At least I got one good thing out of this session. Taking a chance at a higher level made be realize it. The realization that I made is that when I'm playing 1/2 NL I think I am better than everyone else in the game. Thinking this makes me think I can play ATC and outplay people on later streets. As Zooks pointed out to me this is exactly how NOT to play a 1/2 game. Where you make a good portion of your money at that level is getting value out of your good hands and capitalizing on others mistakes. I can get away with it when I play at my local card room because I have logged a number of hours with the same people. Yesterday when I was losing 2 1/2 buy-ins in the 1/2 game I was thinking that I was king shit and just getting unlucky. Totally not the case. I was playing VERY badly. Just no other way around it. I can't even remember any key hands that I lost. Probably because i just want to forget it.
When I decided to sit with $500 in the 2/5 game (which was a must move table) I was a short stack. The average stack on the table was around $1300. I had to play cautious and pick my spots. I also knew that I was not used to playing this big lately and that most of the other people had more experience than me. I tightened up the starting hand range quite a bit. After folding for about the first hour I picked-up A,A from the BB. About 75% of the pots included a straddle and this one was the same. There was a pre-flop raise to $40 and one caller before I popped it to $140 and the cold caller was the only caller. Flop comes 10 high rainbow and I lead for $200. the other player folded and I took a decent pot. He said that he folded Q,Q. I tend to believe him in that spot since I was playing tight. I heard the other guy who raised it to $40 then folded say to the person next to him when i bet on the flop that I had A,A. I'm OK with that. I will take the pot down right there.
About one lap later I picked-up Q,Q. There was a raise to $40 after a few limpers and I raised from the cutoff to $125 and got 3 callers. Not what I wanted. Flop comes 9,4,4. Its checked to me and I lead for $200 again and only a short stack with $80 calls me. He has A,K and does not improve. That was about it for winning hands for me in the session. After that hand I was up to a little over $1100. I gave some back including limping UTG with J,J and seen a flop of 9,5,5. Checked around. Turn 5. SB leads for $15 and I;m the only caller. River 10 and SB leads again for $100. This should be an easy fold here but I called and saw the 5. When I was moved over to the main game I had around $850 or so. I stayed in the game for around 90 minutes an left with $870 on front of me. Not all the way back but a good 2/5 session none the less.
I saw two interesting hands at the table not involving myself. A regular sits in the must move game and has $1300. In the first lap he raises to $40 after a few limpers and gets one caller, who was another regular (with around $1k behind). It was apparent they both knew each other pretty good at the table. Flop comes Q,5,3. After a raising war breaks out both of them get $1000 in the middle. One has the set of Q's and the other the set of 5's. The case 5 hit the turn. You should have seen this guy go off. "How can you put that much money in there. You know I have it." I don't think anyone is getting away from middle set period.
The other good hand included a solid TAG and a SAG (sick asian gambler) who just sat at the table with $1000 covering the TAG by a little. TAG is in late position and raises it to $55 and the SAG is the only caller from the BB. Flop comes A,J,9. SAG checks and TAG bets $125 and SAG calls. Turn is a low card bringing a second club. SAG checks and TAG bets out around $500 and SAG calls. River is a 3rd club and SAG buts the TAG all-in. TAG calls and SAG shows Kc9c. So fucking sick. TAG had A,A and storms out the room knocking over a drink table and showering someone at the next table. Was kinda funny.
After calling it a night for poker I played some Pai Gow for about 3 hours on the same $100 and ended up winning $20 which covered the loss from video poker earlier in the night.
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