MTT Woes

[K2 the ArmA]

First off, 20$ 180 man sngs on Stars are incredibly frustrating, how many times can i get called AI with 88 and under and bust with AK, AQ? My BR has taken a dip since i've successfully busted before cashing in the last 13/15 mtts. Took a break and read both HoH's and hopped on tonight. Busted a 20$ FO KK-AK, then busted a 3$r QQ-88, busted a 20$ 180 AK-88. I'm starting to wonder if I can afford to keep playing.

After doing some reading, taking bad beats seems even harder now because I can find more reasons why I shouldn't have lost that hand.

[Jack'd in]

I busted out 26th on this hand.It really seems like I'm the unluckiest poker player ever.it seems like I will never cash.all I do is lose lose lose and deposit deposit deposit.I'm nearly broke again

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t400 (9 handed) FTR converter on zerodivide.cx

MP1 (t9700)
MP2 (t6015)
MP3 (t11445)
CO (t6953)
Button (t19426)
SB (t8105)
BB (t13412)
Jack'd in (t7617)
UTG+1 (t30460)

Preflop: Jack'd in is UTG with A, A.
Jack'd in raises to t1000, 1 fold, MP1 raises to t3200, 3 folds, Button calls t3200, 2 folds, Jack'd in raises to t7592, MP1 raises to t9675, Button calls t6475.

Flop: (t27117) T, 5, K (3 players)

Turn: (t27117) 2 (3 players)

River: (t27117) J (3 players)

Final Pot: t27117

Results in white below:
Jack'd in has Ac As (one pair, aces).
MP1 has Kc Ks (three of a kind, kings).
Button has 9c 9s (one pair, nines).
Outcome: MP1 wins t27117.

[mcatdog]

Losing a 70-30 doesn't bother me at all anymore. I busted out of the 40K on Party tonight when I pushed the turn with black aces on a board with 3 spades, the guy used his entire time bank and called with red sevens, and of course the river was the 7 of clubs for the 1-outer. That's the kind of bad beat I don't mind posting on here just to laugh at how horribly some people play this game. KK losing to AK, who cares, it happens to all of us every day.

I think you should learn another game that has less variance, and use that to build up your entry fees for MTT's. Sometimes I play 3-6 limit, and sometimes I play the rebuy satellites on PokerStars that pay out 215 T$. I have been crushing both of these consistently and that's enabled me to play through a bad run in MTT's. Or maybe I just suck, who knows.

[K2 the ArmA]

You still play well and get beat in other games. Here is an example of a hand that makes me pull my hair out. I have a very loose image at this table, just no luck.

Full Tilt Poker Game #448913982: $8,000 Guarantee (2813745), Table 29 - 120/240 Ante 25 - No Limit Hold'em - 2:43:33 ET - 2006/02/19
Seat 1: DonnyJr (8,105)
Seat 2: azis (6,419)
Seat 3: Rufgar (2,876)
Seat 4: senorb (9,433)
Seat 5: Debzilla40 (7,880)
Seat 6: ArjangNocash (2,110)
Seat 7: mmd26 (6,050)
Seat 9: calvinsnuts (1,475)
DonnyJr antes 25
azis antes 25
Rufgar antes 25
senorb antes 25
Debzilla40 antes 25
ArjangNocash antes 25
mmd26 antes 25
calvinsnuts antes 25
senorb posts the small blind of 120
Debzilla40 posts the big blind of 240
The button is in seat #3
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to senorb [Qs Kd]
ArjangNocash folds
mmd26 folds
calvinsnuts folds
DonnyJr folds
azis calls 240
chipmover420 sits down
chipmover420 adds 2,550
Rufgar folds
senorb calls 120
Debzilla40 checks
*** FLOP *** [9s Qh Qc]
senorb bets 600
Debzilla40 folds
azis calls 600
*** TURN *** [9s Qh Qc] [6h]
senorb bets 1,200
azis has 15 seconds left to act
azis calls 1,200
*** RIVER *** [9s Qh Qc 6h] [4d]
senorb bets 2,400
azis raises to 4,354, and is all in
senorb calls 1,954
*** SHOW DOWN ***
azis shows [Ac Qd] (three of a kind, Queens)
senorb shows [Qs Kd] (three of a kind, Queens)
azis wins the pot (13,228) with three of a kind, Queens
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 13,228 | Rake 0
Board: [9s Qh Qc 6h 4d]
Seat 1: DonnyJr folded before the Flop
Seat 2: azis showed [Ac Qd] and won (13,228) with three of a kind, Queens
Seat 3: Rufgar (button) folded before the Flop
Seat 4: senorb (small blind) showed [Qs Kd] and lost with three of a kind, Queens
Seat 5: Debzilla40 (big blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 6: ArjangNocash folded before the Flop
Seat 7: mmd26 folded before the Flop
Seat 9: calvinsnuts folded before the Flop

[Sprayed]

You still play well and get beat in other games. Here is an example of a hand that makes me pull my hair out. I have a very loose image at this table, just no luck.

