How could I have played this better?

Nicebrew

Nicebrew

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Hello again!

I am once again in awe, cursing pokerstars and shouting at my computer screen because of a bad beat. let me explain.

I'm on the BTN with QQ and the CO raises to about 3bbs.

I re-raise to 12bbs, the blinds fold and the CO is the only other one to call.

The flop comes pretty dry - 2 5 8 rainbow and he bets about 1.5x the pot.

I am shallow as it is and take this opportunity to shove and he calls.

he has K8o and so I'm ahead but the turn is a 2 and the river is a K.

It is these kind of hands where I feel like I'm falling down because I know I'm ahead, I try to get as much value as possible and then it ends up cracked.

Very frustrating, any advice is welcome.

Nicebrew.
 
makisaa

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It happens!! Depends from the course of the game. You did a right move. Even if you had AA he could get a straight, so do not bother!:cool:
 
Nicebrew

Nicebrew

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It happens!! Depends from the course of the game. You did a right move. Even if you had AA he could get a straight, so do not bother!:cool:

Thanks man!

I am just wondering if this is avoidable at all?

Any techniques I can employ to perhaps limit my losses or avoid the situation entirely.

Nicebrew.
 
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ph_il

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What were the exact stack sizes?

Given the size of the raises preflop + the blinds, there is 25.5 BBs in the pot preflop. You opponent bets 1.5x the pot, which is ~38 BBs. Unless you made a mistake on the size of your opponent's flop bet, there should be ~63.5 BBs.

When you say you're shallow, I'm guessing you have less than 2x the CO's flop bet or less than 76 BBs. So, it's possible you're sitting on between 40-60+ BBs, give or a take a few. I know it can't be less because you shoved over the flop bet and your opponent called. So, with that known, it's very likely you're shoving less than your opponent's flop bet, making it a pretty 'easy' call for you opponent depending on your total stack size. Easy if you're just shoving 2 more BBs over their flop bet, but maybe not as easy if you're shoving 25 BBs over their flop bet. Though, with TPGK, it's hard for your opponent to fold getting a good price to call with what could be the best hand.

So, what could you have done differently? Nothing at all. You play it perfectly. You raised it preflop to isolate and got more money in the middle. And then you got full value getting your opponent to commit the rest of you chips in the middle when they were a huge underdog and you were a huge 80% favorite to win after the flop.

You got your money in good as a huge favorite and that's all you can ask for in these situation. Don't dwell on the times your opponent gets lucky when they're behind and focus more on making the best, +EV moves that mean more in the long term.

So, nice hand. Well played; just unlucky.
 
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ph_il

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Thanks man!

I am just wondering if this is avoidable at all?

Any techniques I can employ to perhaps limit my losses or avoid the situation entirely.

Nicebrew.
No, it's not avoidable at all. As long as there are cards to still be seen you don't have the absolute nuts, your hands are subject to being cracked. It just how poker is.

Like I mentioned in my earlier reply, it's a long term game. So, the more times you get your money in ahead, to more you make in the long run.

You also have to remember that tournaments require a lot of luck and taking advantage of a lot small edges to get deep into a tournament. You're never going to get deep in an MTT without winning a few flips; either ahead or behind. Getting your money in as an 80% favorite vs a 20% underdog with 2 cards to come is a dream situation. In late stages of MTTs when stacks are shallow vs blinds, you might have to take even smaller edges like 50/50 flips or 60/40 flips preflop and with 5 cards to come to run deep. This is a much different situation than an 80/20 with 2 cards to come because you're winning that so many times.

So, don't be upset you lost as a huge favorite, but be happy that you got your money in good because of how much it pays off in the long run. Easier said than done, I'm sure, but again, poker is a long term game and losing a few games here and there is part of reaching that FT and eventual win. Even the best MTT grinders lose a ton of hands/MTTs before big scores.
 
CRStals

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The skill of poker is making the right reads, and the right calls in situations.

The luck comes when the money's all in.

In the above, in my opinion you played it right. Re-raise pre was good, the all-in read on the flop was correct, you got unlucky.

Poker is very much like the stock market - if you make the right calls on stock to buy, in the long run you will be profitable. Looking at your portfolio day to day and seeing swings down could force you into decisions you don't want. Point though, stick to your read, make the right calls and in the long run it pays off.
 
TimovieMan

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It is these kind of hands where I feel like I'm falling down because I know I'm ahead, I try to get as much value as possible and then it ends up cracked.

Very frustrating, any advice is welcome.
The best advice I can give you is to think of this in the long-term, and not to focus on the results of this one hand.

Your money went in as an 80% favourite.
That means for every dollar you put in the pot, you could expect 0.60$ in return. (0.8*1)-(0.2*1)
I will gladly take that bet all day long.

Any techniques I can employ to perhaps limit my losses or avoid the situation entirely.
You WANT situations like this!

You can't focus on this one hand that you lost. If you played this exact situation a hundred times, you'd win 80 times!
You made the correct decision, and it will bring you money in the long run.

That you lost in this particular occasion, that's just variance. If your decision was correct, but the variance hit you, you need to smile and carry on. Even though you lost, you actually won by making the +EV decision.

Once you realize this, you'll have a better grip on tilt as well. ;)
 
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