Keep on keepin' on

<-$1455>

I don't have much to report. I've had 3 actual sessions since the last post however two were at my games therefore I cannot put them up if I keep the prior criteria. (the two non-posted sessions total +740).

The session I will talk about was the overnighter I prefaced in the last post; going to the casino.

The session isn't important until the last hour. In the eight hours prior I was busy getting stuck 600. A rare 1/2/5 game at the casino witnessed me getting in for 680. As I was sitting on 150ish I had kings and raised $20 preflop. I flopped a set and there was also a diamond draw out there. Since I was last to act I was able to raise the $20 bet & call to $120. The raise is to no avail as both other players in the hand call me and both hit their flush. The only consolation is that my buddy has the higher flush and is able to triple up. He rebated me $20 so I was now sitting on $65. 

Since the stakes are a little higher there are decent pre-flop raises which I capitalize on by shoving on bluffs and beef my stack up a little bit. I then catch A10 suited and A10 off back to back. The first I raise to 20 pre and get a couple of callers, I proceed to flop a gut shot royal draw, I continuation bet and everyone folds. The next A10 is very similar. $20 pre raise and I flop top top. I continuation bet again and I drag a nice pot again. Now up to about $250 I play K8 suited and flop 7 7 8. the turn is an ace and the river is a king. The action is pretty stagnant and an older gentleman bets $95 into a pot of about the same and I choose to make the gutsy call and am correct; thus nearly doubling my stack. Now sitting on just above $500 I am already very happy with the comeback and am ready to leave. I look down at one last hand a few minutes later; 10 10. I'm in the big blind and it gets straddled. Since it is a 1/2/5, the straddle is 10. 4 people call that and I make it 50. all 4 call. The very nice pot welcomes a flop of rainbow cards below a ten which cannot make a straight. A perfect flop for me. Small blind bets 30 and I raise to $175. Everyone folds and I reach my peak of $780 after stacking all the chips everyone just gave me. I am able to cash out $100 positive after a night that was a drag at best until the late rally. I just went to have fun and dug a hole I was glad to get out of.

<-$1355>

Tested positive

<-$2605>

So I took a week off. I know!! In the meantime I went and got tested. To my surprise I tested positive for a poker gene... I have not had a losing session since. Yeah, I was and still am as shocked as you are.

You would think I would have been eager to post about it, however, I was more eager to sleep after I tucked all those bills in my pillowcase. 

A decent explanation could be that I was down and out, to my last buy in and it was do or die. 'Do' it is, and no looking back. I forgot about the blog for a long time, then the holidays postponed it all. I'm headed to the casino for the first time in a long time tonight with some friends. Knock on wood.

I feel like I need to get back to posting quickly because I cant post about hands that happened due to long term memory loss? Haha. I'm lucky that I remember the numbers of how I did.

Another thing I have to figure out with the new year is whether I will be posting about how I do on my game nights. I used to play house and just recently started doing well, but I would not include that in my bankroll talk. I have done well the past 3 games I have hosted but will not include that in the numbers you will see. Therefore there will only be three sessions included.

Session one: Long session, extended over two locations. Dec 18th played from 8pm to 11am +400 at one place +200 at the other.

Session two: I had to go to work this session as well as the next so I had to leave early HA... I guess if i can't leave I have to ask to be scheduled to work early am. +250

Session three: Just the other night, amazingly juicy game, I wish I could have stayed. Was up 500 at one point but started playing too many hands in the end and was only up 100 which turned into 300 in just one hand. +300.

Total of +1150. KAWABANGA. 

Merry Christmas.
<-$1455>
p.s. If I included my winnings from my own games the number would definitely be below 1g.

Finally off poker break (6 hour long break)

<-$2775>

The six hours went by quickly and I found myself at my buddy's house to play in a 9 person freeroll for $1,000. Everyone lasted through the first two hours or so, one thing led to another and I made the final 5, then 4, then 3, then 2. Somehow I couldn't overcome that last hurdle and I got 2nd in a winner take all. I get nada. I'm very surprised the talk rarely if ever went towards a chop. I offered a chop when I was heads up and ahead 40k chips to 20k chips but it wasnt acted upon so I hushed. Oh well. I shoved 3 hands in a row with a good hand after being card dead for a few orbits. The last I flopped middle pair and a straight draw. I went up against top 2nd top. A 10 and his top pair held up.

I proceeded to go to my regular game and played way longer than I wanted to. I set my time limit and it blew past me without me paying attention. I was in for two buyins and was finally able to make a run near the end when the table agreed to do a round of each (hold'em and omaha high only). I was able to catch a run of cards and won probably 5 pots in a row. Ended in a positive but had I been able to win the freeroll, which I was so close to doing, it would have been a welcome sight to my unsightly number.

<-$2605>

Anyone refer me to a cyanide dealer?

<-$2215>

You know all those feelings people claim they get? Knot in their stomach or bad taste in their mouth or... say... the want to strangle someone? Yeah, they're all real. I had them all tonight. 

Bypassing the night I had at the poker table, one single event had a huge toll on me. Additionally the kick while I was down right after a hand from above was extended to me did nothing to raise my spirits.

Here is how the hand played out:

My stack 640

My opponent 520

4-handed - I am on the under the gun and I straddle. It is raised to 15 by the big bilind and I make it 40 which is called. The flop comes 9 8 5 with two clubs. I bet 100 and my opponent thinks for a couple seconds then CALLS TIME and says he has to go pee really badly and runs off to the restroom. He had announced his need pre-hand and pre-flop as well. The dealer and I and the other players look at each other and unanimously announce that we have never experienced such a thing. Floor is called. He comes and by the time all is explained my opponent returns to my 100 bet. As the floor man is walking away he says "oh by the way you only have about 10 seconds left on 'time'". Around 25 seconds go by when the floor comes back counts down and says "ok your hand is dead". At which point my opponent goes "oh what? huh?" all confused as if he had just woken up. He then asks for a re-ruling. Amidst the confused player and the dealer and floor man the floor says "ok you have 5 more seconds to decide" WHAT THE FUCK??????? and my opponent says "all in". I'm beside myself and cant figure out what just happened. I'm faced with a decision when I should be sitting with 700 in front of me and we should be on the next hand. I should have mucked in disgust but I'm pissed and tilting and you can just imagine. I call with Jacks. No draws hit. He shows queens. I've made worse calls. 

Next hand I shove with A8 and the donks (seriously they were playing middle pair shitty kicker and such, of course he had to catch queens last hand) call me. Two callers to my 120 all in. I triple up with a flopped ace.  Soon after I get aces and the "Queens" are betting into me with a preflop raise. He flops two pair and turns a boat with 6 4 and I ship all my $ to him.  Unreal night. I was amongst all new people I didnt know and had little to no back-up. I should have just folded and cashed out...or just said FUCK NO, ITS A DEAD HAND. I was in a daze. The drive home was numb. 

I hope you guys do realize its not the money, I dont have endless amounts but I wouldnt put it on the line if I didnt have it. Its nights like this when you completely get fucked over that make me question why I even bother.

I guess I need to take a long six hour break from poker.

<-$2775>

Lets get this over with.

<-$2135>

I havent been posting even thought I promised I would be better about it like I used to be. I'm sorry.

Here's a recap of how i've not cashed in the past few games:

+$25 - Huge game. A 2/5 game with 8-10k on the table. One round each omaha hi & hold'em. Short session.

+$70 - Dont remember the session altho I remember the number.

+$250 - Short session pre-work all 45 minutes worth.

-$570 (too many positives in a row, had to have one right?) - Two games in a row 6pm-11am lol. Stuck big in the first game and came back with the help of hitting a high hand. Stuck more in the second although only lost 1 buyin after a lengthy climb back.

+$145 - Decent session before work once again but all six hours worth this time. I made one bad call where I hit trip Aces on the river only to run into a back doored flush which I didnt even see on the board.

Total -$80

<-$2215>

Been there, done that...

<-$1635 >

...and I didn't like it one bit. This is a very bad post to start being timely again, but I guess I have to sometime.

Another horrific night for me and my non-existent bank roll. It started off decent and it turned into a roller coaster which I could handle. Down to 100, back to 160, back to 80, then 120...etc. I finally lost it with Kings to a back and forth raising match with apparently AQ...all in pre-flop, hit his ace, the rest is history.

I rebought and built my stack back to 600. Lost a chunk of it on a hand where I had queens and had to fold to my opponent putting me all in on top of the 100 I had just bet. I folded. Straight possibility on the board. I dwindled down and got trapped badly on a hand where I had K10 of spades. The flop came A A 7 with two spades. We checked it down to the river where the river came a deuce of spades. I bet 20, he made it 40, I made it 80. He went all in and I instantly called only to see him flip A 7. Stinger.

I proceeded to get 100 more out of pure gamble and shoved with pocket 10's and doubled up. I then caught a flush on the river which also gave me about 1/2 my stack more. Up to 300. Feeling good about it we played a few rounds and I looked down at A8. I raised to 20 preflop and both called. The flop came 5 6 7 rainbow. I bet 40 and one folded, The next person made it 130... I had 200 left in front of me and I shoved. He instantly called. The turn was a 4. The river was a 3. 8 high straight. He flips 8 9. ....I'm beyond myself. A bad night overall. Apparently I should be used to nights like this seeing as I have them quite too fucking often. Ha. I'll bounce back, first I need to collect some debts from people so I actually have some $ to donk off as I have gotten accustomed to. Maybe I can pull off an upset once in a while.

<-$2135>

Definitely feeling like the bug now.

