The Biggest Loser

I was playing around with Poker Tracker today and came across something pretty surprising: over my last 112,000 hands, I have lost more BB’s with AQs than with anything else. In the interest of public shaming and hopefully improving, here are the five biggest pots (measured by BB) I’ve lost with AQs. Warning: Obviously, some of these are going to be pretty bad.

Pure Donkey

Full Tilt Poker No-Limit Hold’em, $10 BB (6 handed) Hand History converter Courtesy of PokerZion.com

CO ($1000)
Button ($1726)
SB ($801)
BB ($1299)
UTG ($930)
Hero ($1388)

Preflop: Hero is MP with Qc, Ac.
1 fold, Hero raises to $35, CO calls $35, 2 folds, BB raises to $145, Hero calls $110, CO folds.

Flop: ($330) Qh, 7d, 4h (2 players)
BB bets $245, Hero calls $245.

Turn: ($820) Jh (2 players)
BB bets $565, Hero raises to $998 (All-In), BB calls $344 (All-In).

River: ($2727) 3h (2 players, 2 all-in).

Final Pot: $2727 Villain wins with AA.

Yuck, fold pre-flop. I’ve got no defense for this one.

Big Draw

Ultimate Bet No-Limit Hold’em, $25 BB (2 handed) Hand History converter Courtesy of PokerZion.com

Button ($3303)
Hero ($2916)

Preflop: Hero is BB with Ad, Qd.
Button calls $15, Hero raises to $90, Button calls $65.

Flop: ($180) 7d, 8s, Jd (2 players)
Hero bets $125, Button raises to $250, Hero raises to $1075, Button calls $825.

Turn: ($2330) 7s (2 players)
Hero bets $1751 (All-In), Button calls $1751.

River: ($5832) Th (2 players, 1 all-in)

Final Pot: $5832 Villain wins with J8.

Maybe check back the turn? This one is probably fine/unlucky.

Cooler

Full Tilt Poker No-Limit Hold’em, $50 BB (2 handed) Hand History converter Courtesy of PokerZion.com

Hero ($5250.25)
BB ($17039.75)

Preflop: Hero is Button with Qh, Ah.
Hero raises to $150, BB calls $100.

Flop: ($300) Ks, Js, Ts (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $250, BB raises to $750, Hero raises to $2500, BB raises to $16889.75 (All-In), Hero calls $2600.25 (All-In).

Turn: ($22290) 5h (2 players, 2 all-in)

River: ($22290) 5c (2 players, 2 all-in).

Final Pot: $22290 Villain wins with a flush, don’t recall his cards but it doesn’t matter.

Carried Away

Full Tilt Poker No-Limit Hold’em, $10 BB (5 handed) Hand History converter Courtesy of PokerZion.com

Button ($2982)
Hero ($1000)
BB ($1000)
UTG ($1000)
MP ($1000)

Preflop: Hero is SB with Ah, Qh.

3 folds, Hero raises to $30, BB raises to $100, Hero raises to $275, BB raises to $1000 (All-In), Hero calls $725 (All-In).

Flop: ($2000) 9h, 3d, Tc (2 players, 2 all-in)

Turn: ($2000) Kd (2 players, 2 all-in)

River: ($2000) 6h (2 players, 2 all-in).

Final Pot: $2000 Villain wins with AA.

Tough spot in a blind battle. Against a regular this would be fine, but this guy was an unknown, so probably just calling his 3-bet and getting away on the flop is best.

Defending My Squeeze

Full Tilt Poker No-Limit Hold’em, $10 BB (6 handed) Hand History converter Courtesy of PokerZion.com

MP ($867)
CO ($1191.20)
Button ($636)
SB ($1000)
Hero ($1015)
UTG ($247)

Preflop: Hero is BB with Qs, As.

2 folds, CO raises to $35, Button calls $35, SB calls $30, Hero raises to $165, CO folds, Button folds, SB raises to $1000 (All-In), Hero calls $835.

Flop: ($2070) 7d, 2h, 3c (2 players, 1 all-in)

Turn: ($2070) 7h (2 players, 1 all-in)

River: ($2070) 6s (2 players, 1 all-in).

Final Pot: $2070 Villain wins with 88.

Fine call, unlucky result. It’s super unlucky this guy has QQ+, AK after overcalling pre-flop.

Not surprisingly, there are some coolers and lost coin flips here. Significantly, though, there is also some bad play, and none of my five biggest losers were bad beats. What’s your biggest loser?