Humble pie

I took my lumps tonight. Even though I only saw the flop about 58% of the time, and even though I didn't go to that many showdowns, I couldn't buy a pot. The first time my stack was crippled, I got lucky, and was saved by a two pair (my love/hate hand, as you know) to go back to just above $1,000.

My big mistake of the night was to chase a flush, after I'd had the Lazarus resurrection I just mentioned. I was dealt an ace of clubs and a forgettable card, and the flop was all clubs. I called every bet in a vain attempt to see the flush come out; the problem was, people were betting heavily at this point. I remember one of my calls was for $400, which was one fifth of my starting stake. Warning claxons and flashing lights should have been firing all along my synapses at that point, but unfortunately they weren't. The flush didn't come out, and once again my stack was crippled. I knew in my heart there wouldn't be another Lazarus moment.

To add a little bit of insult to injury, there were two hands tonight that I got extra cute on. I folded before the flop two separate times when I would have had a killer hand if I'd just had the balls to hang in. To preserve those moments for posterity, I used the Windows key combination Alt-Shift-PrintScreen to do screen captures which show what would have been my monster hands, but with me already out of the running. On the first one, I was dealt a six and a three, and the flop was six six three. I flopped an *expletive deleted* full house, only I didn't, since I folded before the flop. On the second one, I was dealt a six and a nine, and the flop was seven eight five. I "flopped" an *expletive deleted* straight on that one. When you miss those types of hands by folding early, you know you won't see many (if any) more like that, no matter how long you hang in. You've basically ****ed your poker karma for the night.

If I'd been really honest with myself about the way my night was going, I would have ended my night after the Lazarus moment. Much better to go down by $850 than by the full $2,000. Live and learn!

This game sure is humbling. Every time I think I've got a good handle on it, I get bopped "up side the head". I keep coming back for more, though. The way I look at it, I'm just getting "seasoned"!

delta: -$2,000
balance: $264,712