Bankrolls ...

UB: $635.99 with a pending bonus of $590. I really need to play there more right now to clear the bonus.

FTP: $3,548 with no pending bonus.

So I won $135.99 at home on UB this weekend and $48 on FTP. Played solid and conservative. I'm getting better at HU, although I'm still playing fairly weak when I don't have the cards. The play there is so loose ... people call and call down with anything.

Sit-n-Goes at FTP

I played in a few tournaments while at home. I won two $5.00 SNG's, finished 2nd in another, and won two HU SNG's. Overall, I'm up $50 there. I did have a good run of cards, but my shorthanded game really needs some work (hence the HU SNGs). I feel like I'm getting pushed around too much and am playing too tight when it gets down to 2-4 people.

Short UB session of 50NL

Up $88.93 - people played really soft. My aces held up every time, and often went up against a top pair that someone had. I didn't really play that poorly or well - just solid poker.

Everyone was folding to c-bets ... really weak-tight play. When people went all-in, it was on draws. The good news was that none of their draws hit in the session :)

Very short 156 hand 50 NL session ...

... but up $120.55. Bankroll at $3611.95. I'm taking out $111.95 to leave me with $3,500.

Great numbers! VPIP of 21, PFR of 14, and a AF of 4.15. BB/100 of 77.28 (this is a joke though ...)

All the wins pretty much came down to one coinflip:

56s on the button: http://www.pokerhand.org/?627594

I don't want to fold it, so I might as well raise it. If I flat call, it will kill all the action. Once he went all-in, I think I had the odds to call. Questionable, but worked.

Hands where I could have gotten more money on:

KK in the BB: http://www.pokerhand.org/?627600

Limped around to me, I overbet the pot, hit a set, and then get a caller. Maybe bet closer to $10 on the turn?

Funny how a winning session was a big winner due to one coinflip.

Short session of 50 NL

Played 423 hands, won $68.50. Made a few mistakes, but nothing major - very ABC poker. Here is hand that cost me $40 though:

JJ in the SB. I'm 87% to win on the flop. Guy catches runner-runner for a flush:

http://www.pokerhand.org/?626568

In this hand, I had AA and should have just flat called in position:

AA UTG: http://www.pokerhand.org/?626571

I probably should have just let him peel one off and hang himself.

Ugh. I played a 16/11/2.5 type game. I was super aggressive post flop: 4.5 on the flop 4.5 on the turn, and 5.0 on the river. Raise and re-raise baby!

Bankroll at $3491.40.

Up to $3443 ...

I was down quite a bit - up to $60 at one point. Ended up $135 for the night. I always play better the longer I play. I seem to lose a lot of money early. I guess it's all about settling into a groove.

Maniacs!

No need to slow play ... let them hang themselves:

Aces, EP: http://www.pokerhand.org/?623488

Another instance of TPTK happiness:

AK on a KQ8 board: http://www.pokerhand.org/?623532

All the signals were there ... I just didn't listen. Then again ... he was a shortstack.

Bankroll at $3281.25

I'm overplaying overpairs and playing too passively in general. Most of my profits have been to a good run of cards more than solid play.

Seriously overplayed AQ: http://www.pokerhand.org/?623209

It should have been a river fold. Again - getting in trouble with TPTK type situations. He caught his card on the river and I should have re-evaluated and folded ... he was so loose though.

Draws ...

I'm playing my draws too passively - I should bet them or fold them not just call and fold if they don't hit.

My numbers ...

Cleared two bonuses, up around $333, plus given the $100 in rake, there should be $27 in rakeback. Played about 1000 hands of 25NL and then played about 1200 at 50NL to clear the bonuses quicker.

My numbers for 25NL:

VPIP of around 21, PFR% of 14 aggression of around 1.9. Won $$ at showdown around 50% of the time. My BB/100 hands was 19.48.

My numbers for 50NL:

VPIP of around 21, PFR% of 13, aggression at 1.8. Won $$ at showdown 52% of the time. BB/100 hands of around 19.24.