<-$825>

Apparently after a positive that I was too tired to write about I had three negatives that I was even more reluctant to write about, therefore the posts were put on the back burner to the point that I kept forgetting about them. As time passed by I can't remember what happened night-to-night. I definitely need to try to get back to writing on a daily basis like I used to. Obviously I'm in a deeper hole than I was, the main reason being suckouts. The other reason is me being susceptible to going on tilt. In my last session I was having a good night and was up 3x when the place I was playing at combined the two short handed tables they had into a good table. Unfortunately I couldn't handle the gamble a couple of players brought with them; especially when one hand put me on severe tilt. I usually am good about avoiding tilt, not this night. AQ suited vs 105 off. I raise to 45 preflop, called by two. Flop Q 10 blank, I bet 50 to which the Asian (lol) shoves for 50 more, I call he shows the 10 5 and catches a 10 on the river. He proceeded to suck out on a couple other people before he lost all his stack. I have said this time and time again, you absolutely WANT people like that at the table in the long run. It just sucks a lot when you are the victim of the pre-implosion of their stack.

Let me rewind and see if I can remember some key hands in the downhill battle that I've endured lately.

In a nutshell:

+550 - Really good night inside and out. Only bought in once and lasted till game break. My peak was exactly a thousand stack which I gave back 200ish on to the same person I took it from near the end.

-600 - I got in very deep this game, was in deeper than the 600 I lost - with the last buy in I managed to get a few measly dollars back and 'only' be down that much on the night.

-160 - This night I started of playing superbly. I built my stack up fast but not with monster hands. Numerous times I played the person in the early going and was correct. I won one big hand with just a pair of aces and shitty kicker. I had my stack up to 700 a few hours in and thought it was going to be a great night when I ran into two hands. The first one was Aces, of course. People overplay big hands like that, I have learned not to. I made sure only a premium hand (or so I thought) would see a flop. It was raised to 20 which a bunch of people called preflop, 6 I think. I made it 125 total. I got one caller. The flop came king high and a bet of 40 was made into me and I raised it to 150 which was quickly called. He only had 40 behind... I didnt understand the call. The turn came a king and I knew I was beat...I still bet the 40 ...just in case lol. He shows KQ off suit. I struggled to see the value of calling the 105 additional preflop, but I still cannot. This made a big dent in my stack which would see its demise on the next hand. I look at AQ suited and make it 25 preflop, called by 2. Flop came A 7 A. Great! I can get back on track! ... not so fast.... I bet out 50, and my opponent tanks. He puts a stick out there, the other guy folds. I push over the top all in for about another 60 and he cannot put his chips in fast enough. He flips pocket sevens and I head for the door disgusted not even thinking about rebuying. 700 poof in 2 hands.

-600 - This latest cry for help to the poker gods I already partially told you about in the whining intro ^ up there. I was in control of my table for a long time and when it combined with the other I took one bad beat and unraveled. I bought back in and got some of the $ back when he left, still leaving a hole in my pocket.

When all the math is done I'm scared to even look at the number that I will calculate.

-825+550 = -275

-275 - 1360 = -1635

*gulp*

<-$1635>

Sometimes you're the windshield, sometimes you're the bug

<-$1225>

Whoa it's not daylight out yet, why am I leaving the poker house? Oh I got busted; go figure. Back to back ugly beats gave me the nudge to call it an early night. Last night was a good one in contrast. 

Last night I felt like I slowly took control of the table. It was full of people I knew and I could talk to and talk shit to. I laid low until I hit a flush on the turn and busted top two pair to push me over the double up threshold. Then I just started playing the people and when I got good cards I would raise and get called. Things went well and I was pleased. My peak was when I was sitting on a grand but I donated it back where I got it from within the last hour. In for 2, out with 760 after two hands of Mexican sweat at the end. 

Tonight I had AK several times. The game was 1/2/5 and I quickly noticed that one pot could make you or break you. I gained a large chip stack quickly and I thought I was easing into my talkative mood again where I would be able to take control of the table. It happened for a short time but I kept running into one opponent who seemed to have my number. Once on a big raise preflop with queens he flopped a king and I donated a little more on the c-bet only because he did not have much behind.

I was able to win three hands in a row to put me at my peak of nearly 700 when I had KJ, KK, and QQ hold up back to back to back. I had been in an awakened slumber 'till then. All awake and ready to play, about 10 hands later I look down at AA in my big blind. It was called around to me and I made it 25 to go. It was minraised to 50 and I proceeded to make it 125. The flop came King high and I thought for a moment my opponent might have flopped a set of kings because he rapidly called my 100 bet. The turn came another king which veered me off the pocket kings and I made the mistake of going all in. I had him covered by about 150. I was instantly called by KQ off. I couldn't have put him on that calling my re-raise preflop. It stung.

I still had my buyin in front of me of 160ish. The very next hand I looked down at AQoff. In the small blind this time I make it 20 on top of the minraise someone made to 10. Two callers and the flop comes A 7 A.

I bet out 25 and after alot of acting the first opponent makes it 50. After the other person folds I go all in and get snap called by (what else could it be) pocket 7's. Bam Bam my seven towers fell in two hands. 

I believe if I had not made the mistake of shipping most of my stack to the QK with my untimely all in on the turn, I would have given whatever would have been still standing in front of me to the flopped sevens full.

Two nights, 400 profit. It has been worse ;)

<-$825>

Sit down in that chair right there...

<-$1510>

...let me show you how it's done. Let me show you how to blow your whole stack ;)

I don't believe it myself but I came out of this day/night ahead. "only" almost three hundred but I'm devastated.

I'll try to make it quick because I need some sleep. The day began at noon on Saturday and ended at 5am on Sunday.

Pre-tourney cash game - yield +$85 due to final hand semi-bluff with top pair. +$85

$6k freeroll - 10 way final table chop for $600 each (equivalent of 4th place). +$685 (+600)

Post-tourney cash game. I made 3 sick calls, one with Qhigh & won a $300 pot, one with Ahigh and won a smaller pot and the 3rd busted me. I put a guy on a flush draw, so I raise his 20$ bet to all in for $102 with bottom pair. I have A4, 4 on the turn. He calls with ace high and rivers his gut shot straight. +$485 (-200)

I drive elsewhere while cooling off the steam and at this location I start with rivering a boat and I didnt look back for a long time. I owned the table with table talk and everything I did worked my way. I built my stack to $1100 from 2. Then we hit the bad beat!! The loser got $1200, winner got $950, and $120 per person for table share. Up to $1200. Then this nice hand occurs: 

I dont remember preflop details, maybe $20 pre, but the flop was checked around (mistake #1) Flop was Q 10 7. The turn came a 2 of spades. Checked around again to the button who bets $200, call, call, then me. I have top top with the nut flush draw - wow. I have to call. The river hits nothing. Once again checked to the button who bet 200 and we all mucked. Button had a set of ducks.

Two hands later I look down at aces. Raised to 12 before me, I make it 50 to go. One caller. I flop A 9 9 for a boat. I check & 80 is bet into me. I call. The turn makes a flush, I check. Its checked back. The river is blank. I'm first to act and I bet out 145 which is rapidly called. I got my $200 back and then some.

Aaaaaand for the main event: 

I raise $20 pre, 4 callers. The flop comes 6clubs 7? 9clubs. One guy goes all in for 190, fold, fold, all in for 700. Here I am, sitting on 1250. I apologize to the table and take my sweet time. In my monologue to the table I was able to pin point exactly my opponents' hands. 8 5 off (190ai) & 10 8 clubs (700ai). I wish I could have put them both on flush draws and noticed how few outs I really had. I was probably blinded by the amount of $ and maybe a little greed. It still doesn't take away from the fact that I had 7 outs with two cards to go, to win 900 + preflop pot. I had A J clubs and I called. I'm sure this post would have been titled differently if a club had come. 

I unraveled from that point on and sad to say I blew it all. Never again, never again. When is the right time to leave? How do you know when you have enough in front of you to leave? If you're a double up and go kind of person, you never see the possible highs. I have had plenty of highs, but also plenty of highs that came crashing down because I stayed. I went in on a draw, knowing I was behind. It is easier to let go of a hand when you know what you might have won when you didnt lose any in the process. 

I took a chance, shoot me now. 

No, really.

<-$1225>

(at my peak I had 1275, that could be a +50... lol ok ok now shoot me.)

Ya, no title. Just roll with it.

<-$830>

Sigh... so my updates have been more and more sporadic. I'm sorry.

In my defense: 1) I have been playing less 2) I was sick and am having a relapse during my days off effective today 3) I have been very busy with work and coming home late/early has made me crash instantly to be rested for work. All excuses aside, I only have 3 sessions to report on.

The first session was positive. I had tripled my stack and went on a losing streak so for once I chose to cash out 2x. +200

The second session was ridiculous. I admit fault but not at the poker table, my fault was in location and time of the game I chose. The game was short handed to begin with, with a few house players, I ran into a straddle that caught KK in the hole and was snapped off. He soon cashed out and there was little to no money left on the table to get my losses back. -300

Tonight was a night of "can you hear that noise? Yeah its the you sucking, sucking out on me". 

I bought in for 200 and got healthy slowly with good plays. I lost a few hands and was back to my original stack when I got snapped. I had AK and flopped an ace with a possible straight out there. I believe A 4 5. I bet semi-big knowing my opponent has 'calling you down' tendencies. $40 - call. The turn was blank, no redraws; 10?. I bet 60, call. River 2. I go all in for about $85, insta-call; "I have a straight" - "Of course you fucking do." With 3 4 nontheless. Nice gutshot hit.

