Worst Day Yet

Holy Shit, on Tuesday this week I took the largest loss of the year yet in one session. I went to the Hideaway with a positive attitude and played some shorthanded $10-20 and $15-25. I know the structure is funny, but the max bet with a bet and three raises is capped at $100 so $25 is the max bet on the turn and river. I continued to run horrible, suck outs galore. You play a lot more hands shorthanded, and I missed just about every flop. When I did get a read on a bluff I was right most of the time then got beat on the river. Shorthanded is a lot more feel and reading small edges when both players miss. You are working on small edges and small percentages, so reads are important and how the cards fall one way or the other makes a much larger difference. If the cards run the same for everyone, the extra value bets should add up, and your bluffs should work as well. I did not take a bunch of horrible beats just beats on small variances of cards not falling your way. You would think that some of those marginal hands would come down your way. Almost 80-90% went bad for me on the river at showdown. I only played for 4 hours and quit when this 3 handed hand came up. Me on the button with QJh, I raise sb mucks, BB calls. Flop comes JJ3, one spade. SB bets, I raise. SB calls. Turn A of spades. SB check, I bet. River 2 of spades. SB checks, I bet, SB calls. He turns over 3,6 spades for a flush. First of all I was astounded that he called a raise with 3,6, but hey it was suited and we are playing three handed no huge problem here. Second flop has to come JJ3. Tough to put me on a J three handed, but does he have to hit his small pair to keep him in the pot. Then spade on turn gives him some extra outs to spade cards, rather than running 3's. He did not know he was drawing dead to one three or his 6. 8 outs on turn and one of them hits. Ouch, lose another big pot. I never went on tilt, I kept a positive attitude the whole time, I just lost again. I really focused on not getting mad or whining. I succeeded in that aspect just not winning.

I hope that this big blowout loss was the big capitulation that will now get me at least to running even with the cards. I do not think my play is bad right now. I might be making a few mistakes over the course of the night, but on the hands I win I am making some plays to get extra bets so I think it evens out. I just can't hold off the long draws, or huge underdog hands right now. Very frustrating, hell I am pissed. I think I am going to just take a full week off to cool down. For those of you who actually read to the end of this ramble the loss was $1,125 in four hours. I know, that is really bad. SJ