I started out in a big hole but quickly settled in. The key was figuring out who will try to bluff me and who plays straight forward. Once I figured that out, I punished those that tried to bluff me and bluffed those that wouldn't play back. I think that's the key to my successful sessions - figuring out how to play who. I haven't been doing that much before.

Once I settled in, I played my A game and rocked.

Aces/Kings to pre-flop 3-bet.

Here, they are most likely to hold AK, AQ, QQ, KK, or JJ. The key is to be in position on them and flat call pre-flop. The Aces will then be played like a top set.

AA on the button: http://www.pokerhand.org/?614146

I flat called, let him lead out, and then got it all in on the turn. Ship it!

AA in EP: http://www.pokerhand.org/?614156

I thought I misplayed this one. Standard re-raise and then I flat call. On the flop, I check raise him and he goes over the top. I should have just flat called there - we are both deep stacked and he's not going anywhere. Yes, I won the hand, but I should have had his stack there. To only get a quarter of it was unsatisfying.

The Queens Hand

So Sharkerfish has been trying to play people ... bets out, stays in pots, and basically tries to be a bully. Big bets often = full of air. Case in point, this hand:

99 in UTG + 1: http://www.pokerhand.org/?614040

He leads out big which is like saying "I'VE GOT SOMETHING!!!" He gets called by both of us. The turn is checked around, and he leads out big on the river. I thought he was full of crap so I just went all in (I had no fold equity at this point - I basically put him on nothing).

This meant that he would pull this crap in the future - try to outplay people and be clever.

Now ... the Queens hand. I get QQ in the SB: http://www.pokerhand.org/?614028

We are both very deep - about 2 buy-ins worth.

He raises as he often does and I repop him. As expected, he calls. Beautiful flop - I can already sense that we are going to get some serious money in there. I lead out weakly - $7.00 or so into $13.00. He calls.

The turn fills me up - Queens full of 6's. At this point, I don't want to slow down, but I want to keep him in. I'm out of position, so I also realize he's playing that. I bet $12.00 and he calls.

The river is irrelevant. At this point I want to "give up" on the hand. I showed strength throughout the hand but he's apparently stronger. So I check. As expected, he pushes $40 (a little less than a buy-in) in there. Bam - I re-pop him and he insta-folds. $131 pot ... ship it!

Whenever I flop a monster on a non-scary board vs. an aggressive player to my left, I bet the flop, check the turn, and let them hang themselves. A few examples:

Pocket Kings: http://www.pokerhand.org/?614104

Pocket Queens: http://www.pokerhand.org/?614115

A key component to this working is being out of position.

Update ...

The PokerGrapher graph: I've gone through some rough spots recently, but was off to one hell of a start. I just need to fix some leaks in my game and it will be alright:


Overall, my PT database has 12,383 players. After taking out a deposit, my BR at FTP is an even $3,000. It's $579.76 at UB - I need to play there a little to work through a bit of a bonus.

I'm up $3112 from playing + $357 in rakeback + $100 bonus for Eric = $3568 at FTP since October 24th (3 weeks).

I need to go and work through the bonus on Absolute Poker - $750. If I play break-even poker, I will earn my bonus quickly.

Up $218 for the day ...

Weird - on a day where I feel I stacked a bunch of people, I'm only up $218. Here are my biggest winners and losers of the day:

Winners (anything over $40)

$101.50: AA in the BB: http://www.pokerhand.org/?606043

$99.50: KJs UTG + 1: http://www.pokerhand.org/?606054

$99.40: AKo in EP: http://www.pokerhand.org/?606030

$97.00: KK in EP: http://www.pokerhand.org/?606069

$90.75: AKs in the SB: http://www.pokerhand.org/?606051

$90.65: KQ in EP: http://www.pokerhand.org/?606046

$63.75: AKo in the BB: http://www.pokerhand.org/?606036

$48.00: TT on the Button: http://www.pokerhand.org/?606059

$42.55: AKo in the SB: http://www.pokerhand.org/?606038

$41.50: 9To in the SB: http://www.pokerhand.org/?606067

$40.00: TT in UTG + 1: http://www.pokerhand.org/?606063

That's $810 worth of big pots.

