flushed!

In two recent SNGs, I've been flushed out when the 4th card of the suit hits the board.
It's never pretty, but it's part of poker.

With pocket 9s on the button, the blinds were 10/20. I called a raiser who made it 60 to go, then the pot was re-raised by the small blind who made it 200. The inital raiser called, as did I.

The flop was A, 9, 3, all diamonds, giving me middle set on an ugly board. The small blind made a small bet, the limper called, as did I. The turn was a 6, not a diamond; the action was checked to me, and I bet the pot. The small blind re-raised (putting me all in), and the middle position player called, as did I.

I was worried about slow-played diamonds, but felt the only hand the small blind could have to play that way would have been AK suited in diamonds, and the ace was on the board. I felt that if he had a set of aces, he would have been more aggressive on the flop and also bet out the turn to deny any player with a rogue diamond a free draw. Even if my hand wasn't the best, I figured I had 10 outs for a full house to win. As it turned out, my read was perfect, but the poker gods didn't cooperate.

The hands were turned up; the small blind held QQ, with the Q of diamonds; the other player had 55. So, unless a diamond or queen hit, I would take down a monster pot and be in a great chip position to win the tournament.

Of course, diamond on the river, and I busted out in 8th place (I was ahead of the other player in chips prior to the start of the hand).

In another SNG, I had AK in the small blind. A middle position player made it 80 to go (blinds were 10/20), and I called the raise; we were heads-up.
The flop came K, rag, rag, with two spades. I checked, he bet, and I raised the pot. He called. The turn was a spade. I checked, he made a bet about 1/2 the size of the pot; I re-raised him all-in -- about another 600 chips (he had about 50 chips more than me). He called, showed AK, but with the ace of spades, setting up a monster re-draw, which of course, hit the river, knocking me out.

In the second instance, I definitely overplayed my AK, but I hate my opponent's call on both the turn and the river; the chances that he's facing a set or two pair are too great to make calling a good play. But that's poker.