poker rant

[Radii]

Usually I don't let it get to me when I lose money at the poker table. I played at a 6 man $2/$4 table on pokerstars this morning for about 2 hours, there was 1 total maniac at the table, the kind you love to have a big hand against... he would cap inside straight draws, cap bottom pair/crap kicker, raise pre-flop with 64o, and I was playing reasonably well, staying away from the tight players and when I did have a good hand, playing it hard to isolate the maniac. It was working great.

the problem is, when there's a maniac at your table and he is there for 2 hours, he must be hitting his hands. Today, he was hitting them against me. A lot. I would go up $30, down $40, up $20, down $20... all from playing solid hands against this one guy.

In the last 10 minutes, went from up $25, to down $40, where I had to end my session and go to work. I have AQs, capped to isolate maniac, flop is Q74, capped on the flop, turn is a 2, I bet he calls, river is a 3, I bet, he raises, I call, and he turns over A5o to show me the runner-runner straight.

Next hand, I have ATo, not the best hand in the world but in late position at a 6 person table, I'll raise it, I get called by the maniac, flop is AT6, 1 spade, I bet, its called, turn is a 8 of spades, I bet, he calls, river is a spade, I bet, get raised, call and I lose to Q4 spades.

I limp with A4s from the button and we see a 4 handed flop. Flop is T54, it's checked around to me and I bet, which is probably a mistake, but at short tables I am finding agression to be key, you just have to be able to fold if you're shown that you're beat. All three people behind me raise. What the hell is that? All three of them check-raised!!! So it was capped when it got bcak to me, and clearly I folded. Turn is a four, river is an ace. I very rarely complain about what would have happened, but when TWO people turned over 23o, check-raising and capping on the flop with the low end of a straight draw, I started counting all the money I could have won, but alas...

Anyway, it was just one of those mornings, you love having a horrible loose player at your table, but when he catches every time you have a good hand and take it up against him, holy shit its frustrating.

[MJ4H]

Been there done that. Agreed its frustrating. The one thing in your example that makes it unbearable is that you had to leave. Equally horrific is when they catch those miracles and then leave. You know if he hangs around he will slowly transform from a pile of money into a malfunctioning ATM spitting cash at you. But when the session against one of these types ends at the wrong time, it makes me want to flamethrow my plants. Or something else really mean.

[Radii]

Originally Posted by MattJones4Heisman

But when the session against one of these types ends at the wrong time, it makes me want to flamethrow my plants. Or something else really mean.

In my case, any plants belong to my fiancee, and she would not understand how a bad beat turned into her having no plants anymore, so that is, unfortunately, not an option.

That is the one drawback to playing before work, but it has become quite a workable solution for me... it's another adjustment in the "moving in w/ the fiancee and her kid and getting engaged" thing. I go to work at 9, getting up at 7 and playing poker for 2 hours in the morning has been the best way to get my time in at the tables, but there have been a couple of days where I just absolutely do not want to stop playing b/c of the situation at the table... but I have to.

[primelord]

Originally Posted by Radii

In my case, any plants belong to my fiancee, and she would not understand how a bad beat turned into her having no plants anymore, so that is, unfortunately, not an option.

That is the one drawback to playing before work, but it has become quite a workable solution for me... it's another adjustment in the "moving in w/ the fiancee and her kid and getting engaged" thing. I go to work at 9, getting up at 7 and playing poker for 2 hours in the morning has been the best way to get my time in at the tables, but there have been a couple of days where I just absolutely do not want to stop playing b/c of the situation at the table... but I have to.

Clearly the answer to your problem is to quit your job and start playing poker full time.

The frustrations you describe are why it so important to not be results oriented when playing poker. (I know much easier said than done.) If you are a long term winning player and you are playing your game right then the results of any individual session or even strings of sessions is meaningless. You shouldn't be frustrated with a fish getting lucky a large portion of the time and you shouldn't even care if he leaves before he has a chance to give you your money back (unless of course a good player sits down in his place.)

BTW once you have mastered not being results oriented can you please tell me how to do it?

[MJ4H]

Originally Posted by primelord

BTW once you have mastered not being results oriented can you please tell me how to do it?

I have discovered a very important thing to do in the meantime is to hide the flamethrower.

[sabotai]

Originally Posted by MattJones4Heisman

Been there done that. Agreed its frustrating. The one thing in your example that makes it unbearable is that you had to leave. Equally horrific is when they catch those miracles and then leave. You know if he hangs around he will slowly transform from a pile of money into a malfunctioning ATM spitting cash at you. But when the session against one of these types ends at the wrong time, it makes me want to flamethrow my plants. Or something else really mean.

This is why I only play poker at night. I don't want to have to stop because I have to go to work or something. Speaking of playing poker, my last 4 single-table tourney finishes have been 4th, 4th, 4th and 5th. God I suck.