Years ago, I developed a special Lessons Learned program for the Air Force Space & Missile Systems Center. The idea was to help Air Force contractors and major subcontractors avoid errors that had previously occurred on other programs, to prevent costly program/mission losses, plus subsequent corrective actions. The Air Force Manufacturing Problem Prevention Program (MP3) has saved literally billions of tax-payer dollars. (I received an award from a professional engineering society for this contribution.)
The fact is that we all make mistakes. No one is perfect. What is important though, is to learn from our mistakes. . . That's true in poker as well as life!
It happened at a freeroll tournament: Recently I participated in a freeroll jackpot hold'em tournament at the Normandie Casino in Gardena, Calif. (To qualify, you need to make a Jackpot bonus hand while playing in a ring game.) I almost pulled a Phil "The Brat" Hellmuth thing when I arrived after the tournament had already started - right on time. I didn't mean to be late; it just worked out that way. . .
The very first hand dealt to me was A-9 offsuit. On the button, I called to see the flop: another ace and two small cards: 7 - 3. When the betting got to me after the flop, I raised and was called by two opponents. The turn was a blank. The player to my immediate right bet out; again I raised. Then he went all-in. For emphasis, let me repeat:
He went all-in! I considered the possibilities; he could have two-pair or a set. He was in the small blind, so he could have started with almost anything. I decided to call. He turned up two-pair, sevens and threes. And he took the pot when the river didn't help me.
That left me with just one chip. The next hand I entered, I made a big straight and won the main pot. The trouble was the side pot was huge. Had I not been short-stacked, I would have been in great shape. As it turned out, shortly after that I was knocked out of the tournament when I started with a premium draw that failed to improve - and ran out of chips. Too bad because it was a good tournament. Where Did I Err?: When my opponent went all-in, I just went along with his bet and matched it. Later, as other hands were dealt, I realized that this was NOT a no-limit game. During the first round, the stakes were $50 - $100.
That improper all-in bet cost me about $400 in chips - instead of $100. (Each player started with $500 in chips.) I would have been left with about $300 in chips, rather than just one $25 chip. Then, when I won with the straight a few hands later, I would have built my stack to well over the starting $500 in chips - and been in good shape to earn my way to the final table, hoping for the top prize of $700! I discussed this with a floor manager; he explained that I should have made an issue when it occurred, not several hands later. Of course, he was 100% correct. It was my own fault. I goofed.
I should have learned and understood the rules for this tournament before I sat down to play. By the way, I intend to include this bit of advice in my poker class lectures - both for beginners and experience players; and I will include it in my next book, Rules & Strategies for WINNING at Texas Hold'em.
So, readers, what's your opinion?
