an over pair to the board, BB called and flipped over 7s. Last night sure I could've jammed the flop after getting value, but after the last time I jammed having an overpair to the board it did not end well, 59 guy would've called imo anyway, absolute loose cannon who didn't like folding.

Do I just jam every single time I get a big pair now? I only ever seem to get tens to hold these days. Everything else gets sucked out on.

I get what you're saying in allowing them to catch and I probably should've folded the turn, as 9T was a possibility, maybe 45, but I felt priced in.

Seriously this was one table that just did not want to fold at times though and they overbet their hands regularly with just middle pair, seen one guy early on shove like 3 hands in with AT after he caught an ace on the flop, he easily could've been stacked as the preflop aggressor folded kings and showed (I do not believe he put him on a big underpair for a second), it was an extremely risky move as AQ AK could've easily been in the aggressors range

Absolutely agree you are going to get beaten even with good hands, playing well and playing correctly. Youre only job is to play well and play correctly though, unfortunately we are victims to the cards that then come.

Just remember 3 things with big pockets QQ, KK, AA, and its a good fundamental start to build off, then yes very occasionally get fancy and mix it up so youre not predictable.

1. Raise big preflop, ideally isolate heads up. If everyone folds you are happy, ideally it will basically be close to an all in situation here, you want all the money in preflop.

2. Aggressive Cbet/all in on the flop regardless. Charge all the sucky draws a max price so they cant possibly call. Knock out anyone who has paired for fear of your overpair, do not allow junk hands to get lucky on turns and rivers by giving them cheap access.

3. Most importantly read the board and action and do not get married to any big pair. 4 cars flush out there and you face a big reraise after betting the turn? Your KK is probably beat. Throw it away. SB and BB bet/raise/check raise on a 7 7 5 flop? Someone likely has sets, trips a fullhouse or at worst a straight draw, throw away the overpairs. The other day i got married to QQ preflop, I raised, got 3 bet, then 4 bet, and I knew the old lady who is ultra tight, risl averse, passive and never bluffs is only doing that with AA, at a stretch KK and never worse. I knew it, I still called it, and she turned over AA. Takes huge discipline to throw it away, but if you can youll be a winning player.

This is hard and takes disclipine but in tournaments not losing chips is arguably just as important to winning them especially with your tournament life. In the long term losing the minimum with your big hands that are beat will help you profit in the end.

 

[go you pups]

AA early when blind structures allow/leave it open for others to speculate is a hard spot

I tend to 6x and continue that bet. If I win I get some value if I get beat I have time to recover

I find the 1/2k blind level to be the spot people start playing for chips and final table

ie the early stuff was for fun

I was the third biggest stack at the table too at the time

Might limp in even next time UTG, cos my last two big pockets have been cracked and both were UTG, 1 with a substantial raise preflop as mentioned above, the other just a min raise

Kinda feel it's just shove or limp time considering how I'm running with them. If a raise comes after a limp then I'll throw in the 3bet to see where I'm at.

Absolutely agree you are going to get beaten even with good hands, playing well and playing correctly. Youre only job is to play well and play correctly though, unfortunately we are victims to the cards that then come.

Just remember 3 things with big pockets QQ, KK, AA, and its a good fundamental start to build off, then yes very occasionally get fancy and mix it up so youre not predictable.

1. Raise big preflop, ideally isolate heads up. If everyone folds you are happy, ideally it will basically be close to an all in situation here, you want all the money in preflop.

Hard to isolate heads up UTG though

I took the risk of banking on a 3bet because the 3 aggressors were sitting from the hijack to the button that hand, then I absolutely would've shoved on a 3better. Maybe a raise would've came if I limped in.

So much easier to dictate play in late position

2. Aggressive Cbet/all in on the flop regardless. Charge all the sucky draws a max price so they cant possibly call.

Problem was I couldn't as I correctly thought the flop hit the BBs range, but I was ahead there anyway, it's just a flat call there imo though and see another street.

