I Hate Good Players

I should probably just fold pre-flop. I ran my time bank down all the way before finally deciding I’d pretty much never have a hand stronger than this and so needed to call here. When I saw his hand, I felt totally owned:

PokerStars No-Limit Hold’em, $20.00 BB (4 handed) – Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

UTG ($4077)
Button ($2000)
SB ($2000)
Hero (BB) ($2000)

Preflop: Hero is BB with 5, A
1 fold, Button bets $40, 1 fold, Hero calls $20

Flop: ($90) A, 9, Q (2 players)
Hero checks, Button bets $60, Hero calls $60

Turn: ($210) 4 (2 players)
Hero checks, Button bets $160, Hero calls $160

River: ($530) 4 (2 players)
Hero checks, Button bets $720, Hero calls $720

Total pot: $1970 | Rake: $2

Results:
Button had 3, A (two pair, Aces and fours).
Hero had 5, A (two pair, Aces and fours).
Outcome: Button won $984, Hero won $984

This river bet demonstrates how badly he’s got me over a barrel. Unless I’m slowplaying a really high percentage of the time, which would be undesirable for other reasons, he can overbet his entire river betting range and put me in nothing but gross spots. Even with a hand as weak as A3, he can get me to fold a chop or hero call KQ, and he’s got little to lose since he’s almost never beat.

I quit as soon as the BB got back around to me.