180 SNG Blues

The last two 180 person SNGs have been the height of frustration for me. I have gone deep in both of them, felt that shiny brass 1K ring at my finger tips only to have it yanked out of my hands by some donkey.. I guess I should be happy that I could beat 170+ people multiple times. I probably should be glad that I played nearly perfect games. I never once sucked out on anyone. Aside from a small mistake with the Jacks I think I played flawlessly.

The JJ hand is a hard one though. The flop only helps someone who should not be in the pot. If you chicken out on the flop and do not bet you do not give your opponent a chance to fold. However, the pot is so large, that any bet that does not commit you to the rest of the hand is too weak. I have no idea how I should have played that flop but I think I would do it again the same way.

Anyhow, it was not the JJ hand that knocked me out of the tourney. It actually was a hand where I was 80% favorite when the money went in. I had amassed enough chips to survive the JJ incident and if my AJ hand stood up against KJ as it normally would then I would be back in the game.

By far I am outplaying my opponents. I am happy with this. However it gets REALLY frustrating. I mean A4? Heeehaww! “What was that? Ohhhhh it was s0000ted, ahh”. Why would you risk 1/3rd of your stack on a hand that only hits a very small percentage of the time? Anything except 3 diamonds, and an A4, or 235, and he HAS to fold to my flop bet. What kind of brain damage do you have to have to think your hand is that good? A9!?!?! That one still stings. One guy in the whole tourney has me covered and he has to fall in love with A9. Heeehawww! “What was that? Ohhhhh it was s0000ted, riiiggghhttt”.

If the donkeys survive the 180 SNG longer than I do what does that make me? Perhaps I should start eating carrots and eeeehawwwing at the moon. Sometimes it is hard to be at peace with the right play. The luckboxes of this world seem to be too numerous to defeat with solid play. I can not even blame it on online poker, just read how Pauly’s Aces got cracked. I guess I will just have to try again tonight..