Rebuy, 200. Once again I struggle but finally go on a run where I take control of the table, start talking more and get in a fun groove. I get back to even and then some. Here I go running head first into a wall aka aces. I looked down at AQ with the A of spades. It was $20 pre with 4 people. The flop was Q 5 5; two spades. I bet 20, it got raised to 50. Fold then I call. The turn was a blank spade. I bet 40, he makes it 75 total. I call. The river was blank again, no spade. He shoves and I call the $139 not knowing he had that much behind. You already know what he had. This hand dragged me back to my second buyin.

I didnt believe it but I once again clawed my way back to even and I looked down at one king. I looked down at another king after that. Before it gets to me there is a raise to 17 which I make 50 straight and my opponent (heads up now) goes all in for $150. I obviously call, he has aces. I lose. 

I was now down to 150ish and looked down at an undisclosed high pocket pair. I raised preflop to 15. Flop comes 10 J 7 rainbow. I bet 21, one call. turn is blank low. I bet 40, same call. The river is a K. I probably dumbly go all in for the remaining less than a stick. Called and I stared at AK as it was flipped. Really? Flipped thats what I was, just like the cards. Why would you fucking call me down? no idea. I was steaming and people were egging me on to rebuy...blah blah blah.

Oh why not? Steam 300 more away why dontcha'. Fourth hand maybe, I got kings again. It was a straddled pot. I raise to $25 as the first raiser, two calls including the button. The flop came 8 5 8. I bet 40 as utFg. (under the fucking gun, bout to get shot) called the 40 by one. The turn was a 10. I tell him I didnt like the way he smoothly called after hollywooding for a while. He's only got about 120 more so I go all in and he calls at a snail-like pace. That got under my skin. Obviously he flips over an 8, I was at least expecting 810 suited or something... no... nope... K8 off. umm ???????? 'nuff said.

Down to 70ish I'm way over my head in tilt. I see 4 5 diamonds and raise to 20 preflop, 3 calls. Flop was 5 4 10 with a diamond. I go all in and the guy who had K8 called. I river a 5, although apparently I didn't need it as he claimed he called with ace high. Sittin on 200, I do my tilty thing a few more times, raise to 20 and see that I am unable to hit anything on the flops that follow. I linger down to 100 and the game breaks, yay, at least I couldnt spew any more money with no game. Good job me. -600

Okay, let's tally that up. +200 + -300 + -580 = -680; sigh. Up next: big freeroll - hopefully with at least a cash. The sun is up, I have to go back into my cocoon, hasta.

<-$1510>

Dude! Where's my update?!?!

<-$990>

Whoa! Have I been neglecting posting my sessions or what...?

You guys didn't really think I took a break from playing, right? I can't go a couple of days without hanging out at a poker table, let alone what the span between my posts has been.

The update will be positive. I think. I have to retrace my steps since the last post. I have had four sessions, therefore three posts missed. 

First session: -$300 

= -$1290

Second session:  +$25

= -$1265

Third session: +$600 

= -$665

Fourth session: -$165

= -$830
_The first session loss was comprised of two main hands. I was on tilt and decided to re-raise someone's little $12 bump to 40, call and reraise to me, where I shipped it since I had little more than the re-raise and a call behind me. JJ (me) vs KK vs another person's JJ. Needless to say I lost that. I bought back in for 100 and lost it on pocket 9's with the board all lower than the 9. I bet on the flop somewhere about 20 or 25 and got called by a gutshot who caught on the turn. I bet again all-in and lost.

__The second session is a blur. I just remember that it was a slight positive after playing for a long long time.

___The third session was just the other night. I was in for 400 and I kept getting sucked out on. I walked my first buy-in loss and bought back in just in time to see jacks. I took one person out with them and gained 70 on the  first hand. Soon after I looked at 77. Flop showed me a set and I checked. Heads up, 20 was bet into me and I called. The turn did not threaten my hand & I checked again. My opponent bet 20, I raised it to 60 fairly quickly, he said all-in to which I insta-called. Doubled it up to 500 and started finally feeling good about my progress. I would soon get sucked out on again with Kings and then Jacks, where I put all my money (or put my opponent all in) in good on the flop and they caught runner runner. I got my revenge a few dealers later when I looked down at ladies and flopped top set with a diamond draw out there. I was in middle position and raised it to $145 after the first person bet 60. As I looked for the next person to act, I get surprised by a person in between who I did not know was in the hand. He calls, fold, fold. The turn is an ace, not affecting the flush draw. I go all in and get instantly called. I just hope he does not have pocket aces. This turned into a huge pot since we were about evenly matched with 600 in front of us. It turns out he just had a flush draw and did not catch. Phew. I flirted with the $1200 mark all night and finally started playing very loosely in the end when we became short handed. I cashed out an even 1000.

____Tonight's session was long, quite resembling the third session. We ended the game when the sun was up in the sky at 8am. It was a fun session though. I cannot recall many if any hands. For the first several hours, while I dug myself a hole, we played the usual hold'em. In the closing 6 hours, we played omaha hi/lo mostly, however, it was dealer's choice. I was down 300 with about 100 still sitting in front of me when we made the switch. I hadn't played omaha in a long time and it took me loosing the last 100 and taking the third buy down to 80$ to finally get my wits back. I brought the $80 all the way back to $450. It was worth the up and down to regain my omaha knowledge which was stored in the back of my brain.
<-$830>

Can't touch this, na na na na, na na, can't touch this

<-$690>

Three wins in a row, booya; at mexican sweat that is. At least I can console myself that it is a kind of poker.

As for hold'em, I was kind enough to give back my winnings from last session. Mexican sweat did allow me to be about $50 in profit over the course of the two days.

The night seemed to get off on the right track when I rapidly hit a king high flush on the turn after creating a nice sized pot for myself just for such a case. I made a big bet on the river and my opponent almost folded the nut flush thinking I had a full house; but he didn't. His call halved my original buy in which dwindled down to 60. I stayed in that range for a prolonged period of time, winning and losing pots back and forth. I finally was able to double up on a flopped set, but the recently procured chips headed to another player soon when I rivered two pair vs his flopped set. I soon get tired of being the short stack and push all my chips in on a raised pot to 12. The one person I did not take under account shoves over the top with a higher pair than me and drags the pot when it is all said and done. This game was now down to 4 players and they chose to break.

I decided to try my luck at another game and once again bought in for the standard 200. After a while of fluctuation I ended up losing my buyin on a full out bluff and got another 200. In for quite a bit, I slowed down and tried to only play premium hands. About an hour later I played 7 9 of hearts. I flopped a flush draw and turned an open ended straight. I led out on every street and was delighted to see the jack on the river which gave me a straight and the second nuts; only KQ would beat me with broadway. I was able to double up on this hand since my opponent also flopped a flush draw and rivered two pair. It would have been the end of me if my flush had shown up. I stayed around the same stack size for the rest of the night until near the end when I went on a slight bad run. I was flopping hands but my opponents would have me outkicked or just a slightly better hand. Unfortunately I dove back down to my original second buy in plus some loose change. A few people had gotten busted by now and we were down to three handed so we decided to end it. Of course after a couple of hands of mexican sweat with the loose change at risk. I took down both hands giving me back a little over 100 of my first buy in. It was an odd night but I am glad one of my friends that had been in a slump made a very hefty profit, at my expense in some instances.

<-$990>

Super Trooper

<-$1050>

Please bear with me, I have a lot to write. That's usually the result of a long session; nearly half a day (11+ hrs).

The usual buy in was parked in front of my empty seat and a friendly environment was in the air; so poetic, I know. In for 200, I try a different approach to the game, any two cards. Obviously properly timed, otherwise its a recipe for disaster. My stack never really dwindled in this session, it was a case of big highs and small but hefty lows. The one hand that propelled me to a 'big' stack early on played out like this: 

It was straddled and I was last to act - I called the $5 along with a couple other people. The straddle raised it to 25 and it got folded around to me. The straddle believed he got a walk and almost mucked while saying in a low voice, as if directed only to his neighbor, "Ace Queen". The dealer alerted him and I was now in a dilemma. I didnt really believe him but the range was right, could be AK, AJ, maybe even A10. I decided to call since it was heads up and I flopped two pair 8 3 3 board. I checked, he bet 25 and I called. The turn was a 3 giving me a boat. I bet 30 and he shoved over the top for 110 all in. I tanked and chose not to put him on a pocket pair and made the call. The river was blank & he mucked, with me dragging a nice pot.

Some time into the night I started playing more hands and got more involved. In one hand I had two of my friends as opponents whom I've known a while. I played J 2 of hearts. It was raised to 15 preflop with 3 people in. The flop came 2 3 4 with two hearts. I checked the flop and $30 was the bet, called by one then called by me. The turn was my flush card (Q??). Out of character I bet with the made hand, $40. Called by both once again. The river was a blank since I do not recall it. I bet 78. After a long thinking period I got a call and waited once more for the 3rd person to make a decision. He flopped a straight; looking in my eyes he saw the twinkle that was my flush and folded. I showed and she mucked, saying she had flopped a set; very probable.

I dragged a few little pots in the meantime and I'm sitting on nearly 8 sticks when an absolutely sick hand occurred. I may have some minor details wrong but the gist is below.

I believe it was a straddled pot and the straddler let us live. The flop came A Q 10 all spades. First to act bet 20 at it. Of all hands, I flopped Broadway holding KJ off, neither a spade of course. Hoping nobody flopped the flush, and in an attempt to weed out all the single card flush draws I raised to $85 with my newly acquired chips. To my disgust the next three people went all in back to back to back like mad men. My $85 got raised to $140 by the first all in, re-raised to $187 all in & called by $160 all in. The next person honestly thought about calling or shoving also...but mucked reluctantly. Next my friend went in the tank for a couple of minutes. By now I was just laughing at the fact there was no way I could call and was amused at the whole situation. My friend folded and held as did I. Here are the player's hands:

Me: KJ off no spade (raise/muck) - Broadway

Player1: K2 king of spades (all in 140) Nothing

Player2: 98 of spades (all in 187) Made flush / Winner

Player3: 47 of spades (all in $160) Made flush

Player4: flopped a set (mucked) Boat (river paired) / Would-be winner

Player5: AJ jack of spades (bet20/muck) Broadway (K on the turn)

I only lost $85! ha.