Last time I had an overpair to the board and jammed on the flop I was coolered by middle set. If I do that again on a 872 board, every chance the BB will call and turn over a set of ducks or 78 or something if they're betting into me.

Really feeling damned if I do damned if I don't currently.

I had issues with AK AQ for a few months last year, but AK is running much better lately. Will the overpairs start running my way again? Poker generally evens itself out in the long run, but I haven't won a hand with a big pair in a month, which was old reliable tens (only seem to lose to overpairs with tens, can only recall them being cracked by AK once over the last year), I find 9s play/hold similarly to tens also.


In regards to big laydowns saving you chips as you mentioned above, I'm very capable of doing them, but I guess my weakness atm is reading the situation if I've got the overpair. I actually feel way more comfortable betting big on the flop if the board is paired by low cards, sure someone might've hit and have trips or have some sort of low full house that I have two outs on, but I find the flop pairing will eliminate those players looking to hit draws and if they only have overcards they're miles behind and will likely need to runner runner to go ahead.

Probably the last time I got away from a big pair was a month ago, had jacks, was a couple hands after I eliminated a guy with tens (flopped a boat)

Lateish on in the night but I was the second biggest stack, big stack sitting on my left. Had about 280k or so, he had over 400k

5-10k Bbs, I raise to 30k in middle position, he flats, everyone folds

Flop comes Q87 all red cards, I bet 15k, he raises to 40k. I flat it feeling priced in. Turn comes a red 9, 4 to a flush for both hearts/diamonds. I check, he barrels 75k, I think about it for a bit then give it up even though I've got 6 outs to a straight/set. 56 and TJ both get there, could've had some sort of queen too or 78 suited or something. Quarter of my stack gone there, but I made the final table still though, chipped up through A8 suited and a AK jam after that.

 

[juss]

Hard to isolate heads up UTG though

I took the risk of banking on a 3bet because the 3 aggressors were sitting from the hijack to the button that hand, then I absolutely would've shoved on a 3better. Maybe a raise would've came if I limped in.

So much easier to dictate play in late position

It's not hard, it just doesn't always work, but the alternative of not doing it often results in being against multiple players.
AA equity drops with every player in the pot. It drops more significantly the tighter the opposing ranges are. When different boards hit different players ranges, it can drop to really low against multiple players in those ranges, e.g. letting the blinds in cheap.
The problem is people still assume their AA is a monster against multiple players, when it loses a reasonable chunk. Secondly, if you get to the river with only a pair and there have been multiple streets of betting, you aren't often ahead unfortunately. This brings on feelings of injustice that it should be a winning hand and when it loses it's a bad beat or it's a suckout, it's often because you lost equity to multiple players. Raise big pre, you will either be called by one max, or all fold, both of which are profitable outcomes in the long term.

Problem was I couldn't as I correctly thought the flop hit the BBs range, but I was ahead there anyway, it's just a flat call there imo though and see another street.

Last time I had an overpair to the board and jammed on the flop I was coolered by middle set. If I do that again on a 872 board, every chance the BB will call and turn over a set of ducks or 78 or something if they're betting into me.

Really feeling damned if I do damned if I don't currently.

Yes, sometimes it hits their range. I'm hyper aggressive, if they've hit a lucky 2 pair good on them, but I'm going to charge them their stack to play bingo poker and try and hit a runner runner or a draw or a lucky 2 pair on the river, especially when I am likely ahead at that point.

I had issues with AK AQ for a few months last year, but AK is running much better lately. Will the overpairs start running my way again? Poker generally evens itself out in the long run, but I haven't won a hand with a big pair in a month, which was old reliable tens (only seem to lose to overpairs with tens, can only recall them being cracked by AK once over the last year), I find 9s play/hold similarly to tens also.

I hope your not letting "feel" and recent luck influence your decisions (even though it does get in our heads, I have a "lucky" hand too.....)
AA is always better than any pair below it. AK is always better than any other Ax combo. etc. etc.
Don't let recent hand results ever influence you away from those facts. Hands "running better" is irrelevant, play the cards on their actual strength, it doesn't matter what you find runs better, in the long term that's irrelevant.

