Bad Beats at Tournaments

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Hello,

I have actually two questions. But before that I want to share one of my most unforgettable experiences at the table first.

At the table, three of us were left for the pot. Well, I was the short stack however not by a lot. At some point, I saw As Kd and so I raised a not so big yet a not so small amount. Certain player called and then followed by the dealer. Flop came and brought 10c Ah Kh. Then I checked it to him while he opted to go all in. I then called and he showed he had Jh, 10s.

Later, the final two cards were 5h 8h.

The incident actually bothered me for some time though I knew then it was just a plain bad beat. It happened not only once but many times.

I thought it was just actually tough to play against maniacs and I’m still far from being a professional. However, I believe I am a smart player.

I’m thinking now if everything is all because of the way I play hands. I’m usually afraid to slow play and milk a pot. Similarly, I’m afraid to call all ins with great preflop cards. I don’t like playing too tight and skittish however I always get blindsided.

Now, I wanted to ask the following:

  1. Do you know any good way how to lessen the maniac effect on me? And do you think I’ll be much better at higher stakes tables?
  2. Was everything because of bad luck and for that I just have to continue playing without any trouble?

Thanks in advance!

Rolls
Rolls,

  1. Bad beats happen at low and high stakes alike. Remember, when you are a good player, bad beats will happen. It is a part of poker. The key is to not let it affect your play. Continue to make good decisions and the results will even out in the end.
  2. Exactly. This was just bad luck. Your play was fine. I would be happy if every time I called an all in my opponent had to catch runner runner to beat me. The majority of the time I am going to win. Remember, you will still lose a percentage of the time. That’s just a normal part of the game.

Trouble at Home Tournaments

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About 6 months ago, I started playing holdem. I was usually into small home games with 6-8 people. Well, I’m glad as I almost had all the games down. Fair enough as in the event I didn’t win, I’m on the top 3 players.

But later on, I decided to try larger tourneys with 25 people. I had problems then and found things to be harder.

In one of the tourneys, starting blinds were 25/50 and was actually increasing every 17 minutes. By the way, there was 1600-2000 worth of chips each player.

I must admit now that I was confused then. I don’t know what to do.

Now, I’m curious if you have any advice on how to best play with a set-up like the one I mentioned. Back then, I don’t know how to deal with the blinds. Well, I’ve made the final table 3 out of the 5 times. Actually, the first two times I had no chips left so I was forced to go all in.

If I remember it right, the last time I was at the final table, I probably was in the middle in terms of chip stacks. Earlier part, short stack players kept going all-in while I was not having any hands. I can’t call bets then. At some point, I was dealt pocket queens and then called. Later on the flop, he caught an A. I thought of doubling up in case I go on then.

Any thoughts or advice? I know your the best person to help me to have some of the stuff get going.

Thanks!

Berner
Berner,

Early on in a larger tournament you need to play a little tighter, but as the blinds start to move up, you need to loosen up your requirements some and also start to steal blinds more. This should help you some. When at the final table and a lot of short stacks are constantly going all-in, you need to find spots either to steal blind, or if the short stacks are not a significant portion of your stack, try and gamble some to knock them out.

How to Close the Deal?

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Hello,

For more than a month now, I’ve been playing holdem online. Just weeks ago, I decided to improve my skills as I already considered the game fun and exciting. I started to add more hours to my playing time and then make some adjustments with how I see my cards. I also stopped focusing on how other players play. Well, all my efforts eventually paid off. In a WPT tourney, I ended having the 7th place.

Luckily, I got then the chance to see your site. Thanks to you and your site as I was able to learn not only what the good cards are but also what the bad ones are. I was also able to learn how to play, when to play, so on and so forth.

Because of the many things I learned, in a $1 tourney just recently, I was the 2nd placer out of 1300 players who joined. And in a $5 tourney early this morning, I was in the 24th place out of 900, not so bad I believe.

Despite the achievements I got, I still have some questions to ask. One of the most intriguing to me actually is the one about closing the deal. How do you actually close the deal? In the two recent events where I got the 2nd and 24th place, I had high chip count later part. I tried to play loosely then and tried two bluffs as well. I’m thinking of posting and folding then but I’m not sure.

