I am reminded of this old quote as I contemplate the billions of "bad beat" stories that have likely been told since cards, and especially poker were invented. Most veteran players are tired of hearing them...they believe they have seen and heard it all and they are probably right. But if you play poker regularly, you have yet to hear your last one - one of your pals will surely lay one you and soon.
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| From another...better day. |
And now I am sure you have guessed it. Here is yet another.
Just yesterday, playing a World Series of Poker circuit Senior (age 50+) event, I was hanging around with an average starting chip stack of 10k an hour and a half or so into the tournament. The action came to me and I looked down at a pocket pair of Tens. I raised to 4 times the big blind as I wasn't too anxious to see a call. Surprisingly, four players stuck around. Flop was little card, King, little card.
The player, I'll call him "Individual 1" ahead of me bet and I hung around as I wasn't too sure he had a king - I was cautious about hanging on with a lesser hand but bored* from folding so many earlier hands and wanted to see more cards. The other two players folded. Turn was another king. Individual 1 doubled his previous bet but it wasn't much of dig into my remaining stack so I called. Besides, I was still trying to decide whether he had a king. The final card, the "river" was a 10 giving me a full house.
Individual 1 again increased his bet. I thought; "Yup, he's got a set of Kings but I got him!" I acted a little...looking at my cards then looking at the tournament clock then looking at him. Finally, with a reluctant air, said "all in." Individual 1 said; "I gotta' call" and turned over...a King-Ten off-suit making him the winner and me the opposite of a winner. Now, many players and books would suggest he didn't have strong enough hand to call the initial raise but nevertheless, there he was and he had me boat over boat.
Yes folks, there are billions of sad stories in poker. This has been one of them. Condolences are welcome here and yes, I should have got the hell out of that hand right after the flop.
PS - if you haven't had enough yet, there are more stories and most all are not about bad beats...thank God.
Poker in Des Moines
Don't Move! Much anyway...
Poker Face
The Perfect Muck
Moron Poker
The Clock
When You're Losing
Luck of the Draw - Where Poker Begins
Aces in Places
Profiles in Poker
Cards in the Air!
Poker is...a mofo!
Poker...More on "Dat Metaphor"
Pocket Aces - Dat Metaphor
Chasing the "Cheese"
Veni. Vidi. Velveeta.
The "River"
*Note: "Bored" is an extremely dangerous attitude in tournament, or for that matter any other kind of poker. If this happens you lose focus and when you lose that you will very likely get zapped.
