Have you ever felt that no matter what you do, the poker gods want you to lose?  No matter how you bet or how you play, THIS DAY, you will go broke?  After 10 minutes of this session, I felt like that.

2nd hand of the day, I had to lay down a big pair when my opponent pushed AI on the turn.  At the time, I wasn't sure if it was the right lay down but as the night went on, I felt my read was correct.

2nd BB of the night I pick up KK.  EP raises to $3.50, MP calls, and I RR to $12.  EP RR to $25 and its folded to me.  F-ing serious!?  I know my opponent pretty well and have him soley on AA or QQ, with about a 75/25 ratio respectively.  With basically a min raise back to me, I elected to play cautiously and call.  Flop 10 8 4, 2 hearts.  I check and my opponent moves AI.  Not very many players are laying this hand down in this spot.  I just felt like I was beat.  After some agony, I release the hand face up and my opponent shows AA.  Good lay down but I hate this game.

I limped in EP with KQs and get a few limpers behind.  Flop  Q J 5.  I lead out for roughly $5 and get 1 caller.  Turn brings a rag and I lead out again for $15 and get called.  River 10.  I bet $20 and get raised.  I only had $8 behind so I call (very curious as to what I am losing to) and my opponent shows 8 9.  Like I said, one of THOSE days.

With my night not going so well, I knew I had to earn my pots.  I bluffed a lot more than usual, picking my spots.  There were a few hands where I had nothing, complete air, and took down some big pots.  Luckily my read was good enough on those hands.

Here is a hand that I've been thinking about.  utg +1 limps, button raises to $4.50, sb calls, and I call on the bb with 1010.  Flop 10 9 2 rainbow.  Sb checks, I check, utg +1 bets $12, folds to me and I smooth call.  Turn 2.  I check, utg+1 bets $16 and I raise to $40 and he folds.  Villian is a fairly tight player and aggressive in spots.  I felt the turn bet wanted to be called but at the same time, a feeler bet.  I thought 99 was possible but A10, K10, more likely.  Villian definitely was one to overplay top pair, even with no kicker.  I thought I would get a call on the turn and make a value bet on the river.  Obviously, I was wrong.  What could my opponent be holding based on the action?  If I just call on the turn, do I lead out on the river or hope my opponent fires again and go for a check raise?  There was no danger presented, obviously, I'd have to pay off quad ducks in that spot but I don't think quads bets the turn.  Poker is about capitalizing on your big hands and I wonder if I could have played this one a little differently.....

7 handed - utg +1, I have JJ and open raised to $4.50.  sb limps, not knowing it was raised, but has to call because he verbally stated call.  Flop K 7 5 rainbow and sb checks dark.  I bet $6 and sb raises to $20.  I felt my opponent thought I missed the flop and was raising here knowing I can't call with AQ, AJ, etc.  The only hand I'm really afraid of is K rag, maybe 2 pair.  I raise to $45.  Villian goes into the tank and thinks.  At this point, I feel like I have the winner or I can get him off K rag.  He checks his cards, checks the time.  He RR for another $53 on top.  Of course, now I have to rethink the hand.  $150ish in the pot, $53 to me ~ 3 to 1.  Factor in my opponent took a while to go all in also who normally plays very fast with a good hand.  I can beat a pair of 5 or 7 but can't beat a K.  I have to factor in possible 2 pair but odds of flopping 2 pair is 50 to 1.  If I feel my opponent could be making a move 50% of the time in this spot, I have odds to call getting 3 to 1 since I'd only have to be right 1/2 the time.  It took me about 5 mins to think this thing out.  As all these things are going through my head, I recall my opponent looking at the time because our session was coming to a close.  I felt this was a "lets gamble" because time is running out and tilted my scale even more to a bluff.  I said "you could have me beat but I think you have 4 6 and on a draw, I call".  My opponent turns over 4 6.  Turn and river bricked out and I take down my only big pot of the night. 

I invested $300 and cashed out $262.75.  That big pot towards the end of the night saved me.  Even though I didn't win this session, I felt like it was one of my better sessions.  I made some huge laydowns and made a huge call.  For the most part, my good starting hands didn't pan out.  I actually had to earn my pots this session, making a ton of moves and stealing pots.  It was definitely a test from the poker powers for sure. 

Lets hope things start going better in the near future!