My friend Jerry phoned with a “compelling” bad beat story. I know what you’re thinking – “compelling” and “bad beat” are incompatible in the same sentence. But Jerry and I have an informal agreement to listen to the each other’s tales of woe under two conditions. The story must be “compelling” and, in any case, one could impose on the other at most twice a year. He seemed to meet the conditions, so I sat back and listened.
Jerry had just played in an online Pot Limit Omaha (PLO) tournament (he had played many Hold’em tournaments but rarely PLO) and claimed to have made the “nuts” on every hand that he played past the flop and still lost in one of the most amazing hands ever played. I certainly was intrigued and requested that he elaborate. So here’s Jerry’s story in his own words.
The first couple of rounds I lose 1/3 of my chips by calling with marginal hands and folding on the flop each time to a substantial bet. But then I flop three aces making the “nuts and win a monster pot by rivering quads. Two rounds later I call a raise with a double suited 78TJ. When the flop comes AK of diamonds and the Q of clubs, I have the “nuts” again with a “Broadway” I win a monster pot after two players unsuccessfully chase the “nuts” to the river.
The next hand that I play, the short-stacked one seat moves all-in. The Button, the BB, and I call. The AJ of diamonds and 9 of spades flop. I hold KKQQ suited in diamonds giving me the “nut” flush draw plus a gut shot straight draw. Meanwhile, the button flopped 3 Aces and bet the POT with the “nuts.” Everyone calls. The 7 of spades turns giving both the BB and the one seat the “nut’ straight. BB bets all-in and is called all-in by the one seat and button (who needs the river to pair the board or be a spade). I also call with my draws. The beautiful deuce of diamonds comes on the river, giving me the “nut” flush and the largest pot of the day.
Another round of hands is played. At that point, I flop another Broadway but get no callers when I bet. Two hands later we are down to the final ten of the starting 60 players. I’m in 6th place and plan on playing the “nuts” all the way to a win.
Twenty minutes later we have lost two more players. I have blinded off 20 percent of my chips and not played a hand. Then a hand develops where four of us call and see a JJ5 rainbow flop. I bet the POT with AJ5Q making Js full of 5s-the “nuts.” One player raises POT and everyone else folds. I re-raise all-in and he quickly calls. My opponent shows AJ57. We both have the “NUTS”. But the turn is a Q, which gives me Js full of Qs the “stone cold nuts.”
Just a few hands later I flop my third Broadway. It holds up again for a sizeable win and we are down to the final 6 players. I’m in 2nd place. There are three players really short on chips.
Two hands later neither the SB nor the BB have enough chips to post their full blinds and are all-in. The other small stack makes what turns out to a big mistake by raising twice the amount of the BB all-in and finding three callers behind him. All six remaining players see a flop of the Q and 5 of hearts and the 4 of diamonds. The 2nd place player bets the pot and the chip-leader calls. I have the K of clubs, K of hearts, the Q of diamonds, and the Q of Clubs making 3 Queens, which are the “nuts.”
Conclusion—Next Issue