Full Tilt Poker Game #448913982: $8,000 Guarantee (2813745), Table 29 - 120/240 Ante 25 - No Limit Hold'em - 2:43:33 ET - 2006/02/19
Seat 1: DonnyJr (8,105)
Seat 2: azis (6,419)
Seat 3: Rufgar (2,876)
Seat 4: senorb (9,433)
Seat 5: Debzilla40 (7,880)
Seat 6: ArjangNocash (2,110)
Seat 7: mmd26 (6,050)
Seat 9: calvinsnuts (1,475)
DonnyJr antes 25
azis antes 25
Rufgar antes 25
senorb antes 25
Debzilla40 antes 25
ArjangNocash antes 25
mmd26 antes 25
calvinsnuts antes 25
senorb posts the small blind of 120
Debzilla40 posts the big blind of 240
The button is in seat #3
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to senorb [Qs Kd]
ArjangNocash folds
mmd26 folds
calvinsnuts folds
DonnyJr folds
azis calls 240
chipmover420 sits down
chipmover420 adds 2,550
Rufgar folds
senorb calls 120
Debzilla40 checks
*** FLOP *** [9s Qh Qc]
senorb bets 600
Debzilla40 folds
azis calls 600
*** TURN *** [9s Qh Qc] [6h]
senorb bets 1,200
azis has 15 seconds left to act
azis calls 1,200
*** RIVER *** [9s Qh Qc 6h] [4d]
senorb bets 2,400
azis raises to 4,354, and is all in
senorb calls 1,954
*** SHOW DOWN ***
azis shows [Ac Qd] (three of a kind, Queens)
senorb shows [Qs Kd] (three of a kind, Queens)
azis wins the pot (13,228) with three of a kind, Queens
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 13,228 | Rake 0
Board: [9s Qh Qc 6h 4d]
Seat 1: DonnyJr folded before the Flop
Seat 2: azis showed [Ac Qd] and won (13,228) with three of a kind, Queens
Seat 3: Rufgar (button) folded before the Flop
Seat 4: senorb (small blind) showed [Qs Kd] and lost with three of a kind, Queens
Seat 5: Debzilla40 (big blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 6: ArjangNocash folded before the Flop
Seat 7: mmd26 folded before the Flop
Seat 9: calvinsnuts folded before the Flop

Classic! I have a million of these. You have to tell yourself that you will not win every hand even if you have the best hand pre-flop. If you keep betting hard with the best starting hand or when the flop hits you like this one, you will win in the long run. Just be patient.

[andy-akb]

First off, 20$ 180 man sngs on Stars are incredibly frustrating, how many times can i get called AI with 88 and under and bust with AK, AQ? My BR has taken a dip since i've successfully busted before cashing in the last 13/15 mtts. Took a break and read both HoH's and hopped on tonight. Busted a 20$ FO KK-AK, then busted a 3$r QQ-88, busted a 20$ 180 AK-88. I'm starting to wonder if I can afford to keep playing.

After doing some reading, taking bad beats seems even harder now because I can find more reasons why I shouldn't have lost that hand.

What is your bankroll? If you are thinking that you may not be able to afford to continue playing, then you are probably playing out of your bankroll. To me it really seems like you have issues with bankroll management, read some posts here on that subject, and follow that adivice.

Here is an example of a hand that makes me pull my hair out. I have a very loose image at this table, just no luck.

Full Tilt Poker Game #448913982: $8,000 Guarantee (2813745), Table 29 - 120/240 Ante 25 - No Limit Hold'em - 2:43:33 ET - 2006/02/19
Seat 1: DonnyJr (8,105)
Seat 2: azis (6,419)
Seat 3: Rufgar (2,876)
Seat 4: senorb (9,433)
Seat 5: Debzilla40 (7,880)
Seat 6: ArjangNocash (2,110)
Seat 7: mmd26 (6,050)
Seat 9: calvinsnuts (1,475)
DonnyJr antes 25
azis antes 25
Rufgar antes 25
senorb antes 25
Debzilla40 antes 25
ArjangNocash antes 25
mmd26 antes 25
calvinsnuts antes 25
senorb posts the small blind of 120
Debzilla40 posts the big blind of 240
The button is in seat #3
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to senorb [Qs Kd]
ArjangNocash folds
mmd26 folds
calvinsnuts folds
DonnyJr folds
azis calls 240
chipmover420 sits down
chipmover420 adds 2,550
Rufgar folds
senorb calls 120
Debzilla40 checks
*** FLOP *** [9s Qh Qc]
senorb bets 600
Debzilla40 folds
azis calls 600
*** TURN *** [9s Qh Qc] [6h]
senorb bets 1,200
azis has 15 seconds left to act
azis calls 1,200
*** RIVER *** [9s Qh Qc 6h] [4d]
senorb bets 2,400
azis raises to 4,354, and is all in
senorb calls 1,954
*** SHOW DOWN ***
azis shows [Ac Qd] (three of a kind, Queens)
senorb shows [Qs Kd] (three of a kind, Queens)
azis wins the pot (13,228) with three of a kind, Queens
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 13,228 | Rake 0
Board: [9s Qh Qc 6h 4d]
Seat 1: DonnyJr folded before the Flop
Seat 2: azis showed [Ac Qd] and won (13,228) with three of a kind, Queens
Seat 3: Rufgar (button) folded before the Flop
Seat 4: senorb (small blind) showed [Qs Kd] and lost with three of a kind, Queens
Seat 5: Debzilla40 (big blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 6: ArjangNocash folded before the Flop
Seat 7: mmd26 folded before the Flop
Seat 9: calvinsnuts folded before the Flop

