After Sunday’s cooler session, I felt things would turn around this time.  I’m not one to complain but I was definitely meant to get felted on Sunday.  Sometimes when things go sour, people tend to blame it on running bad but sometimes “running bad” makes you play bad too.  I didn’t want to make any excuses for Sunday, so forget and move on.

Of course, in the first orbit, I get involved in a hand. MP opens for $3, LP calls, and I call with KQs in the BB.  Flop brings K rag rag, 2 diamonds.  I check, MP bets $6, folds to me and I make it $15 to go.  After some thought, mp calls.  At this point, I had him on a flush draw, or a pocket pair; JJ, 1010, 99, etc and not giving me credit for the K.  I thought he could also be putting me on a flush draw.  Turn brought a non pairing, non flush card and I push AI for about $25ish.  He folds and I’m building my stack early. 

MP raises to $3.50, lp calls, and I decided to get courageous and call with A10o on the button.  Flop 8 9 Q, 2 diamonds, I have the Ad.  MP checks and lp bets $6.  I didn’t feel like he had a very strong hand.  Original raiser didn’t look very interested in the hand and was done with it.  I called with the intentions of making a move at the pot if the right card came.  Turn J, nonflush.  Well, even better right.  LP bets $12.  I hollywood for a minute and raise to $30.  He goes into think mode and calls.  River rags, non flush and he checks.  I go all in for $25ish and get called with KJ.  Sweet.  And the stack continues to grow... ..

I dibble dabble in a few pots here and there, always picking the right spots and taking down pots. I took down a $20 pot with a bluff, 6 9, no pair, no draw, against 4 opponents which I’m sure opened the door for war and made me a target.

UTG+1 raises to 2.50 and gets 4 callers and I get adventurous and call with Kh2h in the BB.  Flop 2 3 5, 2 diamonds.  I check, with the intention of check raising but it gets check around.  Turn 10d.  I check and opening raiser bets $8.  Folded to me and I called.  Normally, I lay this hand down and done with it.  However, against this opponent, this situation, I felt like I had the best hand.  I figured an overpair (actually any pair), a set, AK, AQ, KQ, AJ, those type of hands, would make the standard continuation bet in this spot, given the draw heavy board.  I had him on hands along the lines of A rag, KJ, K9, QJ, with 1 big diamond.  The only hands I was concerned with was one with a 10, A10, K10, J10, etc. Instead of making a move, I smoothcall.  River 6, non diamond.  I check and he fires $18. I felt like my read was right but I think the hand through again.  I say “I think you picked up a flush draw on the turn and missed.  You either have a monster or air so I’ll go ahead and give you a courtesy call.”  I turn over K2 and it was good.  It was all worth it just to see the reaction I got from him and the others.

I continued to play well through the session, making good plays and good laydowns.  I think I had my stack well over $200.

I open raise $5 UTG with QQ and get 4 callers.  Flop 7 7 2, flush draw.  I bet $15 and get called in one spot.  I wasn’t quite sure where my hand stood but felt fairly confident it was good.  Turn 9, non flush card.  I check and my opponent bets $10.  At this point, I felt my opponent had a pocket pair, but not AA or KK, or a flush draw.  My check on the turn usually means I missed, stabbed, but now I give up so he stabbed in position.  I felt my hand was weal disguised to him.  I don’t put him on 22 or 99 as I think he would check the turn, hoping the flush got there.  Any 7 in his hand makes sense too but he’d probably bet a little more.  Most of the time, I’d put in a RR here and define it but I elected to smooth call.  River 5, non flush.  I check and my opponent goes AI for $56.25.  I was really confused by the bet.  Again, I was not in love with my hand.  I thought he had a pocket pair (1010, JJ, 88, etc) but I could be wrong.  He could have a 7.  But then why so much?  If I was on a flush draw, I can’t call.  I figured a boat value bets there.  I eventually called and lost to 7 2.  The hand played out very weird to me.  I could have gotten away but elected not to and paid off the full house.  An impossible one really but I still could have read him for the 7.  Hindsight sucks ass but he looked really comfortable.  My initial instincts said to lay down and go on but I convinced myself to call.  I hate it when I do that.

That was the only big hand that I lost that confused me.  It just played out really weird.  All in all, I cashed out $116 for $76 profit.  There was definitely a few hands that I got really lucky on but what goes around comes around right?

TK