[norshvind]

Playing in a home no limit tournament for a descent prize pool I had A Q suited and went all in vs. a player who had been overplaying marginal hands all night and constantly trying to bluff pots. He called my all in with 5 6 offsuit and caught a 5 on the river to knock me out of the tournament. I still can't believe it. I know I need to let it go but I played him perfectly and he got the card. I know you beat that guy 3 to 1 but in a tourney you don't get that chance. I'd rather play good players then bad ones.

[jhasper]

No you want to be in that situation or would you rather face a better player with AKs or QQ. Take your pick. Poker is a game of odds and you will win more money than the player going all in with 65 in the long run. And it probably won't be that long of a run either.

I had a similar experience just last night so I feel your pain. I had KK in no limit and bet 5 times the big blind. One caller, the board comes up Q 8 Q rainbow. I bet and got raised, I went all-in and was called with 22. Of course a 2 came on the river and I was out of the tournament. The most insulting part was another player said to the winner "good hand". That comment made me madder than the idiot calling my preflop bet with 22. We were about even in chips too and I was knocked out of the tournament as a result. If I would have won I would have doubled up and been the chip leader. Instead the bad player was the chip leader and thats why the person that said "nice hand" was so happy and glad I was gone for his own sake.

[norshvind]

I was in the same position as you. If I win that hand I would have been the chip leader at my table and probably would have gone to the final table. It sucks that there is no long run in a no limit tournament. Thats poker. Its different taking a real beat (like your KK vs. AA) I'm OK with that because it is at least two real hands worthy of aggresive play. I guess any hand can be played any way so you have to learn how to deal with the tough beats. I learn more about the game every time I play so I guess every experience can be a good one.

[ballen]

I was playing a $3 pokerstars tourney with a 3,500 prize pool and I was 80 spots out of the money (small money). I flopped top pair with AJ flop was J 7 4 a very loose player with a slightly smaller stack than me bet fairly big. I re-raised all in. He called, he turned over J2, river was a 2, I got taken down to almost nothing and didn't finish in the money.

But, I don't regret the move because if I had won it as expected, I'd have finished very well in that tourney. It's just how it goes sometimes.

[chris]

I took a huge risk in the tournament I played in two nights ago-i had AhQh and the rainbow flop came K Q A then 5 then J, rainbow. It was down to heads up and my opponent didn't raise me when I bet hard on the flop and then on the river-she then made the enormous mistake of checking to me after the J fell-telling me one of two things-1-she's bluffing and has the straight or 2-she's scared and has only a pair. I had been noticing her willingness to call any bet all night and that she played with her cards when she had a good hand-and she wasn't so I went all in. She called and was holding only a king.

[johnf]

Try going all in with a pair of jacks, you get called by 5 9 not suited (no reason to be there), the flop 6 7 8. That is what happened to my friend the other night. I also went out with AJ(s) and was beat by a pair of 5s that they did not get till the river. That was very painful but I am getting used to it. I have now been beat out of games by a pair of 4s a pair of 5s and a pair of 7s on A Q, A K and A J(s)to start. I was small stacked all 3 times recently so I did not have much choice.

[pritz]

some of these cases sound like short stack plays. remember often times when short stacked people play more aggressive and it is easier to call an all-in, so having a beat is more common. To call an all in with rags is pretty foolish, and if the caller thinks it was a decent move just shrug and say "I guess you're right"

bad beats are a part of poker and waiting on nuts before you make moves usually doesn't get you far. so I recommend playing with money you can afford to lose and when the cards fall the other guy's way just shake your head and smile, it will all even out in the long run(hopefully).

also, poker is a game and it's ok to make it fun. I ocassionally go runner runner on my friends, they don't find it too funny, but I think it makes me a more dangerous player.