Hope to hear from you soon.

Thanks!

Engelbert
Englebert,

In the later part of the tournament you need to punish the short stacks and force them to either play for all their chips or lay down. Don’t get into too many big confrontations with big stacks unless you have a strong hand. Otherwise, try and see flops cheaply and punish your opponents when you hit the board strong.

When you get to the last few players, open up your hand ranges a bit to try and take the win. Two big cards, any ace, any pair, and large suited cards are strong hands 4 handed through heads up. Otherwise, continue to play small pot poker and see cheap flops.

What’s Best for Newbie Couples?

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Hello,

This coming Saturday, me and my friends will be hosting a very low stakes tournament. Entry will be $5 only. We intend to have couples with no real poker experience at the tournament.

Do you think limit holdem will be effective for newbie couples? Personally, I think it will be easier for those guys if bets and raises are fixed. Also, we don’t like very quick eliminations. Any thoughts?

Thanks in advance!

Zemble
Zemble,

Limit Holdem is a fantastic option for newbies. It allows for a lot of play and if they take a bad beat, they will not lose their stack in one hand. It also makes it simpler when the bets are fixed.

Not Sure About My Call

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I was in a game of $10 buy-in last week. Earlier part of the game, I was the chip leader with pocket 6s and a flopped set. However, later on, my cards dried up, therefore I had to tighten up. Also, my stack decreased after I paid blinds.

Following rounds and I folded, also limped into hands with suited connectors. I was in the small blind when I was dealt AQ suited. A certain player called the blind while others folded without doubts.

Later, I had to raise 2,000 hoping to steal or else have some excitement and then win the pot. Unfortunately, I was re-raised by the big blind, the second-biggest stack. Others folded immediately while I called afterwards.

Few seconds passed and he flipped over Jacks.

Now I was thinking if I made the right call. What’s your thoughts on this?

Thanks!

Irwin
Irwin,

Both of you woke up with big hands in the blinds. A-Q against just the big blind is usually a favorite. He just happened to wake up with a pair. You still had over cards however.

I would like more information on your stack. If you were short stacked, then this call was fine. If you had a medium or larger stack, then this may have been a poor call as this was one of the stacks that could bust you.

Overall I think that it was a case of two reasonable hands going to war and you happened to be on the short end of the stick.

Playing With My Trips

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Hi,

I played no limit tournament just at home the other day. A very intriguing hand came up at some point.

In the big blind then with Q3 I checked to see the flop against a not so aggressive player. Flop came and brought QJ2. Then he placed a bet and so I called considering I had top-pair and weak kicker. Turn followed and was another Q. He went all in, quite disturbed as he had larger stack.

Eventually, I called. I then discovered he only had a J and was just having fun all along. Later, I was so glad as I was able to double up and then had him out after few hands.

Any thoughts regarding how I played?

Thank you in advance.

Fraser
Fraser,

Considering your kicker, you played that about as well as you could hope for. I would have called his all in there too. He could have had A-Q or a hand such as was shown.

You were big blind, flopped well, turned a set, and then took his stack. Not bad for a big blind special.

At a Rounders Tournament

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Hi,

I joined a rounders tournament the other night. I remember the buy in was 5 $ but only in the first level.

There were two top players at the table then and both moved on to the next level hoping to get the $3000 first prize.

I was in level three when three remained. The chip leader then had 10,000 while I had 8,000 being the second. The other guy had only approximately 2,000. By the way, blinds were 150 and 300.

On the button, I was dealt JJ. Big blind then folded. What I did next was that I doubled my bet up to 2,400. Consequently, I called. Flop then followed and brought 2 4 10 rainbow and so he checked to me. I then went all in. Suddenly, he called and the flipped QQ. River and turn came but there was no Jack, therefore I lost.

If you were on my shoes that night, what might have you done? Any advice?

Thanks!

Triem
Triem,

I would have made a bet about ¾ of the pot. Chances are he would have raised you all-in. With the flop the way it came, I probably would have called the all in.

Either event, I would have been all-in on the flop too considering there was no reraise. It is hard to put someone on an overpair when they didn’t raise.

