My first WSOP tourny of 2006
The most frustrating thing to me about tournament poker is playing awesome, not making any mistakes, building your stack, then just getting the rug ripped out from under you by someone’s bad play. Poker definitely has some luck to it, and lately I just seem to be the on the wrong end of it.
Played in the 2.5K NL event yesterday and was cruising. I had a way above average stack when I sat down at my new table. I raised from early position with AKd and got called in 3 places. Flop came Kxx and I bet pretty big, and got called. I didn’t know the sytles of any of the players at the table, but I did recognize Erick Lindgren. The turn brought another blank and he checks to me, so I made another large bet. He then goes all-in. After thinking for awhile, he could only have made this play with at least 2 pair, so I folded.
My stack was now about average when right before the 2nd break, disaster struck. I pick up 99 in early position again and raise 4x the blinds. Erick Lindgren calls. He seemed to be calling all my raises, and it’s pretty nerve wracking playing a pro from in front. The flop came 633, so I bet 1200, which was almost a pot sized bet. He just called. The turn brought the 2h, so now there are two hearts on the board. I didn’t want to give him a chance to outplay me. I couldn’t put him on TT or better and I didn’t see him calling my raise with A3, so the only thing I was kind of worried about is 66. But if he had it, he had it, so with that conclusion, I pushed. He insta-called 1/2 his stack with (drum roll please) 6h7h !! I said “What?” My heart sank when the dealer flipped over the Qh for his flush. I was just flabergasted. I don’t understand how anyone, especially a pro, can play like this. I just wish I understood what goes on in their mind to make a call like this. Oh well, such is poker, but after doing so well, it’s pretty infuriating to go down like that. I am very pleased with my play lately though, so I can’t wait for the next event.