Pondering

Took two sick beats today which cost me some serious money in tournaments I was playing. No one likes bad beat stories, but this is my blog so tough.

First. I'm in the $109 tourney. 1st place is $12K. Cruising along, about 200 people left out of 639. Got about $12K in chips. Blinds are 200/400. Cut off, who has about 6300, raises to 1200. I've got JJ. He's probably got a marginal hand and is just looking to take the blinds, though his raise here has put about 20% of his chips in already. In any case, I have an actual hand so I repop him to $4400. So....he calls, which leaves him with $1850 and out of position playing a pot which has $10k in it. Board comes 634 and he bets his last $1800. I, of course call, and he has KQ. Of course a Q comes in the tune and I lose the pot. But how much worse could he have played his hand? My answer, it's not possible to play it any worse. This was one of those hands that was going to vault me up or put me in short stack. I went out shortly thereafter.

The second bad beat involved me getting AA cracked against the chip leader. Would have put me top 5 in chips. Such is life. Guy had QQ so can't fault his move, but still.

Last one. This is the one I'm pondering. $50 tourney. It's pretty deep in the tourney, probably about 170 people left or so (out of more than 1000). Blinds are 1500/3000. I have a little over $90K so I'm in good shape. In early position I raise to $7500 with 77. The big blind calls. Flop is Ks2d3d. He leads out into the pot for $8000, less than 1/2 the pot. I raise him to $30K and he calls. Now I'm concerned. Problem is he has $12K left and the pot is pretty large so I'm committed. We get all in on the river and he has KQ and I'm down to about $30K. Pretty sure I misplayed the hand, but need to think on it. Ended up cashing in this one.