Story: A World Series Strikeout

It happened at the World Series of Poker main event in 2004. I was up against Greg Raymer (the eventual winner of the tournament) on the second day. I raised pre-flop and he called. I had pocket rockets. The flop came 3S-4S-AH. Raymer raised and I called. The turn card was the ace of clubs. Raymer checked, so I went all-in and he called. I, of course, had four aces; he flipped his cards to reveal 6S-7S. The one and only card he could beat me with was the five of spades. So, guess which card fell on the river? Yup. It was probably one of the largest pots on Day 2. I couldn’t help feeling that if I’d won that pot, Raymer never would have gone on to win the tournament.

Author: Steve S. of Dallas, TX

Story: They Can't all be Bad Beats

This is a “good beat” story. I was playing online recently in a $50 multi-table sit-n-go tournament with 30 players max. I made it to the final table, but was seriously short stacked by that time: I had $950 in chips and the average was about $5,000. With the blinds at $200-$400, I was dealt KS-2S in the small blind position. There were two calls in front of me and I went all-in. The big blind folded, the first caller called, and the other caller folded. So, I was heads up with K-2 suited against A-2 suited. The flop came A-10-4 rainbow. Luckily for me, the turn produced a king and then the river was another king. Afterward, I checked on my Hold’em calculator to see what the odds were of hitting runner-runner kings: 99.4% against. I wound up finishing second in the tournament, and will always fondly remember scoring this good beat.

Author: Jason of San Clemente, CA

Story: Bad Play Can Sometimes Pay

Playing $1-$2 no limit on full tilt recently, I was up against one of the most ridiculous players I’ve ever seen. Usually you can trap players like this guy by being patient and letting them play aggressively. I knew it was just a matter of time before I caught him trying to bully me with massive bets. I’d decided to wait until I picked up a great hand, and the flop favored me, before making a move. Of course, I had no idea that his money meant nothing to him. I eventually raised, from the button position, after he and a couple of other players limped in. I was pretty sure that Bully would call regardless of my raise, but I still pumped it to $19 with my pocket jacks. Not surprisingly, my suspicions proved correct and he called. The flop came 7-4-2 rainbow. Bully bet out $25. I bet the pot, $80, and he called. The turn was a five, which sort of worried me, but I knew I still had the best hand! Bully checked. I really didn’t want him to see the river and thought for sure that an all-in bet of $122 would get him to lay his hand down — especially since he only had about $155 remaining. When he started taking forever to make his decision, I felt really good about my play. I knew this jerk was going to fold his inferior hand. Well, naturally, he finally decided to call! He then turned over pocket threes. Essentially, he’d bet 90 percent of his money hoping that the river would produce either another three or an ace or six to give him a straight. What did he end up with? Oh, don’t worry, terrible play gets rewarded quite a bit in this game! Yes, you guessed it, the river was a three. My $200 gone!

Author: Andy of Cheshire, U.K.

Story: King of Queens

I was on the winning end this time. It was a live tournament, freeze out. I was dealt Q-9. The table checked around, and the flop came Q-Q-10. I raised the pot. Everyone dropped out except for one guy who re-raised all-in. There was no flush available, no straight possibility, so I called the bet. He turned over 10-10, giving him a full house. I needed a miracle — a queen or a nine. The turn produced the eight of clubs. So, now I needed a queen, nine, or eight on the river. My opponent was sitting back in his seat and smiling. The river came and I looked at it once, then I had to look again. It was the fourth queen! My opponent looked like death. He’d been eliminated and I went on to win the tournament. (Okay, you can hate me now.)

Author: Ryan S. of Brockport, NY

Story: Flushed with Embarrassment

While sitting at work during a lunch break one day, some co-workers and I began talking about poker. One thing inevitably led to another and we decided to drive to a nearby casino after work. When we arrived, I bought into a $1-$2 no-limit table with $100. Within two hours, my $100 became $350. I was all set to cash out, in fact, but seeing as I’d be in the blind positions for the next two hands, and then on the button, I figured I’d play just a little longer. On the button I was dealt KH-10H. The first player to act raised $10, which was followed by five calls (including me). The flop came AH-AD-3C. Everyone checked, so I bet $20 in an attempt to see if anyone had an ace, or if I could take down the pot right there. The only caller was the big blind (everyone else folded), so I knew he had three aces. The turn produced 2H. The big blind bet $30. I figured there was no way he had me on a flush draw, so I called, hoping to bust his set and take his stack. The river came JH. He bet $30 again. I raised over the top and went all-in. He called. I turned over my nut flush only to discover that I was beaten by an aces-over-deuces full house.