Losers (Anything over 30)

$125: 44 in the SB: http://www.pokerhand.org/?606075
It's a cooler - enough said. The all-in on the river didn't feel good, but I called pretty quickly.

$107.50: KK on the button: http://www.pokerhand.org/?606083
He makes a value bet at the end ... I should know that my one pair is no good here.

$54.30: AQ in the SB: http://www.pokerhand.org/?606077
Something felt funny ... I should have opted for a cheap showdown at the end. He obviously liked his cards.

$38.50: JJ in EP: http://www.pokerhand.org/?606086
Why did I EVER bet that river? What the hell was I thinking? An 8 beats me. So long $25.00.

$38.00: TT on the button: http://www.pokerhand.org/?606102
Re-raise pre-flop, re-raise on the flop, do something! What a bad play to just check it down.

$34.00: 77 in the cutoff: http://www.pokerhand.org/?606089
I should pick a better spot to make a play ...

So that's not as bad as I thought ... then a bunch of little pots.

I played a 16/11 game with a AF of 1.97. I won 5.98 BB/100 hands. There are some leaks which could squeeze out a few extra dollars here and there.

HU Sit-n-Go

First hand, good-night:

Q5o in the BB: http://www.pokerhand.org/?599410

I will never win so easily again ... I guess these were the stakes to do it at.

$238 pot

Did he really put me on a weak ace?

I called the suited connector in position:

45s on the button: http://www.pokerhand.org/?598452

Amazing how quickly he got his money in. I'm glad we were both semi-deep stacked too.

Checking to induce a bluff:

This guy has been playing ultra aggressive against me - calling me down, raising, and then trying to outplay me. I raised with AK out of position and then bet on the flop and turn. I checked on the river with the intension of calling. If I bet the river, he probably would have folded.

AKo in the BB: http://www.pokerhand.org/?598453

My mistake was not being fully stacked. That cost me $19 in that hand as he still would have pushed.

100 NL Monday Session

Wow ... what swings. I was down early for about $300 and then went on a $500 streak and ended up in the $$ for the night. During my $300 downswing, I was making REALLY bad plays and it showed. Then I played some solid poker and while I still lost big money where I shouldn't have, I ended up catching some fire. I could be up $800 for the day if I didn't play so poorly at times.

I took out $148 and now have a bankroll of $3,200 - or 32 buy-ins. This gives me the flexibility to make plays like this:

56s in the SB: http://www.pokerhand.org/?598158

How the guy could call this with TPTK I am not sure. I was a 60-40 dog, but I guess he loved his hand. This was my single biggest loser of the night, but it led to the following hand:

44 in the BB: http://www.pokerhand.org/?598166

The line of betting is identical. I played my set and my draw the same way. On the other hand, I don't think I would push my draw against this guy again - he is incapable of folding.

Losers:

J8s in the cutoff: http://www.pokerhand.org/?598170

I should have known better to bet the straight with a flush on the board.

JTs: http://www.pokerhand.org/?598172

I should have realized that the professor was drawing to a flush as well. I wasn't getting the odds anyhow - poor play.

77 in the SB: http://www.pokerhand.org/?598174

Why am I betting there at the end? There is no value there - I will not get called down by a worse hand.

The Winners

Pretty standard - my big winners involed sets.

WTF was he thinking?

http://www.pokerhand.org/?598179

Brutal set-over-set. I had the upper hand this time :) I wish we were DEEP stacked.

http://www.pokerhand.org/?598180

What a bad play by jackass. That's why you re-raise with KK:

http://www.pokerhand.org/?598183

My leaks right now are very fixable. Bottom line - big pot = big hand.

Shoving and Value Betting

I think I messed this one up:

AK in the cutoff: http://www.pokerhand.org/?594592

The flop is excellent - I flop trips with top kicker. The only hands that beat me are 88 and A8. The SB checks, I bet $6.00, and am mini-raised by the button - the BB calls. I elect just to call to disguise the strength of my hand and to let the button do my betting for me.

