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If you are sitting at home reading this article, chances are you’re just like me – you can’t get enough of online poker. Whether you’re in it for the thrill of the game or you’re trying to make a living, playing online offers several distinct advantages over the “live” game. The online game is a faster game, which essentially means more and potentially larger pots and more risks per hour than a standard B&M (brick and mortar) game. When you see a larger volume of hands, chances are that during each session you play, you are bound to see something that leaves you speechless, shaking your head, mystified, or (shudder at the thought) having to re-buy. In this column, each week we will take a look at a different hand that fits the previously mentioned criteria. My involvement in the hand notwithstanding, I will try to remain as impartial as possible, and for the hands that I didn’t win, I will keep my bitterness to a minimum. (At least, this is my intent)

When playing poker, I have a number of pet peeves. Among them are slow playing a big pair and then being angry when they lose, a dry pot bluff during a sit and go tournament and when an opponent gets paid off for making a stupid play. As you may have guessed, the third is precisely what I will be writing about today.

As Doyle Brunson once said, “Pocket Aces will either win you a small pot or lose you a huge one.” I always keep this in the back of my mind when I look down to see those rockets. This very situation happened to me recently during a $3-$6 no limit ring game.

I looked down at my hand and saw Ad-Ah. There was one caller before me and I raised to $18. The button player and the big blind both call. There is $67 in the pot. The flop comes down Jc-3d-5c. The big blind bets out $6. Aware of the flush draw, I want to discourage players from seeing that next card, so I raise to $24. Draws are fine, but you’re going to have to pay to see that next card. The button player calls and the big blind folds bringing the pot to $117. The turn is the 8s. I jump and bet $50 and my opponent instantly raises all in for his remaining $110. A call by me makes it $337. Before I call I think about it. I don’t think he has a set. My best guess is a J-A and he’s put me on a bluff or overcards. I mean, what else cold he have called my prior action with right? I call and my instincts were almost right on the money. Except that he had J-K offsuit, a very peculiar pre-flop call. What an utterly horrible play by my opponent.

So what happens? The yo-yo hits one of his 5 outs as a King falls on the river and he’s just made some nice change. I was angry but didn’t say anything. I didn’t say NH or anything because quite frankly, it wasn’t a nice hand. At best, it was a lucky catch. He made a mistake and it worked out in his favor. As they say, that’s poker.

While it is beyond frustrating to lose a hand where a player makes such a mistake, its important to be able to sit back and think about it objectively. In this situation, my opponent had 5 outs. Obviously, his chances in this hand were not very good. More often than not, I’ll take my chances with a player playing this way. While I hate losing pots when I’ve been leading throughout, that foolishness is sure to fill up my wallet in the long run.

What do you think about this hand? I want to hear from you. Send your comments to info@pokerstrategyking.com .

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