Author: Michael M.

Story: Freak of a Streak

Mired in a relentless streak of bad beats while playing online poker, I decided to change it up and go to Harrah’s Casino in Lake Charles, LA. I sat down with $300 in chips (the maximum buy-in) in a $5-$5 NL Texas Hold’em game. By about an hour into the game, I’d increased my stack to roughly $500. At that point, I was feeling great because the three hands I’d played stood up without a bad beat (or even a loss). Then, in the big blind position, I was dealt AS-10S. Everyone folded to the button, who made it $20 to go. The small blind folded and I paid $15 to see the flop. A seemingly beautiful flop appeared: A-10-10. I checked, hoping my opponent would bet and that I could subsequently trap him. Well, bet he did — $80, in fact, which seemed like a very strange bet into a relatively low $45 pot. I felt assured that he didn’t have pocket aces and was merely trying to take the pot down right there. Confident that I had the best hand, I raised to an even $200. My opponent had me well covered and raised me all-in. I felt a nauseating pang, thinking that maybe he did have pocket rockets after all. I pondered for a while and then asked him, “Do you have aces?” He replied nervously, “Why else would I go all-in?” For me, that was an instant “tell” and so I called. I flipped over my boat and he sheepishly showed me pocket threes. I was thrilled — and relieved! Unfortunately, though, the feeling wouldn’t last very long. The turn produced a three and, naturally, the river another three!

Author: Tony T.

Story: From Nuts to Nuts!

I was playing Texas Hold’em at a $5-$10 table at a local casino recently and was up about $300. In the big blind position, I pinched AD-3D. Two people limped in, so I raised. One of the limpers then dropped out; the other one reluctantly called. The flop came KD-QD-JD. I’d flopped the nuts! I checked, trying to get a bet out of this guy, but it didn’t work. He checked also. The turn produced 2D. I knew that this card helped me because if he had a diamond, he wouldn’t put me on an ace. I checked again, trying once more to induce a bet from him. This time it worked, and I immediately re-raised him all-in. He looked at me and said, “I think you have a diamond, but I’ll call anyway.” I flipped over my flush, prompting him to say, “Wow, nice hand” as he turned over KS-2S. Not even thinking about his full boat possibility, I started reaching for the pot when the dealer stopped me and pointed out that the hand wasn’t over yet. The dealer then burned a card and the river was, of course, another damn deuce. I’d had the nuts the whole time and I lost the hand on the river.

Author: Nick

Story: A Love-Hate Relationship

I was playing in a $100 tourney at PartyPoker.com recently (the eventual winner would be paid $16,750). I had 92,000 chips, third in stack size overall. After being dealt Q-Q, I raised 30,000. Everyone folded except a guy with 102,000 chips. The flop came QC-QS-JC, giving me four of a kind. Naturally, I went all-in with my remaining 62,000 chips. If my opponent decided to fold, the win would’ve left me with 132,000 and the chip lead. He didn’t fold, though; even better, he called. I thought, “That’s great! Now I’ll now be in control of the tourney with 184,000 chips.” He flipped over his cards, 9-10 clubs. The turn was a forgettable card, but then came the river. I couldn’t believe my eyes: the eight of clubs! He’d caught a straight flush, the only hand that could’ve beaten me. I’m still in shock over losing with four queens. I guess that’s why my screen name at Party Poker is Ih8txhldm.

Author: Alan F. of New York, NY

Story: Final Four

I was sitting at my usual $1-2 online table about six months ago when the following hand unfolded.  A small early-position raise to $4 had everyone folding to me (I was on the button). I’d been dealt pocket kings, so I re-raised to $16, which caused the blinds to fold and the original raiser to go all-in for $225. I figured that the chances of him having aces were slim. His style of play led me to believe that, had he landed rockets, he would have pushed in more chips on his original raise. I guessed that he was probably holding a slightly smaller pair than me and hoping to push me out of the hand. A large pre-flop raise always makes me suspect that the bettor doesn’t really want to see the flop. I decided to call for almost all my chips. The flop came 4-4-4. I assumed I was in fairly good shape, and when a brick fell on the turn (I think it was a six or a nine) my feelings were affirmed. The river produced — of all things — the fourth four, which changed the whole complexion of the hand. My K-K was rendered useless and my opponent’s A-K became a winner. Unreal. It wouldn’t have been nearly as bad if one of the three aces came. Because it was the four, though, I feel it was one of the oddest, strangest ways possible to lose a hand with K-K. 

