HAND OF THE DAY 09.29.08

I think I've established by now that I am destined to lose money at poker and the only excitement derived from the game lies with experiencing the variety of ways the abuse is metered out. Today, I chased a hand, caught it, then was reminded that nothing is a sure thing.

PREFLOP: $2/4 NLHE ring game.
HAND: Js-9s
ACTION: It folds around to me and I raise to $12. The button raises to $36. I call.
ANALYSIS: I had bought in for $400. I was up and down over a few hours and currently I was at $240 after taking a couple of tough beats. I make a standard late position raise and the button plays back at me. I make a lot of late position raises so I like to defend in this spot sometimes with suited connectors unlikely to be dominated and hope to catch big and hopefully make the next guy think twice about reraising me. I make the call and look for a friendly flop.

POT: $78
FLOP: Qs-Td-2c
ACTION: * / B $56 / C
ANALYSIS: He puts in a healthy bet so I don't doubt that he has something, but I flopped something too. It's not enough that I want to get into a raising war right here, but I could catch my card or a scary Q or T could enable me to move him off of an overpair. I call and hope to catch lucky on the turn.

POT: $190
TURN: Qs-Td-2c / Kh
ACTION: B $145 all-in / C
ANALYSIS: I caught lucky. If he has anything at all, he's bound to either really like the king or really dislike it, so I decide to just move in and hope for a call. He calls with As-Qh, which has been reduced to second pair with a gutshot. He would have certainly checked behind me so I was right to shove and have him go with what used to be top pair, top kicker, but now is a 7% longshot.

POT: $480
RIVER: Qs-Td-2c / Kh / Jd
ACTION: all-in on turn
ANALYSIS: Ouch, the three outer. Time to rebuy.