The turn gives me the nuts - a King. It's checked to the cutoff who then checks right behind. The river is uneventful. There is like $46.00 in the pot and I just bet $20 into it. That's where the mistake came in as fripit flopped trips as well. A bet of $40 into $46 would have looked a LOT less like value bet and STILL gotten called. I should have bet more - he still would have called me.

With that in mind (and remembering Eric's set-over-set scenario), I was going to be a lot more aggressive next time I got a good hand. This came up with 22 in the BB:

http://www.pokerhand.org/?594704

It's donkey-raised to me and I elect just to call. The flop is excellent - I've got a set. I decide to bet it out, am mini-raised (I'm putting him on an overpair - I'm hoping Aces), and I re-raise to $12.00. He calls.

Turn is a Q, I bet $20, he calls. The river is another queen, I bet $45 and he calls with 88. I led the whole way and he showed why he's a bad player.

Then this hand AQs from EP: http://www.pokerhand.org/?594709

I raise and hit a pretty good flop - TPTK. I bet out like I always do and am called. The turn is a good card - giving me top two. I bet again and this time am mini-raised.

Now ... he could have KT, AJ, a set of 3's or QJ. I'm way ahead of QJ, and way behind a set of 3's and KT (90/10). It's $14 more and my implied odds ($14 for $206 if I stack him) are about right. I call.

Gin card on the river - the only thing that now beats me are pocket Aces. This time, instead of value betting, I just shove and hope he sees that as a bluff or I have something like KQ or QT. If he has KT or pocket 3's he's calling. Cha-ching! Payday!

Finally, I raise with KQs in the cutoff: http://www.pokerhand.org/?594714

The BB calls and I hit a monster - a straight and flush draw. I already decide that I'm going to go all the way with it. He checks, I lead out a standard $5.50 into the pot. Call.

The turn is the gin card - an ace. I now have the nuts with my straight. Check, bet, call. The river is 2 of hearts, giving me the 2nd nut flush. He leads right into me for $25.00. Even though I don't have the nuts, I beat just about any other hand right now - a set, a straight, two pair, a smaller flush. I elect to shove the rest of the $72.00 that I have and am called down by his top two. What a bad move by him! Best have a big hand in a big pot, and top two against a river all-in re-raise from a deep stack just doesn't sound so good.

Shove with winners, value bet your good hands.

So the trend of me winning big hands continues. Given my share of bad beats, QT vs. my TT - two Queens hit (short stack), KQ with top pair and guy catches runner-runner 9's for trip nines ($25 stack), I'm up $213 for the day.

100 NL - afternoon session

Up $127.50 but lost a crucial coin flip on the river ($41.00). Pocket Jacks all-in against short stack's AK. A on the river. I guess you can't win them all ... but I really, really want to :) Short stacks are bound to lose it eventually ... the just don't have any leverage with which to play.

http://www.pokerhand.org/?593390

Overall, I was just making good plays and getting paid. Bankroll is now $2983.00 I'm going to take out $183 and leave myself with $2,800.

I played really tight (maybe because I was tired). VPIP of 13 and PFR of 8. I ended up with 13.28 BB/100 Hands.

One hand where I could have gotten some value was this one, but I just didn't see what I could beat given the board.

AA in EP: http://www.pokerhand.org/?593357

Limp, raise pot by me, call call. This is an ok flop, so I lead right into it. Call call.

Now ... what could they have? Trips is certainly possible. Flush draw. Pocket 3's. My Aces don't look so hot. We both check the turn to Guliker who bets something which is a joke into the pot. Call, call.

The river is a Queen. This is where I should have pot in a blocking bet of around $20. Instead it's check-check-check and Aces hold up. Guliker had KK! He didn't re-raise it from the button. No player making this play will be a winning player in the long run.

Table Image and Setting up Future Plays.

