Don’t they know it’s my birthday?
by huge on Feb.17, 2010, under Poker
I’ve been in Vegas for a day and a half, played in two of the Venetian “Deep Stack Extravaganza” events, both $350 buyins. The good news is that I’ve been dealt pocket Aces more than my share, which seems only appropriate given that today is my birthday. The bad news is that out of the four pairs of Aces I’ve been dealt, I’ve stolen the blinds once (always a mildly sad result with Aces) , chopped a big pot against Ace-Queen-offsuit (almost the best possible matchup I could have in all of poker) when we both rivered 5-high straights, and lost two massive pots against 66 and KQ-offsuit, in both cases with my opponent calling my large re-raise out of position and then either calling my bets on flop and turn with a gutshot (with the 66) or check raising me all-in on the flop with top pair (with the KQ) and then sucking out on me on the river. The first one was yesterday, and I recovered from that near-death blow to build up my stack again and then ran into the same guy when I flopped top-two-pair with KQ and he called me (AGAIN) on the flop and turn (with AJ this time) with a gutshot, and then (AGAIN) sucked out on me on the river. The second hand was today, my ACTUAL birthday, in which the guy raised with KQ, called my reraise out of position, and then check-raised me all-in for about 70BB on the Queen-high flop, only to catch his King on the river for two pair. I had built up my stack somewhat so I was well above average, but he had even more chips so I was out.
In about six hours of play over two tournaments I’ve been in all-in confrontations six times, I’ve been the overwhelming favorite all six times, I’ve won two, chopped one (when I was a 9:1 favorite to win) and lost the other three. I don’t think I’ve ever had this bad of a string of results with pocket Aces. Happy Borthday My ASS.
After I post this I’m changing my clothes and going out to birthday dinner at Pamplemousse with Mark and Vanessa and a few other friends, so at least I can’t have any more Aces cracked on my birthday - I don’t even want to think about what would be the non-poker dinner equivalent - maybe having the restaurant comp me to some foie gras and caviar and catching botulism.
The $5000 main event of the NAPT is Saturday … I’m just expelling all my bad luck before then, right?
-huge
February 18th, 2010 on 11:23 pm
Aces… I always appreciate the opportunity to get sucked out with them
I am always torn about playing on my birthday…poker is something that I love to do, but then again I am emotionally fragile enough that a bad loss on my birthday would ruin it somehow. Of course, you won the seat, and you are there, so go for it. Sounds like you survived some bad luck so save the better luck for the main event! Good luck!