You ran into a bigger hand. Sorry about your bad luck.

On Home Tournaments

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Hello,

I’m planning to play holdem this coming weekend along with some close friends. We want to have fun and play all night, maybe for 5-6 hours. However, all of us don’t want to place big amount of money so we just all agreed that every participant will put in max of 40$.

I am actually expecting that because everyone wants to play for most of the evening, every player will more or less play tightly. Because of this, I’m now thinking to make the game a little more exciting. What if there’ll be 4 tournaments of 10$ each? And per tournament every player will be given about 800$ of chips? I believe that by doing this, the player will become more aggressive on the table. But on the better side, in the event he looses all his chips, there is still a big possibility that he will play more. What do you think?

By the way, your site is so great and helpful. Thanks a lot!

Barillari
Barillari,

You could also think about having a slow moving blind structure. Maybe with 30 minute levels and start the blinds low and then double them every half hour. This will allow for a lot more play. Your other option would be to have a Limit Holdem tournament. Fixed betting will all for some more action, but not so much where players will want to play like a rock all the time.

Hard to Win at Live Tournaments

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Hi there!

I’m having problems now with regards to winning at live tournaments specifically those friendly ones.

Monday night I played and in the big blind had 7-6. Flop came and was 5-8-9. Thus, I then got a straight. My opponent back then was obviously a newbie and so my focus was not much to him but to the pot instead. I wanted to have as many chips into the pot actually. Luckily, I was able have a few.

Then turn came and was a K. My opponent afterwards went all in, well, it was because of my convincing power. River followed and was a Q. He then was able to have a straight, a straight that was far better than mine.

Just to share with you another incident. Last night in a certain event I had A-10. Flop came and was Q-10-3. My opponent then placed a big amount while I placed him on a bluff. I thought he would fold then and so I raised all in. Unfortunately, I was wrong as he didn’t fold instead he called with K-7o.

With those two events, what do you think was wrong with me? Have I played too aggressively? Any advice?

Thanks!

Best regards,
Hutchin
Hutchin,

In the first hand, you just got unlucky. You had your opponent all-in and your were ahead.

The second hand you did play a little aggressive, but you were indeed ahead when he called you. I’m assuming that the player caught a king as you asked what you did wrong there.

In both cases you were ahead when the player went all-in. For situations like those, you can only get your money in as a favorite and hope the cards cooperate to keep you ahead until the end.

At an Online Tournament

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Hello,

Just the other night, I joined an online tournament with $10 buy in. Earlier, I was moved to a new table with approximately $7500, this was in chips. By the way, I started with $5000 and the blinds back then were at $100/200 and were moving almost twice just within 30 minutes.

I believe the room was filled with loose players as well as tight players. At some point, I was able to have pocket fives in the BB. Few minutes and middle position player, player in cutoff, and on the button limped in. SB folded and I just checked. Flop came and brought 765 rainbow, thus giving me a set of 5s. I then placed $800 bet while middle position player folded. For approximately $2200 player in cutoff moved all-in. Player on button followed for approximately $7000, that eventually had me covered. I then called though there was much risk as I was hoping the board would be a pair.

Later, player in cutoff turned over J7 unsuited while player on button had 43 unsuited. Turn and river came but were blanks and so I was busted out.

Now as I look back, I know I’ve committed couple of mistakes. I believe I should have raised pre-flop. It was an honest mistake as I believe there are too many loose and strange calls in small buy-in tournaments that actually make effective reading and bluffing not possible. I also believe that I should have considered the idea that the button had the straight or at least had a hand that had me beat. Any thoughts?

Thanks in advance!

Regards,
Gifford
Gifford,

I think you played correctly preflop. Pocket fives are really not a raising hand. Raising may have thinned the field, but you said the field was a mixed bag. A raise may or may not have worked. Pocket fives are limping hand, in the hopes to flop a set.

Beyond that, I think you played the hand find. You flopped a set, bet and then the cutoff moved all in. The button flopped a near miracle hand and moved all in. You were correct to call the bets. Also remember that you had 8 outs to still win after the flop.

I would have played it the same way and probably went broke too.