Coin Flipping Contest

Yesterday was the $340 Heads-Up tourney at Caesars' Palace at 4pm.

Match #1 - I walked up to my table, and my opponent was already sitting there. It was a 50's gentleman from France. He barely spoke English, and was trying to ask the Dealer about this tournament. Evidently, he didn't know this was a Heads-Up tourney, or just didn't understand the concept. This seemed like a good draw for me.

Another point of confusion was the structure. Heads-Up can be a little confusing at first, with the Button acting first preflop, but last afterwards. But the first level was 100/100, and that made it even more confusing since we both have the same blind. The French gentleman was very confused, and even the Dealer called the Floor over to verify what I was saying. I kept saying that things would make more sense when we get to Level 2 (100/200), and having two different blinds did help.

Anyways, I was the Button for the first hand, and checked with T5s. He also checked, and the Flop was A-high. We both checked, and the Turn was a 2nd Spade. He bet 300, and I called with a Flush Draw. River was not a Spade. He bet 1600 (that's not a typo). I chuckled a bit, and mucked. He showed AA, for a Set.

A few hands later, I raised to 200 on the Button with KQo. He called, and the Flop was Q-high. He bet out 300, and I just called with Top Pair. He fired out 800 on the Turn, and 1700 on the River. I called both bets, and he simply mucked his hand.

About halfway through the first level, I raised to 200 with Jh Jd on the Button. He called, and the Flop was 8c 7h 3c. He lead out for 300, and I decided to raise to 800. He 3-bet to 4000 (again, not a typo). I thought for a moment. I'm still not sure he knows what he's doing. I am ahead in the match right now, and decided to shove. He quickly called with 97c, for Middle Pair + Flush Draw. The Turn was a brick, but the River was Jc, giving me a Set, but him a Flush.

This left me a little under 2k chips. The good news was that it was still 100/100 blinds. The bad news was a common theme for me over the last few weeks. After I have an annoying hand where I lose a chuck of chips. I go completely card dead. I got a steady flow of 63o and 94o type hands. He kept raising, or stabbing at pots (as he should), and I kept folding.

When the level went up to 100/200, I was at 1000 chips, and shoved from the SB with QQ. He called with K6c, and didn't suck-out. I then went back to being card dead. I didn't want to just shove with anything, as he seemed to have no problem calling. Although, it might have been because he was getting all the cards. In one hand, I folded the SB and showed 94o since it was the 4th or 5th time I had been dealt that hand. He let out a small grunt and showed QQ. In another hand, I had 43d in the BB. We saw a Flop with black face cards. He checked the Flop, but bet the Turn. I couldn't fold fast enough, and he showed AKc.

I did manage to get a dealt a couple of hands. I raised to 500 from the SB with 4h 4d. Naturally, he called, and the Flop was 5h 3h 2c. He bet 500, and I shipped. He called with 92h for a Pair + Flush Draw (again). The Turn was [5h 3h 2c] 4s, giving me a Set. The River was the [5h 3h 2c 4s] Ac, putting the Wheel on the Board, and we chopped the pot. Once again, he didn't understand what happened, or why we chopped the pot.

I had to start shoving, and shoved for 1600 from the SB with T8o, and he called with A9o. The Flop and Turn was a total whiff, but I hit the Ten on the River to double up over 3k.

The cards didn't get any better, as we played small pots for awhile. The level was almost over, and the blinds were about to go up to 200/400, which sucked for me. I raised to 500 from the SB with JTo. He called, and the Flop was QQ4. He lead out for 600, which he had been doing a lot. Even though I really don't have any equity, I quickly shoved for 2300. As I mentioned the blinds are about to double, and I have gotten him to fold a couple of times.

But not this time. He quickly called with A8s. I believe this was the 15th hand of the match that he has at least one Ace in his hand. (For the record, I have had one baby Ace (A4o) so far in this match, along with the QQ and 44.) The Turn and River were bricks, and I was out.

This was one of the two tournament this week that's rather important to me. (The other being the $1500 Event on Wednesday.) I would like to think that I have some clue what I'm doing at a poker table, and I should be able to do well in this tournament. But just like last year, I never really had a chance in this one, despite getting a rather good draw. If I played him in ten matches, I think I would win at least seven of them, but a fat lot of good that does me right now.

Was it a mistake to get into a big coinflip (Overpair vs Pair + Flush Draw) in Level 1 of this tourney? Maybe.

Looking back at the hand, I was still gonna lose a chuck of chips when I hit my Set on the River. Plus, the cards were so lopsided in this match that I don't see how I could have won this match. Yes, the cards could have changed later in the match. But the way things have been going for me over the last few weeks, that is highly doubtful.

I'm very frustrated with Poker right now, and part of me wants to pack up the car and go home. I ended up playing three daily donkaments yesterday; one before the Heads-Up and two after. I was out quickly in all three of them in spectacularly ridiculous ways.

But I'm not gonna quit yet. I will stick to the plan, even though it feels like I will be lighting a few grand on fire. I will keep my nose to the grindstone, try to keep the mistakes to a minimum, try to stay away from the high-variance moves, and hopefully I won't jump off the top of the Stratosphere.

In my years of playing, there is one thing that I've learned... Just because things suck today, that doesn't mean anything about tomorrow.

Back in March 2010, I took a trip to Hollywood Casino down by Cincinnati because the WPT was there. I had my worst day in a casino up to that point. The next day, I played a $340 tournament, had a wonderful day, and made it to Day 2 for a min-cash.

Last year, I was having a terrible summer. But then the Peppermill had a tournament series over Labor Day weekend. I played in three tournaments, and placed 1st, 2nd, & 4th for a profit over $2k.

Past performance is not indicative of future results.

So can that same thing happen this week?