No Cigar

Another night of solid play, another bubble. There isn’t enough profanity at my disposal to express my frustration.

I didn’t realize how weak my game had become until I stepped up the aggression and started playing some decent poker again. The downward spiral of my poker game went like this….

Doing very well, consistently cashing.

Loosens up starting hands, plays them aggressively

Gets burned

Keeps starting requirements loose, but plays them passively

Gets nowhere

Tightens up starting hand requirements, but still plays them passively

Sucks ass

So I decided to keep my requirements tight, but play them aggressively – like I used to, when I was winning…and my game has been SO much better. I can’t seem to avoid the bubble suckout though.

Last night I really felt strong at the beginning of the game. I was a big stack when we got to the final table when one bad hand against Bankwell (I had 1010, he had AA) cut my stack by a third. I was steaming like mad because Bankwell played me, and I really, really do not like that. Mofo. But I managed to maintain my composure and played tight aggressive to the final 4, where I was unfortunately now shortstacked (but not critical). The player to my right is mediocre…he overvalues face cards and Ace-anything. He raised from the SB, and in the BB I have pocket nines. I know that he’s raising me with anything, and with the blinds quickly escalating, I don’t have to think twice about pushing all-in. He instantly calls and my heart sinks. He must have a high pocket pair. But no, he has the monster of a hand – A 8 offsuit. He, of course, catches the Ace and I’m eliminated.

What boggled my mind was he was nowhere near pot committed with his hand. And if I’m pushing, what hands does he think he can beat? The only hands that he’s ahead of are A-rag lower than 7 and two paint cards like KQ/KJ (which I would never push with, and if he paid attention he’d know that). With any pocket pair lower than 77 it’s a coinflip, and with any pocket pair over 8s he’s an underdog. So how could A-8 be an insta-call? So confusing.

I was a bit of a baby and just pushed by chips in a big pile across the table and sat stonefaced for the rest of the game…which I had to sit through because Bankwell finished second. Which was good for the bankroll, but bad for my self-esteem.

I knew I should have been able to just shake it off – but I just felt so pissed that such a bad call gets rewarded. I know, I know – I want him to make terrible calls like that, because I’ll win more often than not. But sometimes I just want to jump across the table and strangle the donkeys.

Tomorrow night we’re going to a friend from work’s house for a poker tournament she’s organized. There will be 12 people – most of whom know how to play, but aren’t there to take it seriously…it’s exactly what I need: FUN poker.