In the next few hours I lost a few pots and I slowly dragged my stack back down to about 650ish. I looked down at pocket ladies. Heads up action was raised to 12 preflop and now on me. I made it 50 and it is slowly but firmly called. The flop showed all low cards but connected and in my opponent's range. I checked and $30 was bet into me. It seemed like a low and inviting bet, which I obliged to. The turn came another connecting card which I later found out gave my opponent an open-ender. It was also a third club. It scared me slightly because I thought maybe he did hit his flush. I did have the Q of clubs. I was first to act but my opponent checked out of turn so I decided to do the same and he did stick to his original move and checked. The river came the fourth club I was rooting for. Once again my opponent acted out of turn; this time, however, he put 60 out in front of him. He was notified of the mistake once again and I decided to bet 100. After a thoughtful minute, he stuck out the 100 with an additional 150 next to it. This confused me completely and the thought that I perhaps could be beaten crossed my mind. I decided against it and made the call only to see a complete bluff with an open ended straight draw. This pot boosted me to the highest point I would be in this session, over $900, close to 950.

Not five hands after the big win I get spiraled into tilt by one measly hand. A few people gave me insight that I may have misplayed it, others said I didn't. It seems to me I obviously did misplay it.

After a standard preflop raise to 15 it was down to 3 handed. I had AJ and the flop was A J 9 with a flush draw. I bet 12 to incite action which I quickly get. It got raised to 30 and the third player folded. I decided to test the waters and made it $80 total, 50 on top. Quickly called. The turn was a queen and I bet 100 to which I got instantly called. Due to the insta-call I did get a little worried about maybe my opponent having played a gut shot for the 50 on top and hitting it on the turn. The river is a king, which messed my hand even more. I decided to check and I get faced with 100 to call. It seemed like a bluffing bet, so I called pretty quickly and got to see the (explicit here, repeatedly) A 10 that chased me down to the river to hit the straight. All my newly gathered chips headed on over two seats to my left and stayed there as my opponent cashed out 3 hands later. == I was told I should have bet more on the turn, perhaps between 175 to 250 and he would have folded. Then I was also told I should have folded on the river obviously, which I can see. I really was not expecting to see someone go after a gut shot so strongly, unless he really believed I had nothing and his ace was good. I had only showed good hands thus far in the game, I have a hard time believing he thought his ace was good. Hello tilt. 

Stupid call after stupid chase after spewing money left and right I got down to 450ish.

I looked down at a nice pocket pair that wasnt aces. The game was now 5 handed. In the small blind I raised to 15. The next person was short stacked and had been waiting for hands to ship it with. This was one of them apparently because in went his $86 stack. The next person folded and the one after him called. I open my eyes to see the player before me stacking out the 86 jokingly then folding. The only caller so far had about 700 in front of him so I decided to move in and perhaps get my whole stack called. He folded to my all in and it became heads up. I showed KK, he showed AK. The original caller folded AQ and the other two folded A3 and A5 respectively; all the aces are gone and we're still preflop! How could it be poker without a sweat?? The flop obviously came 2 4 5 giving him a gut shot. Thankfully the 3 did not come and I dragged that pot. Of course we all got an earful about A3 flopping a straight, haha.

I ended my hold'em poker night with chasing a flush draw and in the end flushing $70 down the toilet or rather to my opponent's stack.

I racked up and had 500 even. As usual the game wasn't over as planned and we had to play one final hand of mexican sweat (a type of poker). I won't type the rules, but I won. 7 people in for $10 each; I only needed 4 cards of the 7 we each received to beat everyone with Qs and 9s two pair. There's an additional $60 in my pocket. 

The End.

<-$690>

P stands for: pocket, pair, & patience

<-$1425>

This night I was delayed by previous obligations, so I arrived to the game late. The game seemed to be winding down already but we drew it out for a few hours. It is weird because I don't remember many of the hands that built my stack. It was several little pots here and there that I dragged which put me over the hump.
I remember having several pocket pairs. On one instance I raised preflop and flopped quads - higher than the current high hand so the high hand would be mine after this one was over, or would it? I checked the flop, - checked around. I choose to bet the turn then remember that the high hand must go to show down. One fold (oh crap...), then I hear raise. PHEW! I call, check the river - checked back; showdown. I would end up winning high hand with quad 9's.
Two other instances with pocket pairs were: I flopped a set and turned a boat but checked the river which was checked back to me as my trap didnt work; small pot won. The other instance I had pocket 8's and it was raised to 20 preflop with 3 players already in. I considered a fold but why I do not know. I called and the flop was all lower than an 8. It got checked around and I bet 40. Fold, fold, all in for 15 on top. Argh, I called. The turn was blank, river 6. I flipped my 8's, he flipped his 6's. Sigh.
Nearning the end I once again got a pocket pair. The flop was 10 high but I bet at it; two callers. The turn which was a blank got checked around. The river hit my set but it also hit alot of straight possibilities. Check, I checked and 20 is bet. Fold and I raised to 50, followed by a call. My opponent rivered two pair with the case nine on the river which made my set of nines. Nice pot.
The very next hand I looked down at AQ suited. The same opponent that just had the two pair shoved for 65 or thereabouts. It got back to me with no callers so I decided to call, hoping I was at least ahead or in a race. 
The flop was 9 10 J with 10 J of spades for a gut shot straight flush draw. The king came on the turn to give me broadway and the river was irrelevant as she mucked. She got busted and the game broke.
I managed to make a decent profit in the last couple of hands after the set of sixes on the river over my pocket 8's demoralized me a bit. In addition I was awarded the high hand bonus for the night for an additional $115.
<-$1050>

Down, up, down, up, down, misstep; darn!

<-$985>

Ahem! Hi. Let me start in the middle.

Pt 1. As the night progressed the game got quite big and I was enjoying it sort of from the sidelines. I was in for nearly 400 and not doing much of anything. I went up and down and back up and back down. I was up into profit at one point; I raised preflop, bet the flop and turn decently big and it was folded to me on the river for a nice pot where I didnt have to show my hand. Low and behold two hands later I look at A6 and three people before me had put 25 in preflop... alright I called. Flop A 6 9. Check, check, all in for 110. I shove over the top so it ends up being heads up and it is. A6 vs AQ. Turn blank river 9. Yay counterfit... fuck. Queen plays as the kicker to his two pair. Back in the red and I was clawing my way back when the game went bust. Cashed out only a little down. 

Pt 2. A friend of mine from this game wanted to know the location of another game I have played at so off we went there at 5am, ha. This being a little bigger of a game and the stacks reflecting a game in progress for a while, I bought in for 300. I lost 100 rather quickly while chasing a draw. I called preflop because of pot odds, then realized those players tended to be unable to fold preflop...thus each pot was big. I chased for two streets and gave up. 

I flopped a couple of sets early on and made a portion of my money back. Then I lost a little bit and back to 200 I was. The gentleman (I mean that very lightly) in this pot had been pushing people around, at least in my opinion. The guy before him raises to 15, he calls, another calls, I call. Flop 3 6 7 rainbow. Check, he bets 40, fold, then to me. Here I have all 3 options obviously, call - raise - fold. I just believed he was doing the same as the past few hands and made the misstep of shoving, 140 on top. He sat there for a bit and finally called with pocket Kings.. I was dominated from the get-go but I thought wrong all the way. I had tens. Bad play on my part, should have known better but all on me. Two steps forward one step back. Gettin' back on the horse will not be too hard, I'm not taking this loss too badly.
<-$1425>

Keepin' the ball rolling in the right direction

<-$1460>

Tonight was interesting, a little drama culminating in a good night. I chose to check out a new location on opening day. New location, same ol' faces. The blinds were a little higher than the usual 1/2 games. It was a $2/$3 game, never had played one like that before. I could tell early on that it would end up being quite a big game. I bought in for 200, some people were already at 500. As it often happens to me in new locations, it takes me a while to get settled in. The first buy in came and went. I finally relaxed and just waited for a hand. 

My opportunity came when I looked down at pocket 9's to a $15 raise. Three people in the hand, and the flop came 8 K 9 rainbow. First to act bet $100. It sort of surprised me, I decided he was trying to take down the pot then and there. The bill got called and I moved in the rest of my chips, 80$ on top of the stick & said "you got caught, huh?". The initial bettor reluctantly and slowly called the 80 and the first caller mucked AK face up. I show mid set and AK asked to see my caller's hand; a measly KJ for the loss. Finally sitting on a healthy stack amongst crazy players.

I sat on it and called suited connectors and pocket pairs but got nowhere. I finally looked down at pocket 8's and once again the raise was about 12 or 15 preflop. I called along with 4 others. The flop came 8d 10d 3s. SB bet out 60. Fold and one quick call before it got to me. I momentarily tanked then pushed out two $150 stacks. One fold and the original bettor went all in for 16 more. First caller also pushed all his chips but he only had about 80 on top of the initial 60. All the side pots got figured out and all I remember is that no flush or straight came. I was up against an over pair, KK and an open ended straight flush draw J 9 d... pretty sick. I took it down. My stack was at this time my peak in the night.