 

[MrKK]

Saw a fold last night that was so bad you'd think it was softplaying.

Final 4 players, bubble has just burst.
Blinds 20/40k
UTG is shortest stack and shoves for 60k
2 folds, BB is the chip leader with >300k and folds
6-to-1 on a call for less than 10% of his stack and a chance to eliminate a player. I was steaming because I was 3rd in chips before the hand and dropped to 4th.

Predictably, the very next hand I shove 55 and the newly rich BB calls with T5 and flips a T. gg.

 

[GreyCrow]

AA early when blind structures allow/leave it open for others to speculate is a hard spot

I tend to 6x and continue that bet. If I win I get some value if I get beat I have time to recover

I find the 1/2k blind level to be the spot people start playing for chips and final table

ie the early stuff was for fun

Perfect example tonight

BB at 200 look at AA
UTG bets 1200 , folds to dealer. He calls, I raise to 2500 both call

OK 1 has high pockets and the other Ax

Flop is 88J UTG checks as does button, I bet 3k UTG all in

Dealer folds and I think for a minute or 2 and reluctantly fold showing my aces

UTG shows pocket JJ for the full house flop

I am more happy I made the call . But to be fair later in a game I am snap calling

 

[go you pups]

Okeydokey

Played much better tonight and made some decent folds/reads which helped in letting me survive past the 2 hour mark, but just got badly card dry eventually after an up and down first 7 levels or so.

Shoved both pocket Aces in early position and also pocket deuces in middle position when the blinds went up to 1/2-2/4 just before I got my chip up card, didn't get paid off on the aces, but I picked up the blinds there and didn't lose my stack for a change (learnt my lesson last week). Deuces was up against a very short stack who jammed in the position before me and my reraise jam was called by a big stack who limped in previously, I lost against the short stack who hit his ace (put him on one), but I made a small profit through the big stack at least as my ducks held against her KT at least. Felt I was able to isolate at least the short stack here, but also the limper if she wanted to come along. Figured I was ahead of both preflop and with my bullet available still I had nothing really to lose there.

Picked up 6s and 7s in mid-late position shortly afterwards with a dwindling 7-10 BB stack after the chip up was handed out, but was up against 4-5 limpers from early-mid position both times and most people at the table were limping preflop with strong aces all night for some reason (aside from aces, A6 suited was my next best ace hand), so decided to limp here in these spots and see a flop and try and spike a set/straight draw before jamming, which imo was the correct call at the time as I didn't hit and someone always did. Yes I could've jammed preflop, but I didn't like my chances of getting though so many pot committed players + having my hand to hold if called. If I had 9s+ here I absolutely was jamming though, down to about 5.5 BBs after that.

Went badly card dry for 25 minutes or so after that trying to hold on for a decent hand to jam with or a situation in late position where I could at least isolate a caller to double through.

Got my one opportunity where I had only a bit over 2 BBs left and all folded to me in the SB strangely as for a while when I was going card dead previous in the blinds there was raising/3betting always going on, so I just had to give up the trash I was getting, so double though the BB here heads up to get back up to around 4.5/5bbs was the only viable option here. It didn't work but got a sweat at least, picked up overcards plus a gutter to just bottom pair (had a 10 outer).

Much enjoyed tonight compared to last week though

 

[juss]

Saw a fold last night that was so bad you'd think it was softplaying.

Final 4 players, bubble has just burst.
Blinds 20/40k
UTG is shortest stack and shoves for 60k
2 folds, BB is the chip leader with >300k and folds
6-to-1 on a call for less than 10% of his stack and a chance to eliminate a player. I was steaming because I was 3rd in chips before the hand and dropped to 4th.

Predictably, the very next hand I shove 55 and the newly rich BB calls with T5 and flips a T. gg.

