Thanks for playing!

Very interesting hand occurred last weekend. It's 8 handed and the game is good. UTG limps and I'm next to act with AdQs. I raise it and the next player cold calls, as does the button. The blinds fold and the limper calls.


The flop is pretty darn nice: Qd 8d 4d. Nut flush draw and top pair, top kicker. It's checked to me and I bet, the next player calls and the button folds. The limper calls and there's three players left.


The turn brings the 9d, giving me the nut flush. Checked to me, I bet. The next calls and the limper folds.


The river is the 4s. I bet and get raised. I could almost tell you with 100% certainty that he had a full house, but the pot's big, so I make the crying call. He turns over 9s4s and takes the pot with fours full.


So what do you do when stuff like this happens? I mean what the hell was this moron doing in the pot anyway? Where does he get off playing 9s4s in early position, cold calling the raise of a good player like me? And how on earth could he justify playing on once the flop came ALL DIAMONDS?!!! These are all questions that would usually get asked by the majority of players, all of whom would be pissed about having just received a major bad beat. However, there's another way to look at it, and another possible reaction you could have. How about just saying:


"Thanks for playing!"


I mean he was a HUGE dog on the flop. He was way, way, WAY behind. It really did me a whole bunch of good for him to remain in the pot. Mathematically, I was probably about an 85% favorite over him on the flop, and he certainly was feeding my pockets when he called pre-flop. So he sucked out on me. I have to think about it like this: Did I WANT him to call my flop and turn bets? Well of course the answer is YES. But, if he DOES call my flop and turn bets, and he's NOT drawing dead, what does that mean? It means that sometimes he will get lucky and draw out on me, and I will lose the pot, and even have to pay off a raise at the end. No biggie. I'll take those odds any day. Thanks for playing!


Comments welcome.


Dave in Cali

I had three sets cracked Saturday night in the first hour of play. Only one of the three players that beat my sets had a reason to be in the hand. Gotta love it. At the end of the second hour I recovered my losses and was up 10 BB.


I'm glad those players were in the game! Unfortunately by the end of the third hour, three rocks in took the places of three loose players, brining the rock total to over half the table. Nothing left to do but go home.


I read a great insight a few years back, wish I had the reference, something along the lines of: Losing a hand to one player is definately better than getting beat by another. One player only holds the money, the other keeps it. lol

That is exactly what I say to myself to keep from getting pissed. But it is still frustrating as all hell when it happens.


Earning a "theoretical" profit doesn't console me a whole bunch when they are stacking my very real chips dammit!! /images/wink.gif

You know this is not an uncommon BB. I know you are just venting. Thank the guy. Next deal.

"I know you are just venting. Thank the guy. "


Actually, I wasn't venting at all. I was winning in the game, and I actually found it amusing when I got raised on the river. I wasn't pissed at him at all. For all that chasing he was doing, he deserved to win ONE lousy pot! What I WAS doing was offering people an alternative way to look at things when they get dealt a bad beat. We can all sit around and bitch because some moron sucked out on us with a really dumb play, but if it wasn't for that moron TRYING to suck out by making a really bad play, we wouldn't have any beatable games at all. So when you are a collosal favorite, and someone catches runner-runner miracle cards to suck out on you in the most improbable way, just say "thanks for playing". If you can't understand and accept the idea of "theoretical profit", then you really can't be a winner at this game. You have to make the best plays you can, and accept the fact that this pays off over the long run, not the short run. Today you might get nothing but bad beats, but if you make the right play enough times, you will inevitably win.


Dave in Cali

Good one Dave.


Just when I want to leap over the felt and strangle the Mofo..I REFRIAN and say to myself...THANKS FOR PLAYING....


I'm saving your post as a REMINDER that I'm not alone.

Sorry if I misinterpreted your post as I have had similar experiences in the past.


In my last visit to LV, at Mandalay Bay, played with a local businessman, LB who was raising every pot while paying more attention to the horses. I got dealt KK at BB. Call, call, LB raised as anticipated. Folded to me, I re-raised. Everybody folded to me. I re-raised, LB called.


Flopped rags, I bet, LB glanced on the TV screen, called.


Turn 2, I bet, LB glanced on TV, called.


River, 3 I bet, LB called.


I turned over my cards, LB showed 23o. He did not even raised! I took I deep breath, smiled wryly and excused myself for a smoke. He wind up giving up about 5 big bills before the night was over which, I was told is his average donation to the cause 3 nights a week and I was one of the benefactor that evening. Just like what you said, "Thanks for playing".