the curse of the re-suckout

Last night was the Season Finale in our Thursday Poker League - the culmination of the past 12 weeks of play, in which the top 16 players (i.e. earned the most points during the season) get the battle for the big pot ($2000). With 50% going to first place, it's a sweet payday.

This is season 4 of the league, and the very first time that I haven't been at the top of the league. That honour, this time, goes to Mr. Tart. I was actually 4th this season...despite having only moneyed 3 times.

The game started out well for me, and I won several smallish pots, but then lost a big chunk by raising on the river when i could have just called.

I was on the button, and UTG+1 raised 3xBB. I had KJc and decided to call, since I had position and a decent stack. SB & BB fold, so it's just UTG+1 and I. The flop comes K, Q, 4. UTG+1 bets 3xBB, I smooth call, putting her on either a K, or a bluff. The turn brings another 4, she checks, I check. The river brings a J, and gives me 2 better pair, than the 2 pair I think she has. She bets, I raise, and she calls, showing AQ for two better pair than me. D'oh! To be honest, I'm not sure why she didn't reraise me....she must have put me on a 4.

My biggest mistake was not narrowing her hand selection when she bet out on the flop. If she did, indeed, have a K, what was her kicker? She raised from early position preflop, so she must have had a decent kicker, and the only one I couldn't beat was K10. So it was a dumb raise on my part.

Second mistake was a poorly executed flush bluff against a very tight player. He is usually very easy to bluff, but I didn't bet enough for him to fold his straight (which if I had done a better job of selling my hand, he would have done).

That left me very short stacked. Blinds were 30/60 and I had $260....with just seconds to go before the blinds increased to 50/100. I knew I was pushing no matter what I had, and then the player to my right raises to 150. Ugh. I still had to push, and did...with 34s. Then the BB raises all-in. Uh oh! Original raises folds, and BB shows JJ....which I crush with a 4 on the flop and 3 on the turn. So dirty.

That almost tripled me up...and I gave my head a shake and started to play some good poker.

I made it to the final table and was short stacked with a few other players. I made a great call against an all-in bluff, and was down to 5 players. I was, however, still short stacked with just over 2,000 chips when the blinds were 150/300. On the button I have A10o and push, only to get called by monster chip leader who has AQs. Crapola.

but then, oh but then....a sweet, sweet 10 on the flop (along with a 7 and a K), then an Ace on the turn gives me 2 pair, and then the evil, evil, King on the river gives the BB 2 pair with a better kicker. He re-sucked out my suck-out!

I can't complain though...the best hand won. We both did the right thing, and the cards just fell where they fell. He eventually went on to win, and I was happy to see him use my chips wisely.

Overall it was a pretty dissapointing season for me. I just never really got in the groove. Luckily Mr.Tart had an awesome season, so combined we're up (and I'm still up overall for the league). The cards can't always be kind....but here's hoping Season 5 is a little better for the Tart.

We're playing in a big freezout tourney tomorrow. I've never made it to the final 2 tables in these particular tourneys....so I'm looking for a better finish tomorrow.