One of THOSE Streaks
Saturday, November 03, 2007
Wifey Kim spent the weekend in Georgia. Since I had a Saturday to myself, I decided to start off the day with some online poker. I played SNG after SNG as part of Full Tilt's SNG-Madness promo, but I kept losing. In most instances, I was playing very well, but I simply got unlucky. Two outers, four outers, six outers. I accepted it for what it was, a spell of bad luck. But ultimately, I needed to walk away because the bad luck just wouldn't shake.
A couple of hours later, I played some MTTs. I got far in the few MTTs I player, but went out late to suckouts.
Last night, I went to the Salami Club and played some 2/5 NL. I only bought in with $300 since I've been running bad. I was down to $80, having gone down from a high of $420 or so. I held KK and my neighbor to my right held QJd. He raised preflop in EP to $30. Since I had a monster hand and planned on leaving soon, regardless of the outcome, I pushed all-in. It folded around to him and he flashed me his cards. We were chatting, since I've known him from Salami for a long time but hadn't seen him in a while. We get along, the closest thing to a friend I have at the club. It was clear that he was leaning toward a fold, so I started talking. When he showed me his cards, I suggested, "Well, you have two overs." I was lying, and while it may be 'wrong' at the time, I was acting on sheer instinct (and the need for a call). He asked me, "Do you mean that?" Now I had time to think, so I half-admitted, "Well, I can't promise you anything. You'll have to call to find out." He called. I showed my KK and he showed his QJs. The flop was 9-high. The turn was a Ten. The river was a King. I lied my way into losing $110+. We joked about it. He had a monster stack so the $80 would've been nothing to him at the moment. I was a man about it, joked about how I did it to myself, kept it friendly as I said my goodbyes. As I left, I thought, "This is the bad streak." But I also thought, "But it might be over. Just continue to play well and fight through the bad luck."
When I got home this evening, I played a $26 token race. I lost to a cointoss, my 88 vs. KJ, but the guy who called really had no reason to take such a gamble. I played a Razz MTT at Stars and was doing well until I moved into Brick City and lost major hands due to a neverending string of shit cards.
I just busted from a FT Knockout MTT. In these knew Knockout MTTs, you receive a bounty (i.e., $) for every person you bust, so strategy encourages trapping and at times calling someone all-in. I held AK in EP, after a raise from 40 to 120. I raised it up to 320. At the time, I had about my full 1500 stack. A guy in LP called, but the EP original raiser folded. HU, we saw a KJx flop. I paused for a moment. My opponent only had about 880 left, which was near the pot size. I checked, hoping to induce a push. After all, I wanted to knock him out, not just win the sizeable pot. My opponent obliged, I called, and he showed AJ. I had him dead to two jacks, with two cards to come. He only needed one.
I probably owe you all a few bucks for the bad beat stories. That's really not what I'm concerned with. I constantly remind myself, almost like a mediative mantra, that I must remain calm in the face of adversity. Getting upset over uncontrollable luck is just self-destructive. But I can't help but shake this feeling that I'm not through with the bad luck spell.
The only coping mechanism I have is to not play poker, but frankly, when I'm playing well, is that the right answer. So, I ask you, what do you do when you are facing a spell of bad luck? Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
Until next time, make mine poker!
posted by Jordan @ 10:07 AM,
3 Comments:
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At 9:25 PM,
Unknown said...
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You back away from the riskier of your games, check to see if you have opened up any new holes and then...
You take a break and come back later.
Variance my friend, nothing can stop variance. -
At 10:59 AM,
KajaPoker said...
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I would like to say I take a break, but it's not true. Especially if I feel I am playing well. I might be a little more cautious in certain marginal situations. But if you feel you are playing well, do some analysis and discuss your actions and come out feeling there was nothing you could have done - play on.
And next time Wifey Kim is in GA, come down with her and play with us ATL donks. -
At 3:55 PM,
Schaubs said...
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I try to always take a break. Even if its for a day. Take a day or two to gather your thoughts and re-start fresh.
Good posts.
