Hi People,

Ok. I've been playing for the last week or so (new to poker) on Pacific Poker. And basically seem to do ok, chip away, win some chips... but then always seem to end up losing lots in big pots.

For example, just lost a load (relatively) as I had K 8 of diamonds.... Basically small raises through to the turn which then leaves 2 diamonds on the boards.

River comes down as a Diamond, so I'm sitting on K high flush.... I basically then raise big, am then re-raised by the other guy left in. I call.

Then sure enough he has 2 Diamonds, one being the Ace and wins.

Is that bad poker play by me? Or is that just a bad beat? I can't decide as basically I lost $5 of my $6 pot, but don't think I could really have done much else. Could I really have folded, lost $4 on the chance he not only had two Diamonds but also the ACE?

Another one was me sitting with two pair with KQ in hand, and KQ3 on the flop. Other cards come down and are left with K Q 3 4 6 (no chance of flush) , I'm raising on flop, turn and river, nothing major but enough to make a difference. The other guys sitting with 5 7 so hits the straight.

Should I have folded that?

Sorry for the long ramble, but it's starting to get me down, that I'll play for hours, will win more hands than I lose but then always get totally hammered on big pots and end up losing out... but at the time I just can't justify folding.

Any thoughts?

If you bet the flop, turn, and river with that KQ and that dude called you all the way down with 57, you have no way to put him on a straight.