Why I play so crazy

[CrisBrown]

Hi Aleo,

As for self-defeating attutides, you can call it that, or you can call it simple realism. I had trash for the last 20 or 30 hands of the 2+2 SNG. With two short stacks who would be getting correct odds to call, I couldn't play any hand that I wasn't willing to take to an all-in showdown. I simply was not getting cards that I wanted to take to a showdown.

From the time the blinds hit 300/600 (the point at which I said "I guarantee I will not make the money") to the end of the tourney, my hands were: 23o, KJo (folded to 3xBB preflop raise), Q7o, 72o, J4o, 54o, 43s, J9o, 92s, 32o, Q5o, Q7o, 44 (wins the blinds), Q2s, J2o, T9s (wins the blinds), J4o, AJo (wins the blinds), ATo (loses to AQ), AQo (wins the blinds), T6o, K7o, 73s (2xBB remaining, all-in and gone).

I played every hand that I thought had a chance. All but two of the times I played, I took the blinds, but never more than the blinds. The two times I was called, I lost. With the short stacks keeping each other alive by trading chips back and forth, and the blinds eating me alive, and trash cards hand after hand after hand, I knew there was no way I could win the tournament unless: (a) I caught a big hand; (b) someone caught a big enough hand to call, but a second-best hand nonetheless; and, (c) I didn't get outdrawn. Coz I sure as hell wasn't going to win many showdowns with Q7o, J3o, etc.

Now, someone will doubtless come along and say that of course I should've called half my stack on on KJo, or that I should've tried to steal more. But if I'd called half my stack in on KJo and went bust on that hand, or I'd been caught stealing with my entire stack on a hand like J4o, I'd be hearing about how I should be more patient and wait for better cards.

Fact is, the cards weren't there. I played the few I had, but there simply were not enough premium hands to keep up with the blinds, and I wasn't getting any other hands that I was willing to risk my entire stack with on a steal. I was patient ... and I patiently lost. That's not to say I should've been less patient. There was no way I was going to finish in the money with what I was dealt.

Cris