Author: Dennis L. of Sarasota, FL

Story #1: All-In and All-Out at First Tourney

I went to the Hard Rock Casino in Tampa recently to play in my first live tournament (I usually play online). About a quarter of the way through the tourney, I was dealt J-Q off suit. I called and two other players joined me. The flop came 10-K-A rainbow, meaning that I’d flopped the nut straight. I was first to act and decided to go all-in. The second player folded and the third called. We flipped our cards over and I showed the straight. He revealed K-2. I smiled confidently because he only had a pair with a two kicker. On the turn, another two hit, giving him two pair. I still wasn’t exactly worried. Unfortunately, though, the river brought a king and my straight lost to a full house.
 

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Story #2: Against All Odds

Playing Texas Hold’em recently, I scored pocket aces and raised hard on the pre-flop. The flop came AC-KC-10S. I bet half my stack and got one caller. The turn was 10C, which gave me a full boat. I bet all-in. My opponent called. We showed our cards and he had KS-JC. The river brought QC, of all cards. This was the only card in the entire deck that could have helped him. He won with a royal flush.

Author: Todd G.

Story: Take Me Away From the River

Playing in my first Texas Hold’em tournament at a casino recently, I was pretty much holding my own, making it to the fourth round. The bets were getting up to $500 and $1,000 when, as the big blind, I finally got a decent hand: K-4 in my hand with a K-10-4 flop. Everybody folded except one other player and me. The turn card was a three, and the river produced a jack. I threw my last $400 into the pot and the other player called. As we flipped over our cards, I was just hoping that he hadn’t drawn a straight. Well, the good news is that he hadn’t drawn a straight. The bad news? Pocket jacks! The lucky river pull had given him trips to win. Oh well, I still had a lot of fun learning anyway — even if it was the hard way.

Author: Jason K. of Cerritos, CA

Story: Straight to the Poorhouse

My bad beat occurred while playing poker online at Bodog.com. I was playing in a no-limit room where the blinds were $2-4. I’d been at it for about five hours and my chip stack was up to approximately $800, which was second behind a guy who had about $1,200. I was dealt KS-QS and raised the pot to $14. There were two callers. The flop came 9D-10H-JS, giving me the nut straight. I was first to act and decided to slow play. The next player bet $5 and the third player, who was the chip leader, called. I re-raised to $15, just in case someone had two pair or a flush possibility. The second player called me, but the chip leader re-raised to $100. I was happy to oblige, knowing I couldn’t be beat (at that point, anyway). So, I went all-in for about another $700. The second player folded, but the chip leader called. We flipped our cards over and, just as I’d hoped, he had QD-8D, the lower end straight. The turn produced the four of diamonds, which made me a bit nervous — considering he only needed a diamond on the river to beat me. Naturally, that’s exactly what he got. My five long hours of great playing went down the drain just like that.     

Author: Jeremy S. of St. Paul, MN

Story: It's Not How You Play the Game (But Whether You Win or Lose)

I’d been playing in an Internet poker room for about 45 minutes with no decent starting hands when, finally, I was dealt A-K on the button. Trying to narrow down the field, I raised to four times the big blind. It worked, and I got the hand down to just me and one other player. The flop came A-K-3 rainbow. I thought to myself, “Alright, that 45-minute wait is finally starting to pay off!” The hand was checked to me, and I wasted no time betting the pot. Immediately, though, I was raised. I figured there was no way that my opponent could have A-A or K-K because he limped in. The only hand I was really afraid of was 3-3. Anyway, I decided to just call the raise. The turn was an eight, and again the other player bet into me. I called, very curious at this point as to what he could have. The river was another eight and he checked. Not getting a very clear read on him, I checked also. He then flipped over A-8 — he’d made runner-runner for a full house! I was a 99.4 percent favorite to win, but I didn’t. Worst of all, the guy caught an absolute miracle full house and then didn’t bet — even though I surely would have called. Unreal.     

