Instinct vs Execution

I was fucking with Dr. Chacko the other day. He made a bad laydown on the river. Reading his blog, taking his opinion of the person into account, and looking at the action it seemed to me like a ballah making a play on him. Excellent read by me since it was right. I ribbed him a little about it.

Last night I was playing PLO8. Had bottom two. A chick puts me all in on the river. There are some weak straights and better two pairs on the board. My instincts screamed at me that she was making a play with a busted draw. It would cost me my entire stack to call. I choked and folded. I was right again. She had an overpair and was making a move. If I win that hand I have top stack with 3 left and a huge lead against my opponents. I went out in fourth after a long struggle where a few shorter stacks doubled up.

Earlier in the game I see an all heart flop. I have top pair. Dude jams me in for my entire stack on the bubble. I have top pair. Nothing better. I make the call because I read that he is bullying me since I have shown some weakness. I double through his bluff, and cripple him a few hands later with QT straight vs T7 straight. It catapults me to the final table and the decent fourth place finish.

Brilliant reads are only good if your willing to act on them. I think in part it is what separates a good player from a great player. I know I have the instincts for the game ESPECIALLY online. I just need to work on trusting myself when it counts.