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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)

This week’s hand of the week column is an example of principle 5 in this week’s “On the Tournament Bubble” strategy column. To refresh your memory, this principle was:

1. Think before you act - You should always do this, but really think about what you’re doing. If the move you’re about to make, doesn’t make sense, re-think it again.

Sounds simple doesn’t it. Just think before you act. Now before I tell you about the hand, I know what you’re thinking. “Jeez a bad beat story..” But actually, it’s not a bad beat story at all. Yes I lost the hand, but it wasn’t a bad beat. It was a beat, but it was caused by me not thinking and trusting my instincts.

Here’s the situation. A $20 buy in tournament which featured about 90 players with the top 5 getting paid. I played a very strong tournament throughout and with 7 players remaining, I found myself as the chip leader with $17,000 chips. In second place, 2 seats to my right was a strong player with $15,000 chips who also had played a strong tournament. In third place was a classic maniac who routinely raised on just about every hand. He only had about $7,000 chips left. I was just waiting to take this guy down and take his chips. I thought to myself that barring something really dumb, I’d at least make the money of this tournament.

With the blinds at $100-$200, I was in middle position with Pocket 10’s. The strong player curiously called in 1st position and I raised to $1,200 expecting little or no action. Then, on the big blind, the maniac re-raises me to $2,500. I was fully ready to call when it was folded back to the strong player who immediately called the re-raise. This somewhat surprised me but I figured he must have had something. The flop came down as rags all below my 10’s and I thought I was in good shape. The big blind goes all-in for his remaining $5,000 and I was all set to take him out. But then, the strong player called that bet. In the back of my mind, I had a bad feeling about this hand. With just me and the maniac, I easily call but this 3rd player made me hesitant. Foolishly, I call and the turn is the 2d. Then to my dismay, the strong player goes all in. I don’t know what I was thinking, but I called. The maniac shows Pocket 6’s, a garbage hand as I figured he’d have but the strong player showed Pocket Kings! What a stupid call by me. This guy completely maximized his hand and after a blank falls on the river, he knocks the maniac out, completely cripples me down to $2,000 and has a commanding $32,000 to $8,000 chip lead with 6 players left.

I couldn’t believe the stupid call I made. Against the maniac, I was confident I had him beat, I have no clue what he was thinking. But when the 3rd player hung around, I knew I was in trouble and still didn’t get away. I learned a tough lesson though.. Think and follow your instincts.

This hand illustrates the dangers of not thinking things before acting. It takes a great deal of discipline to fold a hand sometimes. But you have to be strong enough to know when you are beat.

Click here for the Hand of the Week Archive