Author: Ryan S. of Gainesville, FL

Story: Dire Straight

Several months ago, I went to a $1-2 game that my friend told me about. After buying in for $200 and playing for a while, I’d developed a fairly decent read on most of the other players. Eventually, I scored K-K in the hole. I was in middle position, so I raised to $10 and got three callers. The flop came K-8-9, off suit. I was first to act and checked. The next player bet $10; the other two called. I then raised $40. The original bettor thought it over and then went all-in for an additional $80. The other two players mucked and I called. He flipped over K-7, and was noticeably pained when he saw my set. His discomfort didn’t last long, though. The turn was a ten, and then the river was a jack.    

Author: Rachel S. of Lompoc, CA

Story: What the Deuce!

I was playing no-limit Hold’em at my local casino recently when I was dealt pocket deuces. The flop came 9D-2D-9S, meaning that I’d flopped a full house. I decided to slow play and checked. To my surprise, another player then went all-in — on a flush draw, no less. I called. The pot was at about $500. My opponent revealed his JD-8D. The turn was a nine, and then, incredibly, the river was the remaining nine — giving him quad nines with jack high, which beat my quad nines with two high.    

Author: Eric B. of Lubbock, TX

Story: Four Fours to Forget

I was dealt AD-QD at a recent Hold’em game and bet $50, which was called by several players. The flop came 9-4-4, with the nine and one of the fours being diamonds. So, I had a potential flush draw. I bet $50 again and got two calls. Interesting. The turn was a queen, which gave me both the high pair and the flush draw possibility. I bet another $50 and got the same two calls. The river was 7D. Now I had my ace-high flush, which would beat any other flush or lower hand. I bet $200. One player folded, but the other one raised me to $600. Huh? I thought for a minute. I figured that he might have a king-high flush, or maybe three fours. The possibility of a full house occurred to me, but it seemed unlikely since he only called my pre-flop raise. I decided to call. My opponent then turned over pocket fours. Yup, he’d had four fours from the flop, and I’d had the great misfortune of picking up an ace-high flush. It was horrible.   

Author: Chris B. of Astoria, NY

Story: Good Betting to Good-Bye

I was playing in a no-limit Texas Hold’em online tournament recently when the original field of 90 had been whittled down to 18, and I was the chip leader by about 3,000. I decided to play tight and avoid hands that were potentially hazardous. Just as I was formulating this strategy, I was dealt pocket aces. I raised the blinds of 100-200 to 750. I wouldn’t have minded taking it down right there, but the big blind called. The flop came 8-9-5 rainbow. The big blind led with a small bet of 400. I raised him to 2,000. He thought it over and called. I figured him for maybe A-9 or a pocket pair (smaller than my bullets). The turn brought a second five. My opponent checked to me, so I knew I was ahead. I bet all but 1,000 of his stack. Predictably, he then went all-in. I immediately called. He flipped over 8-9, giving him two pair. My own two pair, of course, were a lot better; in my mind I was already raking in the huge pot — and coasting toward the winner’s circle. But then I got, well, drowned by the river, which was an eight! I yelled out loud at his lucky full house and turned away from my computer. When I glanced back again, I’d been dealt A-K suited. I still had 4,000 chips left, so a minor comeback was possible. There was a pre-flop raise in front of me and I re-raised. There were two callers. The flop came all rags. The first player went all-in and the second folded. I decided to call, and hoped for some luck. I was ecstatic when my opponent flipped over K-J. My happiness was short lived, though, as the turn brought one of his three outs. I glared at the computer screen and wondered how I possibly could have gone from good betting to good-bye in just two hands. I then vowed to never play in another tournament. That is, until the next one! 

Author: Stephen M.

Story: Winning in Spades

I was playing in an Act II tournament at Foxwoods Casino in Connecticut recently and witnessed a very bad beat (luckily, I wasn’t personally involved). Here’s what happened: Player #1 was dealt pocket sixes (6D-6C), Player #2 had pocket sevens (7H-7C), and Player #3 had 5S-8S. Player #1 raised pre-flop, Player #2 called, and Player #3, who was the big blind, called. The flop came 6S-6H-7S. Player #1 had flopped quad sixes and Player #2 a full boat, but they both slow played and the bet was checked all around. The turn was 7D. Player #1 still had his quad sixes, but Player #2 now had quad sevens. Player #1 bet big, and Players #2 and #3 both called. The river brought 9S, providing Player #3 with a strait flush: 5S-6S-7S-8S-9S. Player #1 bet big and then Player #2 went all-in. Player #3 called immediately, as did Player #1. Player #3 flipped over his cards, which effectively knocked both of the other players out of the tournament.  