The made flush: http://www.pokerhand.org/?593363

There, enzomanic led into me and I raised him with a very good hand. He ended up losing $41.00 on that hand (due to his horrendous river play).

Now ... fast forward. I have 99 and raise. He calls me.

http://www.pokerhand.org/?593370

Flop comes T-7-5. He bets out into the pot - $5.00. I make it $14. Now ... if he has something like AT, KT, A7 or something else, he can't really call my raise. I could have Aces, Kings, Queens, Jacks. I could have a set already. I raised him with the nuts last time so he has to keep that in mind this time. He does the right thing by folding.

Even if he calls my re-raise, my hand still has a lot of showdown value. If he has AT, he definitely can't call a second barrell on the turn (for something like $27) - it's a losing play for him. Also, he is out of position when making that play.

The Power of Position

Floating with 88 on the button: http://www.pokerhand.org/?593379

I elect to just call on the button. He does the right thing by checking a VERY scary board. He check, I bet and I win. If I was out of position there, it would be a lot harder to float.

I would check on the flop, he bets, I call, and then I would have to lead out. Life is better on the button.

100 NL session.

Losers:

I started out down $50 when I got in AQ with JJ. Too bad he caught a full house on the flop.

http://www.pokerhand.org/?592152

I made the right play and he made the right play. I guess I could have also just called and seen what comes. Once he went all in I just hoped he didn't have AA, AK, or KK. It was only $31 more and I was priced in. I don't mind a race in that situation.

http://www.pokerhand.org/?592155

The re-raise is ok - I guess I could have called as well. Once he calls and no A or K comes, I need to shut down - he probably has me pegged for AK and has something like AQ, JJ, TT, or even a set at this point.

This was a very bad play with AKs:

http://www.pokerhand.org/?592166

I should have figured that if he had a J he would have shoved on the flop and the T could not have helped him (he probably would have shoved with that as well). I was getting 3-1 on my money and had lots of outs even if he did have a J or an underpair (all A, K, and Q). It should have been an easy call against a short stack.

Winners:

AJ in the SB. Button raises. I might fold this in the SB to an EP or MP raise, but here it was going to be me and him. I might re-raise AQ or AK here. I elect to call and then CR him on the flop. I guess he had KK or QQ by his comments:

http://www.pokerhand.org/?592160

Betting for value:

T9s from the cutoff: http://www.pokerhand.org/?592163

Checked to me, I hit middle pair, and I bet $5 into $7.50 or so. I get a call. I think I'm still good, but I check behind to show down. The river is a bingo card - giving me 9's full of 4's. Checked to me, so I bet $8 into $16. This seemed to be the right price since I got called by A5s.

A stronger play would have been for the guy the check raise me on the flop. I would have had to give him credit for the Queen.

SB/BB play:

Pocket 7's in the SB. Standard raise, and a call. Very good flop for me, giving me an underpair to only the 9. We both check it though.

The turn is even better - still low, plus now I have a double belly-buster straight draw - any 4 or any 8 will give me a well disguised straight. I bet, get raised, and I call.

The river gives me a set, but now any 4 or 8 beats me. I check, he bets out $20, and I insta-call him. He was trying to make a move with his big bet.

http://www.pokerhand.org/?592169

Semi-bluff with a draw.

A9s in the cutoff.

http://www.pokerhand.org/?592172

The flop gives me the nut flush draw. I bet $5.50 into $8 and get popped up to $15.50. Calling is out of the question, and I'm putting this guy on something like AJ, KJ, or QJ. I try to represent an overpair and make it $45 to him. Now he can't call that bet given those hands - he can only call with a set or two pair, and even then I have outs. An Ace might even be an out here if he has KJ or QJ.

This play was based me misplaying this hand:

http://www.pokerhand.org/?592184

Guy open-limps and then mini-CR's me on the flop. I have the nut flush draw and two overcards - that's where I need to pop him up to $40 and see how he likes his top pair/weak kicker. I was really disgusted with my play afterwards.

