Mook Johnson
Enthusiast
Silver Level
I get knocked out of more tournaments and lose more money with AQ than any other hand. Actually, queens in general tend to bend me over, but especially that damn AQ. Suited or unsuited it matters not, as when I look down at those two cards in a hold 'em game, I know I'm going to lose. The psychology of this paradox is most certainly contributing to my misplaying of hands, but c'mon, after a while don't I need to win with a damn queen once in a while. Listen to these hands and tell me what you think.
My first negative experience with the evil AQ came around the fourth of July last summer at the boat in Gary, IN. My wife was out of town for the weekend and I was going on 16 hours of playing $3-$6 limit hold 'em. I had been up a few hundred bucks in the wee hours of the morning, but had fallen into a pattern of horrible cards and cold decks for the hours prior. This was a kill pot, so the action was actually $6 and $12. There was a flurry of raises and reraises both before and after the flop. I had AQ suited in hearts. The flop was 5h 3d 8h. I was getting as much money as I could in as I just knew I was going to hit a heart on the turn or the river. The turn was a blank, but I was overjoyed when I hit the 3h on the river with two other players still in the hand. I didn't even consider that the board had paired. I don't know if it was fatigue or what, but I just kept betting and I just knew I was going to rake in the pot that had grown to almost $500 with my nut flush. I couldn't even gather the words to speak when the dude sitting two seats to my left flipped over 53 for the winning full house.
I lost the biggest pot of my life in a ring game last summer with a pair of ladies versus big slick at an Indian casino in Iowa. It was late and this was a small room so the place was pretty much empty. The dealer actually said that it was going to be the last hand before they called it quits until the morning crew came in. I didn't have a problem as I was up a couple hundred bucks and there was only four players left. For this last hand I'm in the big blind, only $2. Under the gun raised it up to $10 and the cut off called. The small blind folded and it was to me. I looked down at QQ. The guy to my left was actually a dealer that got off about midnight and had been playing for a few hours. I didn't think he was much of a player so I didn't hesitate to reraise his initial bet with my ladies. He looks back down at his cards and declares that he's all in. The other guy quickly folded and it was on me to make a big decision. Honestly, I thought he was just trying to make a move. He had dealt to me earlier in the night when I was playing very tight on my limited budget. I decided to call. I wasn't surprised when he turned over AK and I thought I might just win the classic race. At least I didn't have AQ! He hit an Ace right out the gate and there was nothing but rags all the way to the river. I walked out into the morning light hating queens more than ever and broke after losing a pot of over $500.
There have been other times that AQ has screwed me over, but the last story I can recall right now is from online at Full Tilt in a 90 player sit 'n go. I started winning on the first hand when I doubled up with KK. I was the chip leader until there was only about 30 players left. The top 18 made the money. I got too aggressive with Qh Jd. Yes, queen again! Grrrrr. The flop came 8 10 J, all hearts. I had top pair and a flush draw so I put out a pot sized bet. I got two callers. The turn was a blank, but I knew I still had 16 outs and I might have already had the best hand. I overbet the pot and had one call. The river was another 10 and I knew I could be in trouble, but the other guy only had 1,300 chips left so I put him all in. He called with AA and I went from 1st to 15th in one stupid hand. I knew I had to change speeds and just try to make the money, but with only 20 players left I got AQ in late position. Should I have let it go based on my history with the hand, I don't know. I moved in my last 7,000 and got called by the big blind with JJ. I jumped out of my chair when I hit an Ace on the flop. It took me about 10 seconds to realize that he made a set with a third jack. AQ screwed me again. Late.
Mook
My first negative experience with the evil AQ came around the fourth of July last summer at the boat in Gary, IN. My wife was out of town for the weekend and I was going on 16 hours of playing $3-$6 limit hold 'em. I had been up a few hundred bucks in the wee hours of the morning, but had fallen into a pattern of horrible cards and cold decks for the hours prior. This was a kill pot, so the action was actually $6 and $12. There was a flurry of raises and reraises both before and after the flop. I had AQ suited in hearts. The flop was 5h 3d 8h. I was getting as much money as I could in as I just knew I was going to hit a heart on the turn or the river. The turn was a blank, but I was overjoyed when I hit the 3h on the river with two other players still in the hand. I didn't even consider that the board had paired. I don't know if it was fatigue or what, but I just kept betting and I just knew I was going to rake in the pot that had grown to almost $500 with my nut flush. I couldn't even gather the words to speak when the dude sitting two seats to my left flipped over 53 for the winning full house.
I lost the biggest pot of my life in a ring game last summer with a pair of ladies versus big slick at an Indian casino in Iowa. It was late and this was a small room so the place was pretty much empty. The dealer actually said that it was going to be the last hand before they called it quits until the morning crew came in. I didn't have a problem as I was up a couple hundred bucks and there was only four players left. For this last hand I'm in the big blind, only $2. Under the gun raised it up to $10 and the cut off called. The small blind folded and it was to me. I looked down at QQ. The guy to my left was actually a dealer that got off about midnight and had been playing for a few hours. I didn't think he was much of a player so I didn't hesitate to reraise his initial bet with my ladies. He looks back down at his cards and declares that he's all in. The other guy quickly folded and it was on me to make a big decision. Honestly, I thought he was just trying to make a move. He had dealt to me earlier in the night when I was playing very tight on my limited budget. I decided to call. I wasn't surprised when he turned over AK and I thought I might just win the classic race. At least I didn't have AQ! He hit an Ace right out the gate and there was nothing but rags all the way to the river. I walked out into the morning light hating queens more than ever and broke after losing a pot of over $500.
There have been other times that AQ has screwed me over, but the last story I can recall right now is from online at Full Tilt in a 90 player sit 'n go. I started winning on the first hand when I doubled up with KK. I was the chip leader until there was only about 30 players left. The top 18 made the money. I got too aggressive with Qh Jd. Yes, queen again! Grrrrr. The flop came 8 10 J, all hearts. I had top pair and a flush draw so I put out a pot sized bet. I got two callers. The turn was a blank, but I knew I still had 16 outs and I might have already had the best hand. I overbet the pot and had one call. The river was another 10 and I knew I could be in trouble, but the other guy only had 1,300 chips left so I put him all in. He called with AA and I went from 1st to 15th in one stupid hand. I knew I had to change speeds and just try to make the money, but with only 20 players left I got AQ in late position. Should I have let it go based on my history with the hand, I don't know. I moved in my last 7,000 and got called by the big blind with JJ. I jumped out of my chair when I hit an Ace on the flop. It took me about 10 seconds to realize that he made a set with a third jack. AQ screwed me again. Late.
Mook