Perhaps we aren't thinking about this accurately. If Hero is buying into a "1-2" game where the stacks are 2,000+ and a 10 or 20 straddle / blind bet is common then this really isn't a 3,000bb down swing - it is more like a 300bb to 600bb down swing.
It takes a unique set of circumstances to allow a player to profitably and accurately get all in preflop with AQo for 600bb. For sure the table isn't playing vanilla 1-2. There needs to be something that jacks up the size of the preflop bets. That could be a huge chunk of dead money - say a 100bb splash pot. Obviously a multi-stage straddle would do it. Maybe "1-2" means one cent - two cents and that the stakes are too low for the table. What ever it is, Hero isn't really risking hundreds of big blinds in one hand because the effective big blind is much higher than the nominal amount of the big blind.
Makes me think of my mom being scared to play dollar slots for $3 a pull but comfortable playing penny slots at $4.50 a pull. It might be technically a penny slot machine but effectively is bigger than a dollar slot.
Only hero can know what types of games he is playing. Whether the stakes are effectively huge vs the nominal big blind or it really is a 1-2 game where everything has gone wrong.
Welcome to Iceland. There is no casino only small clubs. Usually there are staffed for one table of cash only. The games don´t run 24/7, they start every evening and last untill morning. Sometimes it runs from thursday evening to sunday lunch. So the blinds are 100/200kr ( 1/2$ ) With a min 50-75BB buy in depending on club. This makes an interesting combo as every night there are 5 tables starting at the same time but none at the same location but still all in a 10minute drive radius.
Normal starting buy in is 200-350$ when the game is starting, the start is usually from 9pm to 11pm.
For the start we have our first player type. The Fish.
The Fish
There are no poker games without fishes. We have range of fishes, just got paid fish, 1 buy in fish, 2 buy in fish, plays every night for small amount fish and so on. Fishes are common for the start. You need 4 players + playing floor to start a game. Usually there are 2 fishes at least.
The Hunters
They can outsmart the fish but do not have the ammo to do mistakes. These players are common in start as they want to hunt the small fishes and try for the bigger ones later. These players are often skilled but when the get a big stack they start counting and counting and slowly bleed as they like there money and don´t want to loose it. These players are crucial for a start as they create action in the beginning they know how to bluff.
Mid stage game, When the table gets 8 persons and the clock hits midnight there are other player types that start to show up. On a normal night here is 500$ rebuy quite normal. Lets call next player type to the table.
The Manatee
Say what ? Yes the manatee, a big fat fish. Overestimated strength and a good wallet can get you a long way. All hunters love to try to take this one down but make sure you have more than one bullet because this fish is here to play and does not care if that means 1x400$ or 4x500$ he likes to drink and play and that is what he is going to do. A manatee at the table jumps the average stack fast if it is wounded and when avg stack is regularly posted on facebook where the sharks wait.
The Sharks
With many tables going on the shark almost nevers sees the start unless he works as a floor also. The shark waits for post where table is near full and average at 500$+ to make his move. Sharks love it when they find a hunter with a big stack or a bleeding manatee. Sharks are smart players they usually only take 1-3 bullets but those bullets can be 1000$ each. If there are still fishes at the table they should see this as a sign to leave and keep there money. Sharks in Iceland are lot tougher than you average Sharks and many foreign players have spoke about it. Stepping into a shark infested cash game in Iceland is easy a 5/10$ game level in the US.
Whales
Whale hunting is legal in Iceland. Whales like to play the big games but they don´t like to start them. When there is a post in the middle of the night or morning about a 1000$+ avg then the whale might check it out. Whales are usually more skilled than hunters but worse than sharks. But when they can´t outsmart you the out buy you. I have seen whales spend 8-10K on a night ( yes still playing 1/2 ) I have seen buyin up to 4K just to match a shark or another whale. When two bleeding whales get together then the game does not die while they are playing shark and hunters will take turns try to take them down untill there is monday work or the whale goes to sleep. These are the best games where the table avg can go over 2-3K.
Killer Whales
In deep deep waters there are handful of players that have the skill and have the money. Just stay out of there way, they fest of regular whales and eat sharks like candy. Probably only 10-20 players like this in Iceland but when they play you can be sure that someone is loosing money and lets hope it is not you.
Raising blinds are not common in Iceland but sometimes we bump it to 2/5 or even 5/10.
Normal night before midnight it is 1/2 utg straddle 5$ 80% of the time.
Normal opening before midnight is 7-12$
After midnight 12-22$ and the we go on as the stacks go up. I have seen straddels up to 200$ ( most I have re re re my self is 120$ and yes I got pocket aces and won that pot )
So to be fair I usually don´t play when the whales start showing up but I can easy fight of a shark or two. So 3000bb down is probably 400-1000bb down based on how games play. But for fucks sake I have been running so bad so thinks guys for all the support and I just needed to vent