Not much more happened in the next hours. I flopped a straight one time and made back some money I lost in blinds and preflop calls. One time I got AK and got called down after I bet every street by A6 and he rivered 2pair with a 6 on the river. I got my $ back from this chaser with a King high flush to put me back at my peak right before I called it a night.

Good location, good people & finally a nice positive night.

<-$985>

I don't recall, but it was good.

<-$1690>

This was a laid back night for me. Once again my game looked like it was going to make but alas, not so. 

I thus took two of my friends to a game I knew was happening and sat in to have fun. I started drinking since a buddy of mine was, that relaxed me. I chose to keep myself buzzed but in conscious conditions, ha.

I believe I played well and made the right moves. Bluffed the right pots, for the most part and said the right thing at the right time; whether it was to see a free card or to get a call, I was on top of it.

I won a few pots and lost a few as it goes, ended up on the right side in the end, the positive side.

I cannot recall many hands honestly, probably because I did not take them too seriously and forgot about them soon after. I can remember two since they happened close to the end. I flopped a straight flush draw on both of them, once with 56 of hearts and once with AJ of spades. 

The 56 hand I flopped 7 3 of hearts and I bet all the way, turned a 6 and rivered another 6. Little did I know my opponent turned a straight with 54. He made a big bet on the river, $75 I believe, and I reluctantly called.

The same opponent was attempting to bluff when I raised preflop to $15 with AJ and flopped QQ10, with two spades. I once again bet it all the way but checked the river when an ace showed up. He bet 60 and I insta-called. He said "i have a jack" and confused me, but I flipped over my hand and he mucked. I ended up even between those two hands.

In the end, a positive night. I will definitely take that.

<-$1460>

Wouldn't you take free money?

<-$2310>

I've been somewhat sticking to my guns about not playing. I had quite a few chips gathered for the weekly (Friday) and the monthly (Saturday) freerolls, so I decided to go play them... its free money!

On Friday we had two tables, I placed 5th. Became a short stack and had to shove with a less than ideal hand - which was a head of the two opponents who called me. Until the river that is; a gut-shot sraight was hit to knock me out. I made 75$ (-10 dealer toke).

On Saturday we had a huge turnout. The room fits 4 tables, all 4 were full plus we had alternates. I would say we had 45 people turn out for the $6500 monthly freeroll. They opened the doors at 11am for the 3pm freeroll so people could show up and make an additional 500 chips per hour of play until the tourney. I played...and dumped $160 for 2500 additional chips. I bought in for 120 and lost this stack on pocket tens which ran into pocket 9's flopping quads. I bought back in for 100 and just sat around and didnt do anything; cashed out 65 pre-tourney.

I was 3rd in chips to begin the tourney with about 12,000. I made a deal with a friend of mine that we would give each other 25% of our winnings if we placed, his stack wasn't much smaller than mine.

I had the chance to take out two people on the first hand of the tourney but it was a big chunk of my stack and I did not want to make the wrong decision so early on. I had A10 & raised to 325 preflop, 2 callers. Flop is 10 9 4, I flopped top-top. Checked to me, I bet 625. The button goes all in for a little over 4,000 and got 1 caller before it comes back to me. There is a flush draw out there and I decide to fold thinking the flush will get there. One shows AQ nut flush draw, other shows J10. Nothing changes, J10 takes it down.

I settled down and took the blinds here and there. With 15 minute blinds they were going up quite fast. After the first break I had the same stack as when the tourney started, with the field down to 3 tables.

Soon after we came back from break I took down a couple pots with pocket aces preflop with small raises. A couple hands later I looked down at another pocket pair. Blinds were now 1000/2000 100ante. Under the gun smooth called and it got folded around to me where I made it 7,000 to go. SB & BB fold and the caller went all in. She had me covered by maybe over a grand. I called and I was very glad for it to be a coinflip with her flipping over AK off vs my pocket Jacks. What seemed like forever later I drag a huge pot, shooting me up to 2nd top stack in the tourney. Right before the 2nd break I look down at Aces again. Same blinds and antes - my friend min-raises to 4000, I make it 10,000 and everyone folds. 

A few hands after the break we finally combine to the final table. The final table brings a huge stack, maybe even 2:1 to me. The blinds went up to 3000/6000 and I raise to 13,300 with A10 suited; everyone folded and I took down the blinds and antes. I didn't play a single hand the rest of the way. There was plenty of chop-talk from the moment we started the final table but the big stack would have nothing of it. He proceeded to take out 7 people, mostly on suckouts but I didn't care. We finally reached a compromise with 3 left. He had me and the 3rd person outchipped by 7:1 now...we decided to give him 1st place money, $1,500, whereas me and the 3rd person took $1,100 each. Not bad for free money. 

My pre-tournament deal lost me $160 in the end. My partner got busted out in 6th place, making $450. His hand was sick; he had aces vs jacks vs the top stack's A2. The flop gave the top stack a gut shot with 5 4 4. Turn 2, river 2 for a boat. The positive was he took out two people in one hand, heh.

450/4(25%)=112.5

1100/4(25%)=275

275-112= rounded down to 160

Later on in the night I drove a friend back to play a little while & I lost a short stack buyin with a couple flopped sets vs rivered flushes. Still a positive day all in all.

<-$1690>

Its not you, its me; I can't play you...

<-$2310>

After a very unsuccessful break, I once again played a couple tourneys. Both freerolls, therefore I had nothing to lose. The latter had a big prize pool; there was a chance to gather more starting chips by playing cash prior to the start, so I did. In the end I lost in both freerolls decently far from cashing considering the small starting fields.

In cash all in all I lost 15 bucks over two sessions - not worth mentioning. I had several more suckouts I sneaked myself out of by getting revenge when I put it all-in with the worst hand. Not much to report, all numbers stay the same. 

I did attempt to play online for the first time in over a year. I cashed in the first two multi-table tourneys I played. I must say, I played well and was very patient. It did help that most of the hands I was going in pre-flop with, held up; mostly high pocket pairs. Placed 3rd out of 18, then 62nd out of 3,333 in a 'little' point entry-fee tourney. I've lost since again, probably mostly due to impatience. Played a few heads-up and am 1/3. 

The break will probably start back up now for a few more days, although it should be longer. I shall figure it out.

For now, the numbers stay the same.

<-$2310>

Luckbox! ...Unlucky luckbox!

<-$2250>

How about we concentrate on how I turned $4 into $300 instead of how I got down to the $4 in the first place? Yeah, sounds good to me. Alright, alright, but I'll make it short. I'm trying to cut down on the whining about bad beats haha. Well there was the one hand where I turned the nut straight, aka broadway, and a boat was rivered against me. Several nice flops where I had top top and the river paired my opponent for two pair. To begin it all I was up against an open-ender with ace high and I river an ace, wrongly assumed I was good and called the made straight's bet. Okay I'm done.

I disgustedly call $2 with $4 left, I chose not to shove lol. The two bucks got raised to seven and a friend throws me three bucks so I can compete for the full main pot. I had 2 4 suited and hit my deuce on the flop! Down to 3 handed, the turn was a 9. Once the blank (to me) river hits, a guy bets and gets the other person to fold. He shows and proceeds to muck. This all happened pretty quick and I had not revealed my hand yet. His hand is deemed dead and my duck takes the $28 main pot. 

Soon after the excitement of having nearly SIX red chips donated to me by a misstep, I shoved with KJ suited. Everyone called. The flop gave me gut shot and I hit my 10 on the turn for broadway, but alas it also hit a potential flush on the board. Everyone checked the rest down & I am the only one with a hand. Take it doooown! 

The rest is a lot of short handed play, mostly 3 handed where I played the part of a bully with the short stack. One good hand I had was pocket twos. I raise to 17 preflop, the flop comes 5 4 3. I tell myself I'm shoving if an ace comes on the turn lol. I bet out and get the $20 called by one. The turn came an ace like I called it, I once again bet 20. The river does put a potential flush on the board, but I bet at it once more and it is folded to me. I drag a decent sized pot for 3 handed and am satisfied. A few more hands passed and we called it a night. 

I turned $4 into $298. Had to dig a hole for myself first though. My best to date had been $30 into $700... this may have been better. Is this the change I've been looking for? One can only hope. 

There are not going to be any more posts with the negative number increasing.
<-$2310>

Loosestar

<-1950>

Due to coming home late and needing at least a little bit of sleep, I neglected to create a post on the first day of my break. What a start to my break! What better way to start it than with a poker game? Lol. I was happy with my latest result therefore I felt I had some momentum and was going to gain some of my prior losses. WrOnG!

It started with a friend of mine & I going to our usual room. Unfortunately the game was already breaking as we walked in and because of us it didn't break. We played 5 handed for about an hour, all the while talking about going to Winstar as a group. I bought in and lost my first short buy-in on an all-in where I believed I had the best hand. I obviously didn't. I doubled my second short buy with a couple of fun hands. I rivered the nut flush vs another flush and flopped a slightly disguised straight with 10 8 - flop 9 7 6.

Finally we all decided to head north. I hadn't been up there in a long time; I was hoping for a good night to store in my memory bank about the place. As it usually is in the middle of the night, it was quiet and it had few tables open. I was trying to decide whether to play 2/5 or 1/2. Given my recent stroke of luck, I chose on the latter so I would have a couple of buy-ins just in case. I was catching hole cards left and right; they were gorgeous looking. Not a single flop would match them. I proceeded to become short stack due to pre-flop raises with mostly suited connectors (none were even gapped... it was 910, J10, 78, QK, etc.). Out of frustration I shoved with 56 of hearts, called by pocket sixes which held up. First rebuy, last rebuy. I sat tight and started folding for a change. It did help that I wasn't getting any cards to play with. The few hands I did play I lost to a slightly higher kicker and I got down to 71 when I looked down at pocket sevens.

