I just won $42,500 and I'm incredibly disappointed by

I just won $42,500 and I'm incredibly disappointed

by SirWatts on 02/14/08

I know that's an enormous amount of money. To be able to win that much in a day I should be ecstatic. Lots of people probably don't make that in a year and just think I'm an asshole for not appreciating how lucky I am. I guess you'd have to be a poker player, in particular a tournament player, to really understand. That's just the game. I just finished 6th in the FTOPS Event #12, a $300 rebuy tournament with 6-handed tables and over 1300 players, for $42.5K. I played for 9 hours, generally getting very lucky, overcoming the few times I got unlucky, and for the most part playing some pretty damn good poker, especially towards the end. But then I ran into an unfortunate spot at the final table where I got put to a tough decision, and in retrospect, not because of the results of the hand but because of all the factors I failed to consider, I think I made a mistake which cost me tens of thousands of dollars in equity. I was so focused on just playing well and winning, and to fall short is incredibly disappointing. 1st place paid over a quarter million dollars, it was the biggest final table I've ever made, and to screw it up after getting so close is just a huge letdown.

Anyways here's the hand. It's obviously a spot that can go either way based on so many situational factors. I feel like the key factor I missed is that the villian doesn't really know much about me, and from what he's likely seen of my play probably does not think I'm very good as I've gotten my money in bad and drawn out a few times leading up to the final table when he likely had my table open to watch. He's therefore significantly less likely to be bluffing when he makes the large turn bet and I think I should have gotten away from my hand.

http://www.pokerhand.org/?2100640

For some reason I seem to go through these stretches where instead of making a lot of these good but tough folds like I usually do I just start calling everything. I had several hands like this today where I paid off big bets in spots I typically get away from, though everything is so situational some of those calls may have been correct. Anyways I'm off to replay these hands in my head a few thousand more times before I can get to sleep. Next live tournament will be the $2500 NL event on Friday, probably play some more online stuff today I guess.

Mike

9 Comments

Comments

EdmondDantes says

I'm pretty sure every top player, in every sport, remembers his losses more vividly than his wins. McEnroe likes his Wimbledon and US Open trophies, but the French Open final he yakked with a two sets to none lead over Lendl in '84 keeps him awake at night. See also, Belichick and Brady circa 2008. Nice run, nonetheless!

02/14/08

lakeoffire says

Well played tournament, Watts. Congrats! I saw when your AA was beat on the flop when the guy squeezed with 22...then the wheel showed up. ilikeaces was playing crazy lag and it must have been hard to put him/her on a monster.

02/14/08

Anonymous says

great cash..maybe when you start spending a little you will feel better :)

02/14/08

Swami54 says

When you're playing for 9 hrs and your mind is fuzzy (wasn't this like 5am?) it's easy to see TP and get excited. I know how you're feeling as I f-ed up my last final table also but you learn from your mistakes. You'll be in another one soon enough.

02/14/08

trimp (Anonymous) says

Bit of moonshine, hookers, you'll be ok. I hate that spot on the turn, I mostly fold these and I always feel like I've been outplayed when I do.

Nice score, looks like its going to be a hell of a year for you!

02/15/08

Anonymous says

Good Job!!! When you do get the big one - and I'm sure you will - you'll appreciate it even more. Keep it up!

02/15/08

lakong says

Congrats, Mike. I think you're being too hard on yourself. Given the circumstance I'm not sure if you could have gotten away from this hand. Your hand is good too much of the time for you not to make the move you did. At the minimum you would have had to call his bet and then he just pushes on the river and you would have had much too little info to fold then. I just don't see you getting away here without some great read -- a read that is really not possible online.

Looking forward to meeting you on Monday night!

- S

02/16/08

Adanthar says

fwiw, ilikeaces is an FTP regular and almost definitely does know something about you.

lousy spot, though :(

02/16/08

SirWatts says

I dunno, he posted that thread accusing me of collusion because of the 52s hand, I can't imagine he'd have done that if he knew much about me. I don't feel like I'm being results oriented but maybe I am a bit, hard to tell sometimes.

02/16/08

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