Worst Beats of My Career

This past October, I was travelling the World Series of Poker Circuit playing one of my regular stops at Horseshoe Southern Indiana. Gearing up for the $1,675 main event, I played a handful of the $365 tournaments. In one of the preliminary events, I got off to a great start until I encountered a fateful hand. My pocket kings were up against 3-2 on a 7-6-2 board. After I check-raised all-in, my opponent called. Next, the dealer put out a five and four to crack my kings with a runner-runner straight. This hand was probably the worst beat I had ever taken on a Day 1 of a tournament.

After I tweeted about this almost implausible hand, I had several people commiserate with me. Someone asked what my worst beats were on the tour, how meaningful they were at different stages during the tournaments, and how much potential money I had lost.

Unfortunately, I had numerous hands to discuss, as some of these moments have even been shown on national television. Eventually, after talking for about an hour, I thought this might be an interesting column to share.

Thus, having played poker on the poker circuit for more than a decade, here are what I consider my five worst beats I have ever taken at specific moments of a tournament and some of the potential money I did not earn.

Day 2 Worst Beat:

2011 World Poker Tour Borgata Poker Open Main Event

After a solid first day, I returned with high hopes that I would continue my journey toward the final table of this WPT main event. About two levels into the day, I was moved to another table just as one player four-bet shoved on the player directly to his left. After a few moments, the player folded. When the four-bettor flipped over A-K, the opponent became incensed, stating that he couldn’t believe someone would four-bet with “just” A-K. Although I was slightly unsure why the bet was so irrational, the incident led to an opportune situation for me…so I thought.

With blinds at 400-800 with a 100 ante, the previous four-bettor raised again, this time to 2,200. Without any hesitation, the incensed player announced he was all-in for more than 60,000, more than 75 big blinds. As I looked at my first card, I saw an ace. Hoping to see a matching card, I was fortunate to have my wish come true. Stunned, I looked up and announced that I was also all-in for about 50,000. After the remaining players folded, including the initial raiser, my opponent flipped over just 6-6 versus my A-A.

Unfortunately, the poker gods decided to reward his bad play, as a six appeared right in the window and I couldn’t catch up. This elimination was extremely tough, as I would have been among the chip leaders deep into Day 2, where a min-cash was worth $8,386 and first prize was over $920,000.

Day 3 Worst Beat:

2007 World Poker Tour Doyle Brunson Five Diamond World Poker Classic main event
At that time, the $15,000 buy-in was the largest I had ever participated in. While I played slow and steady during the first couple of days, the third day was tough, as I battled the short stack for most of the day. Once the money burst at 100 players with everyone receiving at least $28,905, I could relax a little more and pick a spot to get back into the tournament. However, after a few hours, another bubble approached, as all players from 51st place to 100th place received the same payout.

With 58 players remaining, I continued to be short-stacked, but had played solid cards all day long. I finally decided to push with A-Q from early position. As had happened throughout the day, most of the players quickly mucked. However, a newly arrived player, thought for a moment and called. Once he flipped over A-J, I realized I was in great shape for a desperately-needed double up.

Additionally, poker pro Humberto Brenes laughed, as he stated to the table that he had folded Q-J. While the flop was clean, the dealer turned one of the two remaining jacks to suddenly put me on a two-outer for my tournament life. After the river blanked, I was sent packing, thoroughly disappointed and mumbling to myself. The 50th-place-finisher received $38,545, with the champion receiving almost $2.5 million.

Three Tables Remaining Worst Beat:

2010 WSOP Circuit Council Bluffs main event

With about 24 players remaining from a field of 251 entrants, I was the clear chip leader, having a remarkable day being dealt A-A, K-K or Q-Q at least ten times during this day. With approximately 850,000 of the 5 million chips in play, I was in complete control of the table when the following hand occurred.

Poker pro Dwyte Pilgrim raised to 10,500 from under the gun at the 2,000-4,000, ante 500 level. Sitting in mid-position, I looked down at K-K and reraised him to 28,500. After the rest of the table folded, he immediately shoved all-in for about 380,000 total. After I snap-called him, he uttered, “Uh oh,” which I knew made me safe. When he revealed A K to my K K, I thought I was just moments away from holding almost 25 percent of the chips in play with 23 players remaining.

The flop was clean, revealing two clubs (sorry, I do not remember the exact cards). When the turn brought a third club, I quickly glanced to see if I held the king of clubs. Unfortunately, I didn’t, but Pilgrim did. When the dealer rivered a fourth club, I couldn’t believe my eyes. I felt like the tournament was snatched out of my hands, even though there were still three tables remaining.

Amazingly, even after this horrendous beat, I still was second in chips. I came back on Day 3, ready to bounce back from this hand. Sadly, I finished in 10th place, earning $6,582, whereas Pilgrim finished in third place for $39,531 and the champion received $88,555.

Two Tables Remaining Worst Beat:

2005 WSOP Main Event

During the most surreal week of my life, the poker gods brought me to this moment, so close to making the dream of every poker player: the final table of the WSOP main event. Having survived multiple exhausting days, I was hoping for a double up to send me to the final table. After numerous folds, I got the perfect spot where I held K-7 on a K-6-3 board. After pushing all-in with my short stack, Aaron Kanter reluctantly called with his huge chip stack, holding only Q-6. While the turn delivered a jack, a six fell on the river, bringing immeasurable heartache as I was eliminated in 13th place for $400,000. Had my hand held, I was confident I would have made the 2005 WSOP final table where ninth place earned $1 million and the champion collected $7.5 million.

Final Table Worst Beat:

2010 Heartland Poker Tour, Season-Ending Championship at Soaring Eagle Casino
Entering the final table, I was the short stack and was looking for a good spot to double up. After finally finding one holding A-10, I pushed all-in and took down the pot uncontested. This same scene occurred two more times, while I held K-K, then A-J. On the fourth hand in a row, I looked down again at K-K seated under the gun and pushed all-in again. However, this time, a player had finally had enough and snap-called me. After it was folded around, my opponent asked if I had a big hand. Nodding my head up and down, I flipped over my K-K. He couldn’t believe it, as he turned over 10-10.

Undaunted, my opponent yelled out for the ten of clubs. Unbeknownst to me, another opponent folded the other ten, so the ten of clubs was the only remaining ten left in the deck. Although the flop was innocuous, the 10 magically appeared on the turn. After the river offered no reprieve, I was unceremoniously eliminated in fifth place, taking home $35,374, while the winner took home almost $177,000. ♠

Bernard Lee is a poker columnist for ESPN.com, author of “The Final Table, Volume I and II” and radio host of “The Bernard Lee Poker Show,” which can be found on RoundersRadio.com or via podcast on iTunes. Lee has over $2.1 million in career earnings, five career titles including his recent WSOP Circuit victory in Black Hawk, Colorado and is also a team member of RunGoodGear.com. Follow Bernard Lee on Twitter:
@BernardLeePoker or visit him at www.BernardLeePoker.com.