Why the game is really about luck

I've really come to appreciate luck and how is just affects every ounce of the game all day. Now, poker will always be a skill game, but it's really just all luck at times and it sucks.

I had a good result yesterday with a 4th place finish in the Full Tilt 163 for around 4500. The problem with these finishes is that for the second consecutive big final table, I ran extremely poorly (barring one hand).

I can't even get into PokerTracker to retrieve the hands right now for some reason and it's kind of irritating me.

I had KK as chip leader on BB with 11 players left, a short stack shoved for about 30k another guy called 30k of his 75k. I shove thinking he has to call, but the caller folds and the other guy shows Ad3d. He runs out the diamond flush on the river. Then we get to the final table. Right away, I raise the button and BB short stack moves in and I have to call with AJ and lose to QQ.

Then I pick up AK and lose to and AQ shove. After this hand, I am just steaming out of my mind. I have A10 and raise it up. Big blind call and flop comes Kc 10c x. He shoves his stack of about 80k into the approximately 40k pot. I made the call probably on a whirlwind of tilt and he showed K10. I puked and walked downstairs and I was about to quit the game and leave Vegas entirely when my roommate yells "Hey you clown you won the pot." I was refreshed and thought it could have been my break.

I then won an all in with AA vs 10 10 and I was again chipleader.

Then, I have AK on BB. A good internet player shoves for 89k with blinds 3k/6k 750 ante. I can't remember how many chips I had at this point but over 200k, so it was an easy call and he showed 88 and won the race.

Then we played around for a while and while table played incredibly weak tight except for two good players, I was the one getting reraised every hand.

When we were down to 4, I had to call the short stack with 10 8 and he showed 9 7. He binked a 7 on the river and I puked.

Then he won 99 vs KQ when he hit a K.

Then I lost with KJ vs A7 good game. Win a race please.


I ended up winning a 55 PL Omaha Hi/Lo tourney for about 1000 later in the night and had a good 4500 day after all the buy ins and small cash game loss.


Come today, I again felt like I played well throughout the day and just got knocked out before the money in 3 different bigger tourneys. Then I played a guy heads up NL 1/2. I was up about 2 buy ins on him ($400) when this hand comes up.

I have 33 and raise to $6. He reraises to $20 and at the time, I was really outplaying this guy throughout the hour we were playing. He just really didn't stand much of a chance over the long run. I had just given back about $200 to him and I wasn't happy about it. We both have around $450. I call with the 33. Flop comes A 10 3. He checks and he did this often when he just wanted to give up three-betting light. I checked behind. Turn was a 2. This time he checked again, so I was pretty sure he had nothing at this point so I bet $25 hoping to get some action. He raises to $80. At this point I'm positive he has a strong hand and really I'm just hoping for AK or A10 as he has tried to make big hero calls so I shove all of my chips in there and he calls shows 10 10 good game. So set over set in a heads up cash game happens just about never, but always seems to get me real good. I'm happy with the last couple of days though because I played about as bad as I have for a period of 3-4 days and was not happy about it.

I'll probably play some Saturday tourneys and watch some basketball tomorrow. I don't think I've won on a Saturday since I won the Absolute Poker tournament for $37,500 in June. I just never seem to get anything going on these days and play too many tournaments. The plan for tomorrow is going to be play at max 2 big ones (over $100) and then play the rest at smaller levels. When I have all my focus on one table, I really feel like I can compete with anyone in this game. When I have my focus on 9 tables, I'm just playing cards and missing a lot of details.


Congratulations to Lebron James for breaking the Cavaliers scoring record tonight in a statement game where we walked over Toronto. I would not want to be the team that has to play this guy in the playoffs. I'm already prepared to talk as much smack as I can to any Boston fan ready to go at me.


My bracket is pretty much bust as I had Vanderbilt going to the Elite 8 and they simply embarrassed me tonight along with their entire college. They got drilled by 13 seed Siena. The only thing Siena reminds me of is the crayon color I used to play with when I was 4 called burnt sienna. Seriously, I have no idea where this college is so I'm going to guess the first ten states and see if I can get it right.

1. Washington
2. Missouri
3. Kansas
4. California
5. Pennsylvania
6. Indiana
7. Arizona
8. New Mexico
9. Utah
10. Georgia
11. Alabama
12. New York
13. Connecticut


OK if I haven't guessed it yet, it will just be random. I can't wait to Google this and check it out.


WE HAVE A WINNER AT NUMBER 12 NEW YORK!!!!

Congratulations Vanderbilt for blowing it!!