Counterfeit Bill

I have one thing to discuss this week poker wise.  I've been counterfeited quite a bit recently and I think that should be my new nickname for the week Counterfeited Bill.  One of the hazards of being somewht good at poker is you figure out when you are beat, know you can't get a person off the hand with a bluff, know you don't have any implied odds to make the call, and make the correct fold... why? Because you'll rarely do the counterfeiting... so next week it's unlikely I'll call myself Counterfeiting Bill.  That means you'll give a disproportionate amount of body blows than you receive.  Course it also means you'll make more money than the suckers chasing hands when they shouldn't long run.

This brings me to my topic this week, and what I think this is the area of discipline that is hardest in poker.  You get counterfeited all day.  Doesn't matter if you price them off the draw or you price them in to risk getting a little more money before hammering 'em later.  Then finally you hit your breaking point and can't fold when you know you should.  How to do you find the strength to fold after being bad beated all day.  Or does just everybody eventually break and call knowing they are beat?

Let's say your opponents have been hitting you back all day, after you hit some big hands on the flop or the turn,  you know they've hit, and you fold on a later street.  You've been counterfeited which is fine, but then it keeps happening.  How do you find the discipline to keep folding, especially in a tournament.  You see your chips dwindle away despite you making the right decisions.  I struggle with this in poker in cash games and tournaments.

Last couple of weeks, this has been a theme for me.  Final tabled the Donkley last week with a big chip stack.  Limped with aces, took a few limpers with me, and as I expected the shortish big blind shove.  He woke up with a hand and picked up his chips ready to move in, as he had done previously.  When I saw bullets I set the trap.  I reshoved covering the other limpers, pushing them out with that extra money in the pot and watched his pocket 5s go four to a flush.  We discussed chopping and he refused despite the fact he had less than five big blinds.  Thereafter, I run AK into JJ and I'm out.  He departed shortly after me.  The bad beat wasn't losing the hand but losing it to the one guy that wouldn't chop despite it hitting the "craps" stage of the tournament.  Had the hand held, we chop right there or maybe a player later, because I have 33% of the chips in play.

This week, after making lay-down after lay-down, me and the same guy are in the blinds and both short.  I have a hand I want to see a flop with but maybe I should have just shoved with a little over 3k and blinds 100-200.  I flop open ended.  There are two hearts on the board and he checks his cards to confirm he's on that draw.  I make a bet and he quick calls (I know he has the hearts).  I hit the straight on the turn and bet bigger, pricing him out, so I think.  No.

River is the heart.  I check and he shoves.  Sweet.  Now most of my chips are in the pot.  But I know my straight is no good.  Why call when I know I'm no good.  Because I've been folding all day and just couldn't find the folded I needed in my frustration.  In my mind, I fold again and move on to another hand with some chips to play with.  In reality,  I throw my chips in hoping I'm wrong but knowing I'm right.  Sure enough flush and I'm left with 100 left.

Scan ahead if you don't like bad beats, for your convience I've italicized them, but for those interested in how I couldn't make the right fold...

Earlier, I flop bottom two pair on an Ace high board in the big blind.  Multi-way pot, let the ace bet for me.  Checked around.  Nice job Bill.  Turn is a ten.  I bet big.  The button calls me.  River is an Ace.  That can't be good.  I check.  She checks.  I show my countefeirted two pair.  She almost mucks her J10.  Then realizes she hit and says "That's why I always turn the over."

Grumble, grumble. 

I fold aces, on a queen high board, three to a flush for the rest of my chips.

Grumble, grumble.

I flop a pair of Kings with Queen kicker.  EP (preflop limper bets).  I call.  My friend who wouldn't chop last week calls.  Turn is a second six.  Bet, call, call.  River is a brick.  Flared nostrils from raiser... hmm not good.  Ready for a confrontation and a call.   Great bet size, have to call because I beat a lot of his hands that he think might be good, like KJ, K10, K9, even some other kings (though I think he checks most of those and doesn't three barrel).  Guy behind me calls (I fold if I'm third to act).  Bettor shows A6 for trips.  I had the other caller beat who showed K10. 

Grumble, Grumble.  

I run AA, bet huge pre, bigger on the flop, into a turned queen high flush and fold the shove on the river.  Even better I was four to the flush with the Ace when I checked called a big turn bet.

Grumble, Grumble, Grumble.

So pray tell fellow players who do you convince yourself in the moment to fold when you know you are beat?  In a cash game recently I have KQ suited hit the flush and know I'm beat and want to fold but I didn't.  Evey time I have second nuts in that spot and feel bettered I always am.  So why can't I fold? 

Is it because the entire night I saw two pair become crushed by rivered straights.  Guys chase their flushes and check in the dark against my kings going to the river, hitting it, and then me checking behind.  So aggravating when people check and don't make the bet they have to, to justify calling a protection bet, on the turn.  If you going to chase your draws people, at least bet to make it worth it.

Another issue I have with draws, is I know which players will make it worth it, if I hit and which won't.  Against me, you may chase but short of nuts vs. second nuts you'll rarely get the pot necessary to justfiy the call.  Still bumbleheads do it all the time.  Checking in the dark when you are chasing the nuts... and hit it.

Please at least value bet in the dark or some sort of other strategy that might help you win the hand in more than one way.

That ended up being a lot of complaining, I apologize, but would greatly appreciate any insight on finding folds, after making frustrating folds, or getting coolered all day...  If you know any tricks please reply...