Two hands - both QQ - against Streb:

QQ in 2nd position: http://www.pokerhand.org/?592192

I raise get re-raised all-in by short stack, get called by streb. I want to isolate the short stack so I make pop it to $30 which is called. The flop brought a king and AK is very much a hand I can put him on. We check it down and he had 66 ...

Next hand - similiar situation. http://www.pokerhand.org/?592272

I try to isolate again after a good looking flop. Guy had AJ and my hand held up.

Short session of 10NL

What a weak play by me!

88's in the cutoff: I flop a set and the other guy flops top two:

http://www.pokerhand.org/?591654

I didn't realize how strong he was and I didn't want to scare him off. I guess bumping it up to $1.50 would have been a better play - he was ready to push it.

10NL Sessions

Overall, I played 1,346 hands with these numbers:

VPIP: 17.83, PFR%: 12.04 AF: 2.14 BB/100 Hands 6.59

I ended up $17.75 ahead - a little over 1.5 buy-ins. I also contributed $30.90 to rake (crazy!) - I'll see around $8.00 of that later.

A few leaks in my game, but mostly those two brutal bad beats. A few hands I misplayed and could have saved myself $20 or so ...

A brutal, brutal, 2 outer beat for $28.00

Wow ... crazy beats:

QQ, in a re-raised pot, guy goes in with 3rd pair, catches set on the turn:

http://www.pokerhand.org/?590242

KK gets cracked by KQ: http://www.pokerhand.org/?590252

A few more ...

I guess top pair and no kicker is what this guys considers the nuts:

KQ in the BB: http://www.pokerhand.org/?590224

I was thinking of all the hands he could have that beat me ... AT and JT. I figured QJ was most likely. It looks like I seriously overthought the situation.

Flopping the nuts from the BB:

JT in the BB: http://www.pokerhand.org/?590231

I actually put him on a combo draw or two pair. I was very excited when he turned over the dummy end of the straight.

A set of Kings on a flush board fills up with Queens: http://www.pokerhand.org/?590340

10's full vs. AK: http://www.pokerhand.org/?590450

Straight flush - combo draw with 8h-5h hits on the turn and the REALLY hits on the river:

http://www.pokerhand.org/?590446

Big pot too ...

Quads!

Quads again ... AND I got paid off as the guy caught a flush:

33 on the button: http://www.pokerhand.org/?590208

I knew I was good if a diamond didn't come on the turn. When I first saw the blue diamond, I thought "oh no ... ", but it turned out to be the right one. It was even better when the guy shoved his stack at me.

Sorry guy ...

Overall session ...

321 hands ... down about $10.00. One really donkey play was the two pair betting into the flush. I was beat. Then there was the brutal $26.00 4 outer the guy caught on me. Other than that, I played really well:

VPIP: 15 PFR: 10

Wow ... that's really tight.

... and this time it holds up - $27.75 hand.

Similar situation: I flop 5's full of 7's and let them have all the fun with raising and such.

http://www.pokerhand.org/?589781

Whee! I triple up.

Now I double up on another table. AA vs. KQ He mini-raises me ... I was just hoping he didn't have KJ - I would have paid him off:

http://www.pokerhand.org/?589822

The turn card is a horrible card - why am I betting into that board?

http://www.pokerhand.org/?589843

What the hell am I thinking? I guess I am still thinking about the hand with kings. I knew I was beat.

http://www.pokerhand.org/?589852

Brutal bad beat at 10NL

I played it really well too:

22 on the button, flop a set, lead out:

http://www.pokerhand.org/?589767

Guy essentially catches a 4 outer on me. I'm 68% to win this on the flop against both the two pair and AA.

Here, it's more like bad luck. He sure shoved his chips in quickly. I caught a set ... but so did he:

http://www.pokerhand.org/?589771

I'm getting destroyed right now.

Money in position:

Here is the amount of money I won in descending order away from the button:

Button: $1,053.50
1: $657.70
2: $347.60
3. $231.30
BB: -$553.30 (although up $1066.20 w/o blinds!)
SB: $150.80 (up $955.05 w/o blinds)

A lesson ... play tight in the blinds and EP - loosen up as you get closer to the button. No magic here.

