I’m back, I think, I thought, maybe not … ahhhhhhhhhhh

After suffering a 90 BB downswing at GR before taking my bonus and walking away and taking a bit of a break ... actually I was blowing off steam at Party Poker with my $3.75. And believe it or not I’m actually doing well with this as I’ve previously mentioned.

As reported in my last blog, I finally signed up at Poker Rewards for a 50% bonus. My initial deposit was $140 and therefore a bonus of $70.

Now as for the ‘I’m back, I think’, first night out of the gate at PR I manage to pick up about $17 in 3 hours and thought, I’m back. Overall I think I played solid poker and my good hands tended to hold up. I’m a bit tentative in saying I’m back as I need more than one good night, so we’ll see.

As for the ‘I’m back, I thought’, second night out it starts to go away. I register a lose of $36, yes, $36. Nothing is holding up and whenever I’ve got the best hand someone spikes a 2 outer on the river to beat me. (a few examples below)

As for the ‘I’m back, maybe not’, the third day at PR pretty much seals the deal. Another $13 down and now I’m convinced the deck is working against me.

So after three days and about 425 of my 700 raked hands needed for my bonus I’m on a 94 BB downswing and it hurts. If you count my 90 BB downswing at GR I’m on a pretty big / bad streak.

I’m still convinced I’m playing good poker but the deck is just working against me. I know that of late I may be pushing some hands (read: chasing) a bit more that I should only because of my frustrations. Here are a few examples of hands that just aren’t holding up …

I’ve got K9s in late position and call the BB … the guy in the BB raises and the 4 others including me call.

The flop comes T73s and I flop the 2nd nut flush and the SB bets, BB raises, and I reraise and the BB caps … I’m liking this as there is only one card that beats me and it needs to have a heart with it. The turn comes 3 and I’m worried about the boat, maybe the BB had a pair of TT and now has a boat. SB bets, BB raises and I just call as does the button. River is a blank, SB checks, BB bets, I call and he turns over 73o.

Can you believe it, takes down a pot worth 21BB … oh my. He raised in the BB with 73o and 5 others in the pot. Unreal. I know, I want these people in the pots because in the long run I’ll take all their money. Sometimes I need to keep telling myself this.

While two tabling I’m dealt pocket TT at both tables, yes within seconds of each other I’m sitting there looking at TT. I raise with both hands, one of the in mid and the other in late position. I flop top set on both tables and by the end I get rivered on both tables … a straight beats me out of nearly 40BB.

This has to be just a cold deck right? I’ve got monster hands in all of the above examples and bang, they get crushed. In these three hands alone I can account for more than half my slide at PR. I don’t know, maybe I’ve got it all wrong.

As an FYI … PR and GR are both part of Prima, maybe this is my problem!! :)

Clearly I’m struggling and the only place that I’ve won money is Party so, I think I’m going to go back there when I’m done at PR. I logged on the other night and they have just posted a reload bonus there so maybe that is what I’ll do. The reload bonus is small but maybe it will give me some confidence and then I can get back at it.

Until next time, AA up (I think!!!)