6/6/11 - Ouch!

I'll admit I've had it pretty easy since I started playing live, I've worked very hard on my game but my hands have generally held up and I've been making good decisions, tonight however was a different story. Two key hands in the last 20 mins defined my session. Firstly I lose AA to JJ on a Q53r board for 320bb, then pick up AdAh again only to run it into a set on K32dd. I had position and he check raised me, I felt he would do this with a flush draw, possibly a weak king and lastly a set. If it were a set so be it but I felt shoving over the top would fold out some of his crap as well as getting value from AK or a flush draw.

This was my first heavy losing session but I don't feel I played badly, I think I could describe the second hand better but right now I just can't. My friend at the table said both hands were unavoidable and that it was poker and I agreed, sometimes the cards play themselves. Still loving the game and the life, just need to get used to the occasional loss I guess!

Bad beat stories over! Had a fun evening otherwise, good table with a few friendly faces makes for a better evening, played my first game of craps and won £20 so it wasn't all bad. I'll be back tomorrow night to try a new approach, I spoke to a guy there who had been playing there for a year or so, he recommended not bothering trying to lock up large wins but just taking a buyin or so and leaving. The games play differently in Bournemouth in that by 4-5am there aren't the 400bb+ stacks you see at other places, people play very weak tight and only put money in if they smash a flop. I might be better off trying to book steady consistent wins than putting in marathon sessions trying to take a massive haul every night, but time will tell!