frustration...

Frustration is being seated to the left of a maniacal nut- her stats, 53/30. Raising constantly. Sometimes 2x, sometimes 3x, sometimes 3.5x. You can't get a bead on her. Then once she raises, a low stack shoves over her, and she calls... with 53s. Oy. (and she wins the hand, of course).

She raises your blind every time. Your cards are crap so you fold. And fold. And fold. She's running over the table.

Finally, she tries her minraise again, with you in the big blind, and you've got a callable hand - QJ suited. You call. The flop comes Ace Queen rag, and she leads out. Of course she leads out, she leads out every time. There's no way she's got an ace, right? No way. You shove over her. She takes her time calling - you've got her. She's just slow folding for effect. Then, when the timer is almost zero, she calls. Ace 7 off. Out you go in sixth place.

Frustration.

Frustration is watching a bad player alternately win and lose big - stack up and down like a yo-yo. You "steal his blind" with JJ (a bit larger than normal raise, 4x) and he defends, just like you hoped. Flop is all unders - 8 6 x. He checks. You lead out and he checkraises all in. You know you're ahead and call. K8 he reveals - a monster. He's got 5 outs to beat you. The turn is safe but the third 8 comes on the river and you're gone.

Frustration is isolating a limper with A9, then having the shorty shove behind you. He's a good player - you know you're behind, but he's giving you 3-1 odds. You call and he shows exactly what you thought - JJ. Your ace doesn't come and you give away your chip lead.

Frustration is completing in the small blind with J9, hitting your J as top pair on a J24 board, then having one of the limpers (with 41/12 stats) commit his whole stack. You can't call with top pair, no kicker right? Nope, you fold, wondering if the donk had 77.

Frustration is watching a player call 2 nearly pot-size bets with 2 hearts on the board, then put all his chips in the middle when the third heart comes - a heart that also gives you top 2 pair. You are wrong no matter what decision you make.

Frustration is finally getting your big pocket pair after an hour of crap cards, but you're in the big blind and the entire table folds around to you.

Frustration is a correct low-stack shove into 3 players with AQ, and watching the big blind call with AK.

Frustration is getting bluffed and having the idiot taunt you - then getting it all-in later dominating him (AJ vs. A4), as you watch him hit the 3 outer on the 234 board.

Frustration is giving back all of the winnings of a fine yesterday with the bad luck and bad play of today. 8 tourneys, only 2 moneys. Lots of good decisions, not much to show for it.