Variance is so cruel... ...

I had my worst ever day in 25NL cash game today.

Apart from not being able to hit monster hands, when I do hit monsters, I bumped into an even monstrous hand.

My top losses today after 5k hands:

I am extremely disappointed with how I play some of these hand. Esp the one that I lost almost 200bb with my set of 10s. I guess I got abit tilted at that time. Thus, I am going to review some of these hands here so that I won't be making these mistakes again!

I started out playing quite well, managing good folds, for example this hand:


Hand 1: Poker Stars, $0.10/$0.25 No Limit Hold'em Cash, 9 Players

BTN: $13.65 (54.6 bb)
SB: $46.22 (184.9 bb)
BB: $34.58 (138.3 bb)
UTG+1: $20.62 (82.5 bb)
UTG+2: $31.36 (125.4 bb)
Hero (MP1): $25 (100 bb)
MP2: $23.50 (94 bb)
MP3: $19.78 (79.1 bb)
CO: $105.99 (424 bb)

Preflop: Hero is MP1 with T T
2 folds, Hero raises to $0.75, 3 folds, BTN calls $0.75, SB folds, BB calls $0.50

Flop: ($2.35) T 6 J (3 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $1.85, BTN calls $1.85, BB calls $1.85

Turn: ($7.90) 5 (3 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $5.80, BTN raises to $11.05 and is all-in, BB raises to $31.98 and is all-in, Hero folds

River: ($35.80) 5 (2 players, 2 are all-in)

Results: $35.80 pot ($1.61 rake)
Final Board: T 6 J 5 5
BTN showed J J and won $34.19 ($20.54 net)
BB showed A 8 and lost (-$13.65 net)
Hero mucked T T and lost (-$8.40 net)

• The reason I made this fold is because both the villains are decent regulars at 25NL. And both of them are not expected to make rash bluff in this spot where I already show so much strength. 

A couple of hands later,  after a long dry spell and some coolers, I played this hand which I am really disgusted with how I played.

Hand 2: Poker Stars, $0.10/$0.25 No Limit Hold'em Cash, 9 Players
BTN: $12.93 (51.7 bb)
SB: $26.77 (107.1 bb)
BB: $25.35 (101.4 bb)
UTG+1: $44.92 (179.7 bb)
UTG+2: $4.21 (16.8 bb)
MP1: $29.82 (119.3 bb)
Hero (MP2): $54 (216 bb)
MP3: $30.64 (122.6 bb)
CO: $48.67 (194.7 bb)

Preflop: Hero is MP2 with T T
2 folds, MP1 raises to $0.75, Hero calls $0.75, MP3 folds, CO calls $0.75, 2 folds, BB calls $0.50

Flop: ($3.10) 7 4 T (4 players)
BB checks, MP1 checks, Hero bets $2, CO calls $2, 2 folds

Turn: ($7.10) 3 (2 players)
Hero bets $5, CO raises to $10, Hero raises to $26.25, CO calls $16.25

River: ($59.60) A (2 players)
Hero checks, CO bets $19.67 and is all-in, Hero calls $19.67

Results: $98.94 pot ($2.00 rake)
Final Board: 7 4 T 3 A
Hero showed T T and lost (-$48.67 net)
CO showed 6 5 and won $96.94 ($48.27 net)

• Villain here is a shark (big time winner). I had already marked him as a shark when I was playing at 25nl previously on normal regular tables. 
• Villain's turn min raise looks so fishy. He almost never min raise in this kind of situation. When he did min raise, I should have been more alert that he might already has the nuts and trying to confuse me with his play. 
• Well, I got confused. I was thinking, could he have called a raise with 56? Possible but really not that likely I thought?
• My blind spot? He will definitely be calling with a suited 56 since both of us are so deep and he has good implied odds to do so!
• I was made to pay for this mistake. I got stubborn and lost my whole stack when I have opportunities to get away from this. 
• I should have called his turn min raise and call another river bet provided he is not shoving. 
• I would still have lost a big pot, but certainly not my full 200bb stack! 
• Maybe, I should not even have played when I was steaming a little bit and running so bad. I should have cut my session short!

Another Hand that I played when I was tilted:


Poker Stars, $0.10/$0.25 No Limit Hold'em Cash, 9 Players

BTN: $25 (100 bb)
SB: $54.76 (219 bb)
BB: $18.73 (74.9 bb)
UTG+1: $29.72 (118.9 bb)
UTG+2: $23.65 (94.6 bb)
MP1: $41.30 (165.2 bb)
MP2: $8.78 (35.1 bb)
MP3: $67.44 (269.8 bb)
Hero (CO): $40.26 (161 bb)

Preflop: Hero is CO with K K
UTG+1 raises to $0.50, 4 folds, Hero raises to $2, 3 folds, UTG+1 calls $1.50

Flop: ($4.35) 6 J 2 (2 players)
UTG+1 checks, Hero bets $3.50, UTG+1 calls $3.50

Turn: ($11.35) 3 (2 players)
UTG+1 checks, Hero bets $8, UTG+1 calls $8

River: ($27.35) J (2 players)
UTG+1 bets $16.22 and is all-in, Hero calls $16.22

Results: $59.79 pot ($2 rake)
Final Board: 6 J 2 3 J
UTG+1 showed T J and won $57.79 ($28.07 net)
Hero showed K K and lost (-$29.72 net)

• The reason I called his river shove is because I put him on a busted flush draw based on the way he played. 
• Well, I am correct that he is really on a draw and I was way way ahead of him at the turn.
• But I am disappointed that I didnt consider that he might have a suited Jx or AJ in his range. He will certainly played like this with a suited J.
• Again, I was made to pay for this mistake. 
• Really really disgusted with my play here.