Nemesis hand
I've never been a proponent of superstition, I'm probably the least superstitious person you'd meet, but after playing for over 10 years I'm starting to think I may have a nemesis hand. AQ.
At my local poker league I've been playing well with back to back to back cashes. December was our annual final game with a prize pool of about 5-6k, I played pretty solid most of the game and at the final table, I was a little short stacked and get AQo and shove. I'm called with J10dd (who opened) who hits a straight. He raised to 5k and I only had 10, so I don't blame him for calling.
Earlier this month, down to 3 handed I'm SB. 800/1600 and the button who is cheap leader raises to 4500. I shove with about 25k with AQ suited. Button is very LAG. He tanks and calls me with Q8ss.
We both whiff the flop and he turns an 8 and a junk card on the river.
Last night we have our high hand game. Final table with an average stack in the BB, I get the good ol' AQoff. Blinds are 800/1600, MP calls, SB calls, I shove with about 11k. MP who barely covers me calls with 66, I flop my queen, turn an A and he rivers a flush. :bs:
Looking back, the game eariler this month I could have probably called, or just raised 2.5x or 3x and taken it on the flop (I doubt he would have 3 bet with that hand). But I don't think a shove was a terrible play although I did have a decent stack at a time. Regardless, AQ has not been nice to me. Especially when I push with it.
AQ isn't the best hand in the world, I always call it "the worst of the best". Do you fold your nemesis hand more often than you should? If AQ gets the best of me again I might have to consider a minor change in play.
At my local poker league I've been playing well with back to back to back cashes. December was our annual final game with a prize pool of about 5-6k, I played pretty solid most of the game and at the final table, I was a little short stacked and get AQo and shove. I'm called with J10dd (who opened) who hits a straight. He raised to 5k and I only had 10, so I don't blame him for calling.
Earlier this month, down to 3 handed I'm SB. 800/1600 and the button who is cheap leader raises to 4500. I shove with about 25k with AQ suited. Button is very LAG. He tanks and calls me with Q8ss.
We both whiff the flop and he turns an 8 and a junk card on the river.Last night we have our high hand game. Final table with an average stack in the BB, I get the good ol' AQoff. Blinds are 800/1600, MP calls, SB calls, I shove with about 11k. MP who barely covers me calls with 66, I flop my queen, turn an A and he rivers a flush. :bs:
Looking back, the game eariler this month I could have probably called, or just raised 2.5x or 3x and taken it on the flop (I doubt he would have 3 bet with that hand). But I don't think a shove was a terrible play although I did have a decent stack at a time. Regardless, AQ has not been nice to me. Especially when I push with it.
AQ isn't the best hand in the world, I always call it "the worst of the best". Do you fold your nemesis hand more often than you should? If AQ gets the best of me again I might have to consider a minor change in play.
Comments
Or I was dominated by AK.
He had QQ. Did bet flop like I figured and busted another player though I river ace....
Soooooo, yeah, right fold?
In live cash games it is often fairly easy to assign tight 3 bet ranges
I had the same thing happen a few months ago when I folded AQ UTG when the small blind reraised me a fair amount. He was a LAG player which most of us don't have much respect for, but were were on the bubble and I had a decent stack so I folded. He showed 22.
I was pretty confident by his bet size. It seemed a little afraid but strong. He was the type of player who would have bet KK or AA a bit smaller, JJ or 1010 a bit bigger. AK or QQ he would feel strong but still overbet just a bit.
If that makes sense. In the hand I said, I tanked for awhile and really didn't want to fold, but ultimately convinced myself i was drawing to 3 outs one way or another.
Nice read and good fold.
My nemesis hands seem to be A-10 and KQ. Never on the right end with them.