Part of the skill is staying out of trouble IMO. It sounds like the other player may have been short stacked and looking for an opportunity to get his chips into the middle. If challenging him (and losing) will cost you a not-so insignificant chunk of your stack.......maybe stay away? IMO. Did you call his all-in?

Also, 70-20 favorites get busted all the time. Figure 2 out of 9 times, you will lose with that scenario. It shouldn't be too shocking when it happens.

IMO, poker is a game of skill but the skill is not only knowing percentages and favorites. It is knowing tendencies, spoting despiration and staying out of trouble. If the table is full.....let someone else challenge him....

With that said, I feel your pain. I gave up poker a while ago but I have seen my share of bad beats. Some still haunt me today. Like this one....

Playing in a Vegas tournament $240 buy-in with about 60 people so it was a nice pool. At the final table (but not yet in the money), I have A8 and bet aggressively. I get all folds with 1 hesitant call. Flop comes 88A (I flopped a boat). I check, he goes all-in. He had me covered but barely. I emphatically called. He turned over A9. Turn 9........River.......9. He one-ups me on the boat and I go home with nada.

Talking about it again makes me want to jump off the wagon. Or is it on the wagon? Either way.