Collusion? 7/2 off?
Thats never a fold in that situation you described, so either they didnt want that person out or they felt they had barely any equity with an awful hand. Even with an awful hand, unless they are against a premium pocket pair which is unlikely, they are live with any 2 cards.

 

[MrKK]

Collusion? 7/2 off?
Thats never a fold in that situation you described, so either they didnt want that person out or they felt they had barely any equity with an awful hand. Even with an awful hand, unless they are against a premium pocket pair which is unlikely, they are live with any 2 cards.

Definitely not collusion as I know both players well and they're both straight up. I think he just looked at his garbage hand and instantly decided to fold without thinking it through.
I know when I'm in that spot where it's 100% call I don't look at my hand, just in case it's 72o and I somehow talk myself into folding.

Oh, and the guy who was shortstack in that hand came back to win.

 

[OnTheRocks]

Big hands...Big pots
AA preflop is a big hand
AA after the flop is just a pair
A pair is not a big hand (although it might be the best hand)

 

[juss]

Big hands...Big pots
AA preflop is a big hand
AA after the flop is just a pair
A pair is not a big hand (although it might be the best hand)

Gotta be prepared to play aggressively post flop though even with just a pair, especially AA on a board where youre unlikely to be beat. On straight or flush boards, caution.

 

[OnTheRocks]

Gotta be prepared to play aggressively post flop though even with just a pair, especially AA on a board where youre unlikely to be beat. On straight or flush boards, caution.

There is so much information to consider preflop so that you can be prepared for what you might do post flop.

 

[juss]

There is so much information to consider preflop so that you can be prepared for what you might do post flop.

Thats it, poker is a game of incomplete information, but information none the less. Secondly its a game of likelyhoods and percentages. Sure, even with AA you are sometimes behind after the flop, but the majority of the time, you are ahead, and some time the game requires you to play the likely percentages even with the known risk involved. If not, you can rarely win big tournaments.

 

[OnTheRocks]

Okeydokey

Played much better tonight and made some decent folds/reads which helped in letting me survive past the 2 hour mark, but just got badly card dry eventually after an up and down first 7 levels or so.

Shoved both pocket Aces in early position and also pocket deuces in middle position when the blinds went up to 1/2-2/4 just before I got my chip up card, didn't get paid off on the aces, but I picked up the blinds there and didn't lose my stack for a change (learnt my lesson last week). Deuces was up against a very short stack who jammed in the position before me and my reraise jam was called by a big stack who limped in previously, I lost against the short stack who hit his ace (put him on one), but I made a small profit through the big stack at least as my ducks held against her KT at least. Felt I was able to isolate at least the short stack here, but also the limper if she wanted to come along. Figured I was ahead of both preflop and with my bullet available still I had nothing really to lose there.

Picked up 6s and 7s in mid-late position shortly afterwards with a dwindling 7-10 BB stack after the chip up was handed out, but was up against 4-5 limpers from early-mid position both times and most people at the table were limping preflop with strong aces all night for some reason (aside from aces, A6 suited was my next best ace hand), so decided to limp here in these spots and see a flop and try and spike a set/straight draw before jamming, which imo was the correct call at the time as I didn't hit and someone always did. Yes I could've jammed preflop, but I didn't like my chances of getting though so many pot committed players + having my hand to hold if called. If I had 9s+ here I absolutely was jamming though, down to about 5.5 BBs after that.

Went badly card dry for 25 minutes or so after that trying to hold on for a decent hand to jam with or a situation in late position where I could at least isolate a caller to double through.

Got my one opportunity where I had only a bit over 2 BBs left and all folded to me in the SB strangely as for a while when I was going card dead previous in the blinds there was raising/3betting always going on, so I just had to give up the trash I was getting, so double though the BB here heads up to get back up to around 4.5/5bbs was the only viable option here. It didn't work but got a sweat at least, picked up overcards plus a gutter to just bottom pair (had a 10 outer).

Much enjoyed tonight compared to last week though

Yeah your Aces held up but could you extracted better value by playing them different next time?