Lucky or Unlucky

Had hand this morning where I lost a few chips after flopping top two pair (I have Ac8s). How the hand progressed:

Pre-flop, I raise from the cutoff with A8o, and the button flats. The small blind folds, while the big blind calls to close the action.

A8o is a marginal hand from this seat, and folding it is fine, but if I am going to play the hand, I prefer raising to open limping. Given how strong the players left to act are, folding is probably the default play.

Flop: 8dAs6h
I hit top two pair, and really block value combinations from the other players. I could bet on the small side, and hope hands like 97 or T9 continue (or maybe some hands with back door flush draws), and could perhaps bet larger some of the time hoping for draws that will continue, but decided to check given that there are not many hands that will continue against a bet. Note that with two opponents, I think I can bet more often here than I can with 1, as at least one player is more likely to have an ace or some other holding that will continue. The button checks behind.

Turn: 8dAs6h9d
The turn gives a lot of equity to a wide range of holdings, generating a ton of straight draws and putting two diamonds on the board. I fire a bet of roughly 2/3 pot, the button calls and the big blind folds.

River: 8dAs6h9d2d
Of course I hated the river, as a premium hand is now losing to quite a few hands in range from the button. I think I can still bet the river on the smaller side for value, but decide on a check call line. The button bets pot, making it hard, but I call, and the button shows AA.

I felt unlucky when the river card hit, but I realized after the button showed AA that it had saved me a lot of chips, as without that, I’m betting again on the river, and most likely calling a raise…

Here’s the actual hand:

I think a lot of hands are somewhat similar, in that you might be inclined to feel unlucky as your hopes were high, with visions of chips sliding across the table to your stack, and then things don’t go as hoped. Is it, “how could I get so unlucky to run into top set after flopping top two pair!”, or “gosh, I hope I can do as well the next time I run into top set with top two pair”?

4 Likes

We’ve all been there done that - had a river card save us money because we really didn’t want to see those possible hands rear their heads, only to have had it actually save us chips because we were already dead and didn’t know it.

My best personal “unlucky” hand, I still remember - probably over a year ago. No analysis needed because there was not much of a thought process. I was the short stack, got dealt A10 (don’t remember suits) blinds were getting high and I figured it was now or never time. All in. One call - the guy with the next short stack - guess he was thinking the same.

He flips 72o. (I’m thinking “I’m back!!”)

Flop was A10 and something irrelevant. (Oh yeah, I’m back!!)

Turn: 7 (no no no no no… don’t you do it!!!)

River: 7 (you did it. Where’s the bar??)

A year and I still remember it quite clearly. Don’t think I can say that about any other hand (except the one time - and to date only time - I hit a Royal Flush. Wasn’t paying attention, timed out and auto folded before I could bet. Good times, good times).

4 Likes

no you were not unlucky in the slightest

I tend to agree with Rabbit, Idon’t like the way it was played, preflop A8o is my bottom of the range so it’s ok, on the flop if you don’t bet top 2 pairs you become unbalanced, instead check your small aces and your QQ KK JJ TT etc… and bet your bluffs and good aces/double pairs/three of a kind.
River also I don’t like, bet fold is the best solution to value Aces and double pairs and simply fold if you are raised, I think it is both more ev+ and easier to play.

1 Like

the guy said he only plays premium hands in chat , so…