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It's been a while since I've posted. In fact, I made three points the first day that I created this blog and haven't posted one yet. Anyways, I've taken a few beats tonight playing on Ultimate Bet, and I needed a way to vent. So far I've played in 4 $20 SNG's on the day, have taken first in one, 3rd in another, took 10th in another, and am short-stacked in another. At a glance, I have profitted $74 of the 3 SNG's that I have played not including the one that I am currently in. But here are just two of the beats I have taken.

First hand of a 10-person $20 SNG, I pick up 55 under the gun and decide to limp in, just calling the BB. A player two seats to my left raises it to 60, three times the BB. Here is my thinking: although I do not have a read on this individual player, I knew that he must have had a big pair (AA, KK, or QQ). I gathered this based on the fact that he was in early position and did not bet the pot which would have been 90 and he did not raise the minimum to 40. It was more of a feel thing, but I was 75% sure that he had a big pair. Everyone mucked back to me, and I called, knowing that if I could flop a set, I could double up on the first hand. The flop came J-10-5 - a perfect flop. I decided to disguise my hand by betting about 2/3 of the pot into him. Sure enough he raised the pot. I could have re-raised all-in here, but decided to make sure that I got all of his chips, so I just called. The turn was a 2, and I checked. He immediately pushed all-in, and I immediately called. Just as expected, he turns over AA. But, wouldn't you know it, the river brings an Ace - one of the only two cards in the deck that would have eliminated me. *Sigh*

The second beat wasn't as bad, considering that I was already in the money. We were down to three players when I picked up AA in the BB. I was about tied for the chip lead with the player to my left, while the other player had about 2/3 the amount that we had. The button raised the minimum to 400. I decided not to slow-play, as I had picked up on the fact that he was a calling station. I made it 1100 to go, and he called. The flop came 7-4-3 rainbow. I bet out, and he called. The turn was an 8, and I checked (with the intent of check-raising). He bet the minimum, which was kind of disappointing, but I decided to make a stand right there and put it all in for another 2000. He hesitated and called with... KK!!!! I couldn't believe it and was ecstatic that I was going to double up...unless the river brought a K!!!! *dogh*

That was very disappointing, but I have learned that those are the things that suck about poker. Because of the short-term bad luck, it is hard to see the fact that, in the long-term, those beats will even out. I believe that people DO go through long periods where bad beats reoccur over and over, and that is where being a smart player is the most important. Not going on tilt and increasing your limits is important in insuring that you maintain a bankroll. And when you're a college kid grinding out the low-limits, a long bad streak can be hard to take, but I don't believe that it is necessarilly the beats that hurt the bankroll so much as how you deal with those beats. Anyways, I'm sure that no one reads this blog, but it's just my way of writing down my thoughts.

Peace.