I boycotted Internet Poker for over a year.  I approve of reasonable and responsible gambling generally and I encourage strict discipline when playing on the internet because it is too easy to tie your bank account to the table. 

That said, after watching a friend play on Bodog the other night, I decided to get back on the e-Felt.   On Friday night I reactivated my Bodog account (which means I installed it on a new PC and guessed at my password) and fired it up today.  I found I had exactly 111 cents in my account so I jumped on the first 5/10 cent table available.

Why do I hate internet poker?  Bad Beats are the only thing you can rely on.  No matter how good your hand is, you’ll get a serious beat down – at least I will.  Remember that Johnny Cash song, “I’ve been Everywhere”?  I’ve had every bad beat on the e-felt that you can imagine. 

I folded every crap hand sent my way, didn’t bluff, and just waited for my cards.  The first sign was the A8 suited, played conservatively and lost to A10.  No biggie, I expected it.  Second sign, AQ, 2 kings on the flop after two calls on raises pre-flop (limit poker) – fold.  Soon, I’m down to 60 cents and I am feeling it: 9,10 suited.  No raises, call.  Flop 10, 10, 7op 10, 10, 7
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
10 And I took the little book out of the angel's hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter.  

WP-Bible plugin: no flush draw, the cents start flying.  On the turn, I’m raised so I go all in with my lone penny.  The turn didn’t help anybody and it was obvious.  River…

River, river, river.  I hate the river.  There is nothing I can do at this point but wait and hope the board doesn’t pair and give somebody quads.  The river is deep, fast, muddy, and unpredictable.  But, since I’m all in, I don’t even have a paddle.

The river is an Ace.  Game over.  Three 10s does not beat a full boat of Aces over 10s. 

That’s the game and that’s why I don’t play online poker, often.