Cry Me A River

I was due for a big loss. The streak of winning days ended at 13, and I’ll be happy if I can ever do that again. Last night the cards finally turned against me, and I ended up down $200 after an hour and a half of triple tables. For 300 hands, my win rate was a monstrous -11 BB per 100 hands, but it could have been a lot worse. Reviewing the hand histories, I see that I didn’t play horribly, I was just outdrawn most of the time. I’m happy that I was able to remain “off tilt”, and kept playing my usual aggressive game (although I did cringe a bit every time a scare card hit the turn or river). Here’s a list of the biggest losses:
3. Rockets. Heads up on the flop, which is QQ5. No more aces, and I lose $27 when my opponent shows down AQ. Talk about domination.
2. QQ in middle position. Everyone folds, except one limper. I raise it, and BB calls and limper calls. Both these guys are loose. Flop is 8c 2c 9s. I know I’m good here, and I’m raised. 2 callers, and I figure there’s a flush draw and possibly trips, but more likely somebody’s got A9. The turn is another 8, and now I’m worried. I check and call the bet, and it’s 3 handed to the river. The river is another 8, and I think I’m good here, but the sneaking feeling that the Quads are out makes me check and call. Sure enough, 86o wins the $97 pot, and its -5 BB for me. Ye gads.
1. AQo in middle position, I limp in after 2 callers. 6 of us see the flop. Flop is Qs 5s Jh, and I bet out fearing the flush… the river is the Ace, and I bet out, and am raised, and we lose the other callers. The raiser is a loose aggressive player, and I think my two pair is good… I figure him for Ax spades, and he caps it. The river is 5d, but now I chicken out and check. Trip Jacks slowplayed? Trip Queens? I call, and he shows me KT for broadway, and takes down the the 15 BB pot. -6 BB for me.
So those 3 hands were -$220 for me, turning a small win into a big loss.
On my biggest win of the night, I did bluff a $55 pot with AK unimproved when the only caller folded on the river. Small consolation.
Hopefully the karmic poker scale is now balanced, and I can get back to winning tomorrow…