There was a guy to my left who once every orbit or so, would raise preflop a ridiculous amount, get a couple callers, then shove on the flop and everyone would fold and get shown a bluff. He got caught one time and was exposed but nobody seemed to notice; weird. On my particular hand he raised to 50 preflop and it got folded around to me. I had little over that bet, I put him on two overs to my cards at best, so I shoved. He made a face and said he had to reluctantly call. The flop was all low cards below 7. I felt confident. The turn paired the board and the river I cannot even remember. He shows 4 2. The flop had a four and it just so fucking happened to be the same card that paired the board on the turn. Seriously? 

Sadly enough I will ALWAYS want that, and any other, guy who plays like that in my pots. Suckouts are part of the game. The sooner we realize it, the sooner we can keep pushing forth. In the long run the better hand wins.

<-2250>

Little itty bitty step forward

<-2130>

Just as I proclaimed a couple of days ago, I played a tournament Saturday and a tournament on Sunday. Both were quite uneventful for me. I played well in both but one (or two?) little mistakes and you're out! 

The Saturday tourney was free. I made the right folds until the blinds were threatening to take over my stack and to a 3x bb raise, I went all in with KQoff for 4,700 and was called by AK. 1out.

The Sunday tourney was a paid/rebuy one. I built my stack to double the initial of 4,000 and sat on it. I got pocket 8's and to one person's all in, I called. I wasn't sure why the bet big, so I believed I was ahead and I was. I was also relieved to hear "i had an ace, I folded an ace also" when people at the table saw the AK of my opponent. I was dealing and I turned the case ace - 2out. Rebuy. The very next hand I got pocket 9's. The blind level and break time were approaching; what was also approaching was the end of rebuy periods at the same time. Before me, one guy went all in and my buddy called him/goes all in as well. I thought they either are both pulling a move or one of them had high suited cards and the other was pulling a move. I'm wrong on both accounts; one has jacks the other rockets! As the flop comes we all read it out loud to see what outs we had, unfortunately for me if my outs came, one of my two opponents would make a higher hand. I was just about drawing dead. The river came an ace, giving the aces a set but my buddy hit a miracle straight. 3out. Okay, last rebuy, for one because the rebuy period is over, for two because you are only allowed to rebuy twice and I exhausted all my attempts. I made this stack last a while, however, I don't even recall what hand I was busted out on. *shrug* So now I'm on break, right?

Oh I forgot, I have to drop off something to a dealer friend of mine... I have to go to where she works. Could it be a card room perhaps? Ha. When I get there and the game is in full swing with maybe 7 players and a lot of pushing of nice pots back and forth. One guy in particular was drunk and anyone around could just see his stack slowly disappear in front of their eyes. I sat for a while admiring all these lucky people who were playing with this guy, I just knew someone would catch him. "Fine, I give in; get me 100 in chips"

I sat tight and waited for a hand, in the meantime that guy's stack has gone from 900 to 600 to 400 etc. 

I get tens, raise prefllop to 20, 2 callers. Flop was 9 high so I shove, everyone folded. The drunk guy busted out, another big stack left & the game was coming to a close soon. I had 7 8 suited and I limped in for $2. 3 people in he hand and the flop gave me gut shot. Someone bet 6 at it; sigh, 'I call' (everyone knows I don't do gut shots) as does the other player. I hit my 6 on the turn for a 9 high straight, I bet 15. They both call and the river is a blank. I now get 20 bet into me and I make it 45, one call and one fold. I win.

The last memorable hand of the night for me was AK suited where I turned a king and I snap-called a $50 bet on the river to take it down. Up near 300 now, just a Jackson below. One more player soon busted and the game was over. Wow, what happened? I cashed out?...& I cashed out up?

How 'bout that break, huh? :p

.......I was talking to a friend of mine at work today and I may just follow what he does, partially at least, for a while. Just buy in small stack and nurture it. If you lose, beat it. He goes after a double up and he's happy to leave 100% profit, smart. I'll just stick to the short buys of 100 for now I suppose and see how that goes.

<-1950>

*suckout noise*

<-$1810>

The night began slow and downhill. I probably played too many hands too soon and lost my first buy in in a slow and steady manner. I reloaded for 150 more and played very tight. During the course of the whole night, until it got to 4 handed I believe I maybe played 5 or 6 hands total. I was tight! I stuck to pocket pairs and suited connectors as well as pocket face cards. A memorable hand that gave me some momentum was a set I turned. I raise preflop and don't recall the number of callers; the raise was 12. Flop comes 7 5 K. I check and a bet of 21 is made into me. It seems like an odd bet and I'm torn on whether its a flush draw or simply a king; I decide to call 21 and fold if the turn does nothing for me and is a heart, or reevaluate if it isn't a heart. The turn is a 9, my set card. I bet out 35 this time and get raised to 100... I have little left over the raise so I go all in and get called. He has KQ, river is a queen but he was drawing dead regardless as a king would have given me a boat. I double up and am more confident in my strategy of playing tight.

My boosted morale goes down a little bit while I bleed chips by calling preflop with nice cards but not coming even close to hitting and not wanting to start bluffing at pots where I would get called down.

A long while goes by and I have another pocket pair, this time a bit higher. I raise to 20 preflop and get 4 callers.That is a few more than I wanted but oh well, I would soon wish I had raised more and gotten all the calls also. Flop comes A J J. I bet out 15 and get raised to 60. I smooth call as I have two more behind me; one of them seems to want to call but they both muck. The turn is a deuce and after it is checked to me I check as well; bad move in retrospect. The river is another deuce. I bet 40 and I soon see my opponent reaching for an additional hundred on top of my bet. I'm very happy to see the raise but I know that my shove will not be called because, did I mention,  I have the stone cold nuts and the remainder of my chips will not be called by the bottom end of the boat. I have to attempt a re-raise anyways, I therefore put out another 120 over her raise. She asks if I really have pocket aces and we just wait a while until she folds and I flip over my pocket Jacks for the flopped nuts and high hand of the night. This is where the good in my night ends and the bad begins.

The game starts winding down and I start going downhill with it. At first I'm just sticking to my gameplan and playing tight and conservative. I bleed a few chips as is to be expected and am soon back down to my buy in (original+rebuy) and feeling the pressure of having lost all my profit. A few people leave and I hit a hot streak of cards... too bad they ALL lose. 3 hands in a row I am dealt kings, eights and aces. The cherry on top was my aces getting cracked. I raise a straddled hand to 25, called by two including the straddle. Flop is something like 3 6 7. I notice my opponent reaching for chips so I check. He goes all in for a little over 120, one fold and my insta-call. The turn is a 3, river is a 6. Runner runner boat, although the trip 3s had me beat already on the turn. 

I have high hand so $100 is waiting for me at the cage... I try my luck again and am soon dealt AK off. I have an extremely drunk and loose player in the hand with me, calling my 25 preflop raise. The problem is that I cannot put him on a hand since he is so wreckless... but I stick to my guns and believe AK is going to be good. Flop is low 2 4 7, I check, he bets 25 and I call. The turn is a five. He could have played anything and I decide to see where he is at. I go ahead and bet 25 this time. He has a large chipstack since he felted me earlier when I had the string of pocket pairs so he doesn't care... calls easily. The river is a 3. Hey I hit a miracle straight, yay. I have 50ish left so I go all in, get instantly called by the other miracle straight that was hit by the guy holding 6 10 in his hand.

I'm done, disgusted at the beats I took on yet another night when I believe I played well and could not get anything accomplished as far as climbing back out of the poker bankroll hole.

To the reader: I have a tournament I will be playing on Friday and one on Saturday, after that I will take a break for a little while. I have to figure out why I am playing well and getting constantly sucked out on, night in night out. I can't even say I'm running bad, I am getting good cards, getting my money in good, but it is just not holding up. A break will do me good although I have said I don't believe in breaks and I believe in playing through a bad run; this run has gone on long enough.

<-$2130>

Happiness isn't everything

<-$1640>

Just when I thought my 'luck' had turned and I played well, I meet a rude awakening.

After an unsuccessful game at my house due to lack of participation, a couple friends & I head over to play elsewhere. I decide to change it up a tad and be more selective about the hands I play. Unfortunately, since the huge hand of the night is still on my mind, I lack recollection of how I got the decent sized stack I was sitting on. Its quite a big game with rarely a pot less than 50 preflop. Most stacks are over a grand with me just below by about a hundred. I look down at Kings and raise 20 pre, four callers and a spade flop hits the board; Q 4 5. I bet out 50 and get just one caller this time. The turn is a ten of clubs. I bet 100, call. River is another queen. I have been playing so few hands that my image is extremely tight. I am representing a boat...just about every other person at the table said they would not have been able to call. I bet 100, he makes it 200. I have about 350 left and I instantly ship it. After a few moments of insecurity and moving his chips back and forth as if to get a reaction, he makes a 'fuck it' call. He has the queen... chased me down. There are so many possibilities out there...yet I still cannot get a fold. I had him covered by 55.

I proceed to quadruple the 55 in the next two hands by doubling up twice, however; the game is too big and I'm soon back to 60 by calling a couple times with nice looking suited face cards and seeing all low flops. I am tired and still steaming about the big pot, I ship with A5 diamonds, call by AQ off. Ace high with a Queen kicker takes it down. I'm very happy with the way I played, I played right and made the right moves for the most part. Me being happy with my play didn't make me money in the end, so it was all for not.

<-$1810>

Walkin' on holy water

<-$1840>

Finally some okay news to report. No big whoop I suppose, perhaps I can build momentum from it.

