Still Bad

Billy Mack: Hiya kids. Here is an important message from your Uncle Bill. Don't buy drugs. Become a pop star, and they give you them for free.

"Love Actually"

My frustrating run with poker continues, as I seem to have lost confidence in any hand. While I continue to make great laydowns, the bad laydowns are now starting to become more frequent. Even when other people make bad plays, then they are getting lucky as well which further adds to the frustration. I did get very lucky on one hand on Friday night, but that was again against a short stack so the pay off was minimal. To make matters even worse, I've become so down with this run that I can't help but whinge about it.

The final straw was when I finally hit something decent, with KJs and the third spade coming on the river. I was able to draw for cheap to it and was glad that the board had not paired (did have a 4-straight but I didn't concern myself with that). The pot was small and heads up, so the other player comes out betting $6. I raise it $10 and then he instantly goes all-in for $107. What can you do? There is only one hand he could do that with, and I folded the nuts-1 without much thought. He then says "Oh, I didn't see the flush" and he thought his straight was good. Ouch.

I am now back to just above even for the year after getting myself out of a major hole, and have really lost my nerve. I made a terrible play later on but since I have such a tight image it paid off small – was actually probably the biggest pot of the night for me. Board was AQJ3, and I had Q3. First to act bets $6, second calls and I pushed all in for $90. I thought they both might have a good ace or a straight draw and fold, or maybe even get a call from AK. First to act things long and hard, and I am totally playing my act as "Well, you fold for 8 hours you think you get a reputation". Thankfully my poorly timed play is offset by my well played act and the second player believes I have the straight. I'm glad I didn't convince the first player, because he had JJ and even if he knew I had the straight, he would have called thinking he had so many outs. I'm not saying that's a good play, it's just how he would have played it. Instead, he had JJ and thought I had QQ. That's the only reason he folded, which would make more sense since he would only have one out in that case and more in the other.

But that is where we stand. I have been on fire online in the SNG's, though after Friday night I believe my damaged goods led into a few losses there as well. I managed to get all the loses back in the cash game thanks to one player who was for some reason all too willing to give his chips away. KJ4 flop, I have J4 and put myself all-in, he called with 33. Thanks…I guess.

Poker On Film is on a break next week, as I am heading home for some gambling fun of a different kind. My home town has a yearly horse racing event that still stands strong no matter how bad things are in the city (and things are pretty good in the city at the moment). This will be the first time I have been there in more than 10 years I think, so looking forward to that.