The $2,800 hand

AJo on the button. Limped to me, I pop it up to $4.50 and get 3 callers. Great flop for me. Guy bets, I call.

http://www.pokerhand.org/?588949

He shuts down after that. Must have been a bluff. I'm taking out $105.10 leaving me with a bankroll of $2,700. My numbers are identical for both 50NL and 100NL:

VPIP of around 16, PFR of around 11, AF of around 3, and BB/100 of around 11.

Morning

Set-over-set. Pocket Jacks vs. 44. Good thing he didn't have the 4d - that would have been a massive cooler.

http://www.pokerhand.org/?588917

What the hell was this guy thinking? I guess he had an Ace and was happy. No concept of kicker or reading the board. I was just happy to put in a little value at the end and get called. Donkey's can't seem to get rid of an ace once one hits the board:

http://www.pokerhand.org/?588928

The power of Kickers ...

Big Aces are money against small stacks. Chances are, they are willing to go all-in with a weak (A8 - AJ) ace, some face cards (KQ is so pretty!) or any pair. You are either way ahead or even money. It's a safe bet.

Donkey small stacks calling a big re-raise with weak (!) aces:

Folding AK from the button against short (less than 50 BB) stack? No! Just calling? No!

http://www.pokerhand.org/?588225

A9? Great hand to call a re-raise with. Great hand to bet $6.00 with to begin with:

http://www.pokerhand.org/?588232

Evening Coolers

King high flush runs into Ace high flush: http://www.pokerhand.org/?588192

Kings run into Aces: http://www.pokerhand.org/?588164

AK runs into TT: SB/BB battle - once it's raised, I have to shove because he is a small stack. I'm at worst at 50-50 (well ... unless he has Aces or Kings), plus dog. He hits his set and my Ace on the turn is no good:

http://www.pokerhand.org/?588118

The NUTS!!!

AKs from the SB: http://www.pokerhand.org/?588148

I pick up the royal on the turn. How do I play this?

Evening Session

I was down to $2,300 at one point and then worked my way back up to $2,380 ... the AA vs. KK hand really hurt. I played quality hands in good position and got paid.

Pocket Dueces turn into a set: http://www.pokerhand.org/?588092

They do it again, and again, I lead out. I smooth call hoping to check-raise the turn. Too bad the guy has nothing:

http://www.pokerhand.org/?588137

I led out and bet all the way. On the river, I should have bet something like $10.00.

Finally, my aces get re-raised and all in against QQ:

http://www.pokerhand.org/?588265

I guess once no A or K hit the flop he thought he was good.

Pretty standard stuff with KK. Against a biggest stack I might worry about a set, but here I'm just going to pay him:

http://www.pokerhand.org/?588399

I figured he has a Q ... maybe QJ, AQ, QT ... all are possible.

9c-7c from UTG + 1. I raise, and dude calls. The flop gives me a combo draw which I bet out. The dude mini-raises me. I push (fold equity). He calls with top pair and King kicker. What the hell did he think I had? I had shown nothing but strength.

http://www.pokerhand.org/?588361

I was actually ahead on the flop (which I figured I would be against anything other than a set or two pair.

A club on the river gives me my flush and his stack. I was up about $80 for the night even given all the coolers. A few pots I just horribly misplayed. Worst hand of the night:

http://www.pokerhand.org/?588388

What the hell was I thinking? Either re-raise the flop, or push the turn. As it were, the play was weak. Of COURSE he's going to call it. Re-raise the flop to $30 next time or fold.

The $2,500 hand

QQ UTG: The guy flops the nut straight, board pairs on the river:

http://www.pokerhand.org/?587081

What a bad play! I should have just shoved.

KK vs. loose and aggressive: http://www.pokerhand.org/?587082

I don't like the min-raise ... bad play! Then again ... it worked against him.

My bankroll is now $2,508. No donkey plays this morning.