.25/.50 $50 max NL Holdem Cash game

We had a no show at the game so we wound up playing 8 handed.  No new faces and I felt I had a grasp on everybody's game for the most part.  It was a good thing because that meant I didn't have to get cute and over extend myself.  Plus, for whatever reason, I didn't play aggressive this session.  I don't know if it was on purpose or not.  I usually make a lot more moves and go after pots but I just kind of let things happen. 

I started off the night missing my hands/draws; Raise with AK and miss the flop, raise with QQ and an ace comes, etc etc.  I didn't get in much trouble though and was able to release my hands pretty easily.  I finally got it going when I limped in the SB with  into a multiway pot.  Flop .  I check and BB leads out for $2, one caller and I call.  Turn , GIN.  I check, BB bets $4, folded to me and I raise to $14.  With my hand now made and currently the nuts, I had to define it.  I didn't want the  flush draw to get there for free, which is very possible given the board.  I also may get A5 to come along and pay me off.  BB calls.  River .  Very non dangerous card.  Now I had to decide on the amount to bet to get a call.  I figured my opponent wasn't too strong so I didn't want to scare him off and wanted to maximize as much as I can.  I bet $15 (1/3 of the pot) and was called by .  He definitely wouldn't have called much more.  First decent pot of the night and we start getting on track. 

Behind some limpers, button raise to $3.50 and I call out of the BB with  and its 4 way action to the flop of .  Checks to the button who bets $7.  More times than not, I either lead out or check raise in this spot to define my hand.  However, I notice the other 2 in the pot were going to fold anyway so I didn't need to do anything cute to eliminate them (most likely they weren't on a flush draw or hit the flop since they looked to be folding).  I also know the button to be a fairly aggressive player so I didn't want to make a big decision and play a big pot at the flop.  I elected to just call.  Turn .  I check and button bets $15.  My gut tells me I'm good and he just didn't look comfortable with the bet.  Honestly, I didn't think he had anything at all.  Instincts tell me to push and take it right here BUT I wanted his chips so I just call.  In my head I'm thinking NO DIAMOND and this pot is mine.  River .  I check hoping to induce a bluff (because I know he's the type to not let go of this pot) and he goes all in for $26.  I instacall of course based on my read and take down a big pot!  I believe he showed , which in retrospect was a lot stronger than I orginally thought.

I called a LP raise of $3 out of the BB with  and we take a flop heads up of .  I check, original raiser bets $5.  Again, more times than not, I'm raising and defining my hand but today, I didn't want to get frisky.  He could have a better ace, maybe even the , or it could be a continuation bet.  I just call.  Turn .  Not the best card in the deck for me so I check and he bets $13.  For whatever reason, I didn't believe him.  Most of the time, I'm done with this hand.  It's just too risky.  I either raise or dump it.  But again, instincts says I'm good so I call.  River  and I check again.  He fires $25.  Gut tells me he's making a move but so much beats me at the same time.  Honestly, I wasn't sure but I was willing to pay $25 to see if my instincts were right on this hand.  I called and they were but I didn't get to see his hand because he mucked.

Here's an example of me being blinded by what I was trying to do and getting blindsided.  I call on the button with  and we take a family flop of .  In my head, I'm already thinking of how I'm going to maximize and trap.  Forget the fact that its a family pot so anything is possible and its probably one of the most dangerous boards ever for my hand.  But since I'm laying a "trap", it checks to me and I check behind.  This thought is going through my head "Please be a non danger card, like a 2, non diamond."  Turn  and someone in EP bets.  Perfect!  Perfect card on the turn and now some sucker is betting into me!  I got him right where I want him so I just call.  "trapping".  River  and this guy bets into me again!  Now I come with my big raise and he won't even see my trip Kings!  FORGET the fact that the river was an A, probably the 2nd most dangerous card besides a diamond.  I got a trap laid out and he's going to fall for it and I'm executing it to pefection.  He calls my raise and I turn my KQ like WHAT!  Beat that!  Well, he did when he tabled .  .  LUCKY for me he didn't reraise.  I was so caught up in what I was trying to do that I didn't even see how dangerous everything was.  Obviously I'm not folding here but I could have gotten away with losing a smaller pot in relation to what I actually lost with the circumstances presented to me.  Live and learn...

Second to last hand of the night button raises to $3 behind a limper and I look down at  in the BB.  I know the button isn't going anywhere so I raise it to $14 and sure enough he calls.  We take a HU flop of .  I lead out for $15 and he calls.  Turn .  I still felt like I had the best hand but I didn't want to lose the button.  I decided to try and induce a bluff and take the risk of him drawing out on me.  I check to show some weakness and hoped he would bet but he didn't.  River .  I wanted to check again but I wasn't sure if he'd make a move for the pot since I left the door open for him to do so on the turn and he didn't.  I decided to bet $20 instead of checking, which he called and my aces held up.

I was in only one buy in for the session, low point of about $30 and cashed out $263.50 for +213.50.  Good session for sure!  Now I just need it to carry over for the rest of the month and into the WSOP of poker in June!

See you at the felt!

TK