Author: Elias S.

Story: A Royal Pain

My friends and I created our own World Series of Poker. We started off with a small Texas Hold’em tournament, followed by Seven-Card Stud, Omaha, and Raz tournies. The entry fee was $50, and we had about 25 to 30 players. We also had a “Player of the Year” pot, which was good for $500 and automatic entry in the “main event.” Well, I had finished first in both the Hold’em and Omaha tournaments, and was third in Raz. All I had to do was place in the top eight to win Player of the Year. There were nine of us at the final table. I was second in chips only to my friend Jason, who sat next to me. Jason and I were the blinds. I was dealt AC-KC; he had AD-QD. He raised, I re-raised, and he called. The flop was AH-KD-3C. He raised half of his chips. I went all-in and he called. The turn was JD, and then the river was 10D. To my astonishment, he’d caught a royal straight flush! To make matters worse, I didn’t even win Player of the Year because Jason won the tournament.

Author: Paul J.

Story: Diamonds in the Rough (Very Rough)

A couple of years ago, I finished fourth in a Texas Hold’em tournament at the Foxwoods Casino in Connecticut. My prize money was $3,700, which is the most I’ve ever won. Feeling lucky, I decided to play some post-tournament no limit. I played tight for about three hours and built my chips up to about $5,100. I was then dealt pocket tens. I bet out $20 and was called by two other players. A third player then made it $75 total, and we all called. The flop came 9D-10D-JS. Although I was concerned about a potential flush or straight, I bet out $120. One player called; the other two mucked. The turn was a ten — giving me four of a kind! I slow played and checked. My opponent also checked. The river card was the jack of diamonds. Hoping that he’d drawn a full house, I bet $300. He re-raised $1,000. I decided to go all-in for $3,500. He called. I started to flip over my cards, but before they even hit the table, he blurted, “Straight flush!” He had QD-KD in the hole.

Author: Mike B. of Bayonne, NJ

Story: Slow Boat to Broke

Sitting at a $1-2, no-limit table at the Bogata Casino in Atlantic City recently, I had gone from $40 to $280 in about three hours. I figured I was doing pretty well when, as the big blind, I pulled 6-8, off suit. No one raised, so I got to see the flop: Q-8-6. “Awesome!” I thought. I checked. The player to my right bet $20. The next player called and I called, too. Fourth street was . . . an eight. Yes, I got the boat! Before coming around to me, there was an $80 re-raise. “I’m all in,” I announced. The guy next to me folded. One of the other players called. We flipped our cards over. I, of course, had the boat; my opponent had two pair at that point: Qs and 6s. The river comes out . . . Q! I had $2 left in my pocket after that hand. 

Author: Jeremy T. of Greensboro, NC

Story: Flushed Down the Crapper

My bad beat goes from having the nuts to, um, getting kicked in the nuts. I was sitting around with some friends one night, drinking beer and playing poker. It wasn’t too serious of a contest ― at the time I had only been playing Texas Hold’em for about three months (although I’d done fairly well at a few local cash games). After another novice player and I ended up heads up, I had about a 60/40 chip lead on him. I had stolen several pots due to the fact that my opponent wasn't very experienced and folded when he didn’t have at least a pair ― meaning he hardly ever bluffed. I soon found myself looking down at a monster hand: AS-KS. I thought about raising all-in, hoping he had something like K-Q or A-J. I resisted the temptation, though, and instead tried trapping him with a small raise. He called. The flop came: 9S-JS-QS. A nearly royal flush draw! He checked and I bet. He called. The turn saw a two of spades. Praying he had a spade, I bet about half my chips. He quickly called. And then the river: a son-of-a-bitch eight of spades! Well, I raised just about all-in and he called. Wouldn’t you know it? He had the ten of spades for a straight flush. If only I could have had K-10 instead of A-K. Oh well, that’s poker, right?