The night started out with me and a couple friends going to a 'bar game' in dallas. Small stakes 25c/50c ...what can you really do there except be miserable?... you can lose! duh, of course! In for 60$ and down to 15$ I let my buddy play my stack and he played really well and built it back up, then I urged him to go all in with my $ when he got pocket 6's. He ran into 8s and 10s also in the hole of other players. Boohoo.

Against my conscience's advice we went to the regular $1/$2 spot where I found a full table so I had to wait. I finally got a seat and I bought in for 160.

I proceeded to lose a big chunk with AK suited soon after sitting. I raised a straddled pot to 25 and got two callers. Two decently loose players that are in alot of pots. Flop came K 10 4 with two clubs. I bet out 50 thinking I'm good. I get called by both and pray for no club. The turn is another 10 and a club. I check (giving up?), followed by a $100 bet to which we both fold. He shows a ten for trips, sigh. 

Now down to 75$ish I'm just laying back and folding. I get pocket queens in the sb. It goes around and someone raises to 10, one caller then me. I go all in over the top for $71 total. The guy to my left instantly ships his stack which is about 220 to which a couple limpers fold. Then a hesitation from the original raiser and the statement, "oh gosh am i going to get sucked out on again??" ...followed by a reluctant call/all in for about 220-250. Next guy also calls and has exactly the same amount as I do, $71. He has 7/6 off and called due to good odds... The initial raiser/hesitant one has Aces... how do you hesitate preflop with that? Insta-shipper has nines. Flop is jack high and the turn is one of the two miraculous queens. I win the main pot, I'm still in, wow.

I sit on the near 300 that I win in that pot for a while, drag some small pots here and there in a pretty standard 1/2 game. No crazy stuff tonight. We had just lost two people and were 5 handed. I was in a conversation with the guy to my right and casually look down on pocket fours. I limp into the straddled pot and we see a cheap flop. A 9 4 two dimes. UTG bets 15 and I call while still talking. This bet gets raised to 40 and the original bettor folds reluctantly. I announce raise and put 60 on top, making it an even stick. She instantly goes all in and before I have time to hear her I say call. I feel I'm way ahead, 'till I see the pocket nines she flips over. I'm cursing inside and out loud and walk away from the table and back to my chair just in time to see THE CASE 4 peel off as the river. Quads. Sick river...ship it. What makes this story is a little additional fact, however. The initial bettor folded pocket queens due to the ace on the flop and being raised... a queen came on the turn. 99 vs 44 vs QQ flop A94 turn Q river 4. Unreal.

I'm now sitting on 560 and my money starts going down. Its shorthanded, blinds are coming around faster and the game turns into a 1/2/5 with a straddle almost every hand. I get back down to 350 after getting rivered 3 hands in a row, I was mad. Finally one player leaves, another gets busted (KQ vs 44, flop 4KQ, blank turn river Q) lol, and we're down to 3 handed. One choses to cash out soon after and the remaining gent and I decide to play heads up. I'm now down to 210ish. We play 1/2 for a while then deem it pointless and turn it into 5/10. I'm very proud of myself for keeping up with this guy who I've come to respect alot and is a great player. We go back and forth without much aggression. The big hand for me was a flopped nut flush where i got paid off well. I cashed out 400 even. Lots of entertainment and adrenaline was provided tonight... but without the two "suckouts" I had, I would have lost like I have been. Has my luck changed? 

<-$1640>

Crown shows you the trush!!!1

<-1240>

Let me start with, trush was a purposeful spelling mistake, and the 1 was also purposeful! Even a lil tipsy I'm Very grammar concious. LoL

I guess I needed a few shots of crown in order to admit this.

I played horrible two days ago. Its sad when you cannot remember more than two hands that dismantled you when you lose 2 and a half buy ins. As I think of it, I just remember the last hand I went out on. King high flush over Queen high flush to one of my best friends... that sucks. He did warn me, but I hit the flush too... :( (sad smiley). Oh well, not much I could do. I also got busted on a hand where I flopped a straight and a girl that had just sat in, her first hand, flopped a set and turned a boat on me. I have A2 and flop is 3 4 5. She has 45 and turn is a 4. She bets out 35 and I ship it, since I only have about 100 left and I get just about insta-called. Oh well, again. I lost big that night.

Tonight I played at a pretty fun and good natured home game. Sort of an easy game if I played straight. I think I played bad but I ended up 70 up. Didnt matter in the end since I went to another game at 2am haha. I didnt chalk up the win and sat in for 170 and lost it all plus gambled for another 100. Yes I gambled :o. We played for high card for about an hour... I had my opponent down to 25 bucks and he won 4 straight....you can count it up...25x2=50 50x2=100 100x2=200. I lost a bill...not a big deal. The crown hadn't even hit me yet. Hell it just hit me as I stepped in the door. Was a fun night and I had drinks. Not a big deal. Whats big is going to be the difference between the red up top ^^^ vs the red down on the bottom. Sucks. Hopefully I can turn it around as Sunday brings a new week along. Last week sucks... look for yourself at the bottom number, blah!!

<-1840>

Run Forrest Run

<-$650>

This will be short and quick. I'm running so bad and the frustration is mounting equaling me not playing well on top of running bad. I did okay at my own game the other night, won a tourney and about 60 in the cash game. Tonight...different story. I'm getting tired of posting about losses, and thinking of making this a different blog. I'm just venting, frustrated alot with this unfortunate run. Several times tonight I raise pre and flop two pair and my opponent either sucks out with a straight or flush on the turn, or straight outflops me with a set on a rainbow board. I staked a friend and he did well, about the only positive out of tonight. Another one in the books in red. Stupid is as stupid does.

<-$1240>

Cooler Talk

<-450>
 Dumbfounded, shellshocked, astonished, stunned, speechless, stupefied and taken aback. All words that can describe my feelings as of about 30 minutes ago. Tonight was the night of coolers for me, or against me. Only two coolers happened, but in a session where I know I played well and did a good job, they stung big time. 

I started with a 200$ stack as I often do. I played very tight for the first hour or so. I finally played a big hand and won it, and showed, thus establishing a certain image which allowed me to bluff a few times. I built my stack to a little over 300. I then played K10 off. It was straddled and someone min-raised to 10. I called along with 4 other people. Flop was K Q 9, two hearts. First to act goes all in for 35. One call and one fold and its to me; I decide to call. Turn is my money card, Jack and not a heart. It is now heads up and my opponent bets 50, I then raise to 120 and get called reluctantly. The river is pretty blank, 5clubs. I shove for 93, kind of looking to be called. He folds,and I take down the hefty & nice pot of 300ish with the straight. I'm up near 500. 

Up and down a little bit then I get Jacks. Someone had straddled; I make it 20 and get 3 callers. Flop is 3 4 5 rainbow. I bet out 60. Fold, all in for 190, fold, then to me. I insta-call. Aces. Blank turn and river, I lose. Back down to 340. Cooler #1: .Little bit of tilt and a small loss here and there I get down to 150. I get AQ suited and its a raised pot preflop to 30. Flop is AJ6. I go all in, get insta-called (she warned me and told me to take my bet back but I had shoved my stack out there - the dealer and I agreed I was all in) she had AK. No queen shows up.

I buy back in for $150 and proceed to turn it into 500 again rather quickly. One of the hands that doubled me up was pocket 8's called by AQ on a lower than my pair board. Something like 2 3 6 or so. They held up and I was on my way. People are getting tired and/or busted by now and the game is in its final stages. 

Cooler #2: It goes down to 3 handed. I get K J clubs. Mandatory straddle, I raise to 25. Called by one. I'm still in shock so I dont quite remember the flop exactly or the betting, I believe the flop was 2 3 4 one club, the 3. We both check. Turn is another 4 - the 4 of clubs. I believe I bet out 40. I get called. River is 5 of clubs. He bets 75. I hollywood a little but I'm sure I'm golden. I think for a split second of A2 clubs for the steel wheel (straight flush wheel) but I laugh at myself for it. I more likely put him on the nut straight with 67 or so. This player has done this so many times to me, hit gutterballs on the river after going all board without anything. I make it an even $200 - two fisted raise. He's a bit boozed up but it takes him a few to shove his whole stack in. He has me covered not by much. I started the hand with 425 or so. I stand up and make some muffled noises like groans ...I guess inside I knew I was beat but I didnt give myself time to think it out...just couldn't fold anyways... 3 handed come on - I'm golden. Aren't I? Two numbers and one word.

6 2 clubs

<-$800>

Gift-wrapped benjamins

<+250>

Tonight I was dead money. I was the one player you abso-freaking-lutely want at your table.

I firs went to a little home game where it should have been an easy double up. I was doing good until I decided I didn't believe this one guy, two hands in a row. He stacked me. I technically putt him on flush draws both times, the first time should have been enough for me not to do it again; but like I said, I was dead money.

Once busted and a little on tilt I went to the main game. I proceeded to lose some more here. In my defense, I put it all in with the best hand and got sucked out on. AQ vs KQ with a queen high board, turn King. This brought my initial buy in of 300 crashing down to 60. I stuck around (i just typo-ed "I suck" ha...) for a while and folded. I just so happen to flop a flush in a $10 preflop raised hand. Another guy flops the nut flush and another flops a set of deuces and turns quads. Nice hand sir. 

I try to shake all this stupidity off me and get the guts to rebuy once more. I shouldn't have, I was tilting bad and was just waiting for a hand to ship it with. I get this opportunity on a raised and re-raised preflop hand. I call the $17 final bet. I have A9 of clubs. flop is 10 5 10 with two clubs. I bet out 20, fold fold fold, and my friend makes it 120 letting me know he has a 10. I wasn't even going to elaborate on tonight, I was going to write -700 and be done, but he wanted a mention in the blog so there lol. Anywho, I insta-shove on him! Woohoo... my move is complete. He has one of the most difficult calls of his life to make for an additional $20 or so. I miss on the turn, I miss again on the river and he boats up. He had 10 8 suited.

