Poker sucks

Indeed it does. I probably need a long break from the game after the atrocity that was the month of May. While I definitely can say I didn't play on average my best game overall for the month, I feel like I played fairly solid for the most part. Whatever that means. The large downswing made me think a lot about whether or not I can handle the game, whether I'm lucky enough or good enough to still play well amidst a downswing, and whether or not its worth learning to cope with it at all.

Downswings absolutely kill a poker players confidence. I've found myself questioning tons of standard plays and making poor plays regularly. I've taken notice lately even that when I do play that my stress level seems to be higher than normal and that nervousness when I flop a straight that I'm still going to lose the pot by some miracle comes back again. I'm hoping for a much more successful June, and still strive to learn and grow both as a poker player and as a person in general.

Okay, now that that's out of the way onto some hilarious hands.


I'm sitting in what seems to be the worst game I've sat in in a while. Everyone plays tight and passive. There is barely any action around at all on this table. Lots of folding preflop and no loose drawing on the flop etc.

1st hand, this was by far the most action this table was ever going to get

UTG limps, I limp next in with JT of clubs, like 2 or 3 more players limp and then the cut-off (2nd to last to act postflop) raises, button calls, both blinds call, now I reraise for awesomeness. Everyone calls up to the small blind who wants to make gamble and caps it for 4 bets.

We are now a massive 7x4 small bets (1 small bet = 20$) w/o a flop between 7 people
Flop: Kc8d2s
sb checks, bb now bets out, utg folds, I call because any 79TJQA and any club gives me 4 outs or more at the cost of only 28:1 (1 small bet to win 28). Some others call can't remember but its probably 4 or 5 to the turn
Turn: 3h
complete brick, bb bets, I fold, 2 guys call. with one of them yelling for a deuce
River: 2c
bb still bets and the guy who was calling for the deuce raises and last guy folds and bb calls only to see A2 to scoop up this massive pot.

Next hand has a bit of humor to it
2 limps, I raise KK in the sb, bb asks me if I'm stealing and calls and the rest call.

Flop 339
I bet, lady now raises as she says she wants to see wheres she's at, both limpers fold. and I opt to call planning to raise the turn

So far I've been dominating this olderish Chinese lady so onto the turn
Turn T
I check, she bets, and before I raise she says "please don't raise me cause then I'll have to fold". As soon as she finishes her sentence I put out my 8 chips for a raise.

River blanks off and she pays me off.

-Dan Low