I guess Im trying to figure out whats wrong with this hand. It isnt a bad beat, the best hand won, and it wasnt yours.

[chardrian]

The frustrations in MTTs are magnified than in any other game because you don't get the chance to make those chips back.

Make sure you don't let the frustrations tilt you.

Be confident in your game, play well, and at some point, it really will turn around for ya.

[K2 the ArmA]

I'm currently at 800$. I recently cashed out a lot and don't want to consider it my br anymore. A very frustrating annecdote is how many freaking times i've bubbled tournys to a 2-5 outer for a pot that determines the chiplead.

There's nothing Wrong with that hand, just the same junk that unwinds the last 3 hours of play, over and over. That chip dump was unavoidable, what the hell is he doing limping AQ from that pos.?

[Sprayed]

I'm currently at 800$. I recently cashed out a lot and don't want to consider it my br anymore. A very frustrating annecdote is how many freaking times i've bubbled tournys to a 2-5 outer for a pot that determines the chiplead.

There's nothing Wrong with that hand, just the same junk that unwinds the last 3 hours of play, over and over. That chip dump was unavoidable, what the hell is he doing limping AQ from that pos.?

He's limping in order to hit the flop cheaply. Looks like he does not want to gamble and get beat by a bigger Ace. When my stack is small I'm raising or pushing with AQ. But early or when I have a big stack I will limp with AQ and call a small raise looking for 2 pair, trips, flush or str8. I'm not playing for a pair. If I hit a pair I'm playing it slow and cheap. Too often I find someone hitting their Ax for two pair or better when I have AQ. If I'm in late position I will raise with it no matter what my stack size is.

Not sure if you wanted and explanation, but you got one.

[andy-akb]

I'm currently at 800$. I recently cashed out a lot and don't want to consider it my br anymore. A very frustrating annecdote is how many freaking times i've bubbled tournys to a 2-5 outer for a pot that determines the chiplead.

I know the feeling, my bankroll isnt as big as yours, but Ive gone through the same process of cashing some money out and still wanting to play at my old levels. However, if you cashed out enough that would cause a shift down in levels, then you really should drop down. Im not saying you arent skilled enough to be playing those levels, just that your br cant sustain swings at that level, especially those in MTT. A big part of being a winning player is bankroll management, if you play within your limits and grind it out, there is no reason you wont be back at your previous level, you just arent there yet.

There's nothing Wrong with that hand, just the same junk that unwinds the last 3 hours of play, over and over. That chip dump was unavoidable, what the hell is he doing limping AQ from that pos.?

He has an M of about 13-14, so while it isnt in the green [yours is the only one that is], he still has some room to play hands. From mid-position I dont mind a limp with AQ, I would raise, but I dont think it was horrible. I agree, with your hand you are going broke everytime, I just dont think he played it too horribly.

[drmcboy]

If you have recently cashed out, you probably just had a good run. This is varience. Enjoy!

Typically 100 buyins is good for MTTs. You can go a little lower than that since you're only playing 180 man tourneys but 800 still seems low to me. Plus if you start playing just to cash in those things you'll never make any money.

[JeffreyGB]

Typically 100 buyins is good for MTTs. You can go a little lower than that since you're only playing 180 man tourneys but 800 still seems low to me. Plus if you start playing just to cash in those things you'll never make any money.

Quoted for truth.

[K2 the ArmA]

andy- haha yea, but 5$ mtt's are just silly. I will probably stick to 3$r and sngs for a bit and i know there's nothing wrong with that hand, just an example of my bubbling powuh.

dmc- certainly true and good advice. I bubbled one last night AQ-A8 for a 15k pot. If my luck changes i'll cash and get a bigger br, but im very comfortable where i'm at. i've already been robbed blind of some good sized cashing.

[aislephive]

You know it's pretty funny, I was once primarily a cash/sng player and I always told myself that MTTs were about getting lucky, primarily the lower buyins. But since I've been focusing on MTT's I have definitely changed the way I think about them. MTT's require a LOT of skill, as well as a lot of luck. There is a lot of variance in MTTs, sometimes playing well doesn't equate to success. Good situations need to arise, etc.

[K2 the ArmA]

The streak is snapped. Just took first in a 30$ FO on FT for 1400$.

[Sprayed]

The streak is snapped. Just took first in a 30$ FO on FT for 1400$.

Great! Now quit your bicth'n!