I went from playing great on one night and ending the session badly to a horrible showing.
The only way to go is up.

<-450>

I leave bearing gifts...

<-200>

Blahhhhh! As i write this, keep in mind I did still have quite a good night. I'm very happy with my play and the outcome is favorable, but it could have been so much better!! As you see, by scrolling all the way to the bottom of the post, I made about 450. I did, however, lose over half my stack in the last 20 minutes. I was sitting pretty on $1,240 when I got K 10 suited hearts. I raise to 20 preflop, called by two. Flop K 10 8. I bet out 25, then raised to 60 and the 60 called by the 3rd person who was drunk and pretty much not a factor. It comes around to me and I put 100 on top. Both call (the latter is now all in - irrelevant), ugh. Turn is a 5. I bet 100, he calls. river is another 5. Check check. He flopped a set of tens. -$400 on that hand. Little later the game is winding down, I look down at Kings. I raise 25 preflop and get called by two of the three players left other than me. flop 9 6 9. Long story short he called with 9 10 suited, like I would have done. I bet 35 on the flop, 100 on the blank turn and we both check the river. Down to what I cashed out. I gave out gifts in the amount of $600 for my bday in 20 minutes lol.
The road to success was very sweet. I cannot pinpoint any particular hand that was a huge pot. It was a slow and steady build, from the 210 I bought in for to the peak of 1250. I played well and timed my bets and aimed for specific victims and it paid off. I busted a few people several times. They happily went to the ATM and reloaded, putting a big ATM sign over their head that I tapped into.
One memorable moment of the night was when I got the only pocket aces of the whole night. I raise, re-raised, re-re-raised...blah blah all in I insta-call, Aces vs Aces. ...chop pot! SURPRISE!

<+255>

Quite a pricey meal, wouldn't you say?

<+360>

 Fold, fold, JJ. Third hand, yay its going to be a good night! I raise to 15, 3 callers. Flop A 9 blank. I check, check after me, then $30 bet. Everyone folds including me. He shows an ace. Cool, good fold. 

K4 K4 K4 K4 Q2 23 32 J5 82 72 6Q, aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh, card dead for the rest of the night. One time I got Q8 suited spades so I decided to play it, flopped a flush draw and missed it the rest of the way. I did however bet every street so I tried a bluff on the river, $60 bet and I got called by both other players - one rivered trips, other boated up on the river lol. Q8 was also the undoing of my first buy in. Once again suited Q8 clubs this time. I raise it 15 preflop, 2 callers. Flop comes Q 8 9 - all spades. WRONG BLACK DAMN IT. Checked back to me. Now, I don't want to see another spade, I bet 50. Called by both. I put them on trying to draw out on me with high spades. Turn is a 3 of clubs. I feel safe after they both check again. I don't have much left, I shove for about 60ish. Re-raise all in for 700, as well as an insta-"aw, I call....".

Aw shucks...I have 4 outs haha, a Queen or an 8 that don't show up. Jack high flopped flush vs 6 5 of spades who also flopped it. Out $300.
Usually I would leave being as card dead as I had been, but the game is shorthanded now and there are 3 big stacks at the table that I know can get very loose with their money. I buy back in for $260.

Not much to say here, I go after my read which was correct all along and I get sucked out on by a heart flush on the river for my stack. I straddle - 5handed. 3 callers, I then raise 15 on top. Both call. Flop 9 8 5 with two hearts. I had suited 10 9 of spades and I flop top pair. I feel I'm ahead, BB checks and I bet out 25 - call, call. Ok maybe I'm not ahead, but I also know one of the two can be calling with nothing at all or a draw. Turn is a 3. Check to me, I bet 50. One stays in and min-raises me, the aforementioned person. I put him on hearts and shove over the top all in, probably about 100 more. He calls without much animation with the nut flush draw and hits the 5 of hearts on the river. Oh well, pretty sucky.
I had a couple burgers and 2 sprites during this whole ordeal. I made sure to go to the fridge and grab two more sprites when I left to balance out my expenses for the night.

I'm surprised I ended up writing so much about such a crappy night. Next time will be better, at least its all I can hope for.

<-$200>

Hole cards no good unless crap...DUH

<+590>

Where to start? I guess chronologically would be most suitable.

I did play on Saturday although I made no effort to post about it as I had little effort at the table.

I don't even know how long I played. Got short stacked quick & raised with J10 to 15 in a $1/2/5, flop two jacks, bet 25, guy shoves all in way over me with a diamond draw with 24d, diamond on the river, I lose and I get a long nights sleep. 

Last night was a little different. Long session and I was stuck most of the night. Mostly due to untimely good hands that were beaten. I probably misplayed them as well which did not help my situation.

Don't remember how I spread my first 200 amongst the table... I'm sure it was dumb. CHECKS! Quite a bit of money on the table now, make it a Vegas table max buy in of $300.

Lots of limping at this time so I raise to 15 with aces called by 2. Flop 8 6 8. I bet out 40. I'm already pretty dead. Called by same two. 10 on the turn. Guy checks, I check, one guy bets 70, next guy calls, I make it 165. Fold, then a pondering call. River is a 9.  He checks and I give up & check. I may have missed a river all in, but this guy was a calling station so I probably would have been busted. A8 vs AA. Good check.

I build back up a little to 300ish. In a hand with the same guy later on, I raise a suited 2gapper to 15. Two calls. Flop 6 7 K. I flop top pair. I bet out 30. Called by one. Turn is a 9. Top 2 pair. I bet 50 - raised to 100. (this is where I should fold) I shove, he calls. River blank. I figure 8 10 suited. 8/5 off suit. Oh well. Looking back I would have done the same in his shoes, just stings. I take a one hand break then put in the last bill I had in my pocket. 

Absolutely card dead I just blind my stack away. Catch a hand here and there and get walks. 3 to be exact. 

I get frustrated, call off a couple pre0flop raises, then fold as I completely whiff and my stack gets cut in half.

Fuck it, I'll resort to "trickery" and gambling. l play a hand half blind. I announce to the table I only looked at one card and I did. Its the ace of diamonds and I shove for 61. Fold all around then one caller. He has my favorite hand, pocket 6's. I flip over the ace of hearts. Its red ...same thing. Then I flip over the ace of diamonds. I do a double take...haha. I can't believe it and I'm sure everyone thinks I'm full of shit. Wait, that's not all, flop 3 4 5. Too many outs syndrome prevails and he misses the billion cards he could have hit.

Still pretty bored even after that excitement. I raise and bet on the flop with nothing and take down a few pots.

I'm supposed to have already left due to work @ 5am and I start catching cards...fun fun. Before all that, I do play 10 2 successfully bluffed all the way and I had JUST enough for a call-liking person to fold, $75. Up to 220ish. I call last orbit. Lots of limping so I follow suit. Then I change my mind. J7, K7, 108 all suited hearts, raised to 15. People know I'm pressured to leave and I'm stuck. I'm making moves, right? J 7 4 flop. 65ish win. K7, flop K 7 10 turn blank river K. I misplayed this hand though, I could have potentially doubled up... I was getting called quickly on the flop and turn so I blind bet 50 and my opponent insta-folded. made about 100$ in any case. 108, whiff the flop, fold. Just felt like putting it in there.

An extremely lucky finaly 20 minutes made me back everything but $195. I'll take nights like this if there in fact IS a flipside to making some money in the near future. Still up, yay. Play shit people, it pays off sometime.

Oh yeah on a side note: I found out today I work with Doyle Brunson's niece. I also found out a new name for a hand, 2Q

DUCK BITCH!

<+395>

Jack in the night

<+412>

I suppose that in order to make money, one must get unstuck first. Correct?

Surely it is when you lose your first two buy-ins within the first hour cause you're dumb.

Had I been someone else I might have called it a night and left...down $400 - but noooooo...

In my defense, there was a lot of dead money on the table, and more coming.

Tonight was a tale of big slick and pocket jacks. The latter of which was my best friend; I saw them five times.

I saw big slick a few more times than jacks, but the only pots I won with it were pre-flop raises not called by anyone. I did, however, lose my first two buyins with AKsuited. One of which was a 4-way all-in for a 700$ pot. Flop is 9 Q J. One guy flops a straight, 'nother has top 2 pair and third person didn't show. I river broadway but that means nothing if the turn is another jack for a full house for contestant #2! 

After a third buy, now in for 700, here comes mighty Marco. 

I didn't get aces once in this long 8 hour session, but kings, queens and my aforementioned jacks played a big role in the successful $400 surprise win.

Soon after the latest rebuy, kings double me up as big winner contestant #2 flops top top (top pair top kicker) and thinks its good enough. I was now sitting on 580 and just a bill from even. I'm stoked. Funny part is I cannot recall how I went from 600 to 1150 but that was my high point in the night. I know I had a couple more sets of jacks and one just jacks holding up against an AK which didn't connect with anything on the board.

Its never that easy to just rack up and leave... ha! There has to be another down and back up - swing.

I got the downswing out of my system after calling a 75$ river bet with just ace high. Yep I did it... lost, but I did it and proud of it. I was beat by bottom pair on the board...I had the right read ...he had shit; I had worse shit :p

I proceeded to take about 250 back with ladies against the same person and I was back to my nearly 1,100.

Caught b2b big slick near the end of the night but its probably not even worth the mention it just received.

All in all... stuck unstuck and jacks bailed me out. Seven come eleven, in for 700 out with 1100. $50/h :p

<+802>