The drought is over!

Finally the losing streak has ended! Yesterday's session was just unbelievable. I had a really good run of cards and a player at the table who was calling everything to the river. I was able to win 13 hands out of 137. I never lost a hand that I went to the river with.

The first three hands I won were with AA each time. I was dealt AA three times in about 40 hands. The first time I ended up getting a third Ace on the flop and I figured the other guy to be on a flush draw. He made his flush on the turn, but I kept betting and raising (probably not the smartest thing to do, but I wasn't sure if the turn card helped him).
The river gave me a full house and I was positive the guy completed his flush, but I didn't notice that I had a full house and checked and called when he bet.

This was my favorite hand of the session:

** Game ID 476018476 starting - 2005-08-28 15:38:17
** Long Life Milk [Hold 'em] (0.050.10 Fixed Limit - Cash Game) Real Money
- tomtroubador sitting in seat 1 with $2.93
- Marsac sitting in seat 2 with $2.19
- overruner sitting in seat 3 with $4.67
- MrBigStuff25 sitting in seat 4 with $19.49 [Dealer]
- TrickEss sitting in seat 5 with $4.01
- Plunse sitting in seat 7 with $6.19
- Moa84 sitting in seat 8 with $0.60
- Kaptenko sitting in seat 9 with $0.27
- abc123def456 sitting in seat 10 with $4.95
TrickEss posted the small blind - $0.02
Plunse posted the big blind - $0.05

** Dealing card to MrBigStuff25: Jack of Diamonds, King of Diamonds
Moa84 folded
Kaptenko called - $0.05
abc123def456 folded
tomtroubador folded
Marsac folded
overruner called - $0.05
MrBigStuff25 called - $0.05
TrickEss called - $0.05
Plunse checked

** Dealing the flop: Queen of Diamonds, 10 of Diamonds, 4 of Hearts
TrickEss checked
Plunse checked
Kaptenko checked
overruner bet - $0.05
MrBigStuff25 called - $0.05
TrickEss folded
Plunse folded
Kaptenko called - $0.05

** Dealing the turn: 8 of Diamonds I was really hoping to see the Ad or 9d here. That would have been cool.
Kaptenko checked
overruner bet - $0.10
MrBigStuff25 raised - $0.20
Kaptenko folded
overruner called - $0.20

** Dealing the river: 4 of Spades
overruner checked
MrBigStuff25 bet - $0.10
overruner folded
MrBigStuff25 wins $0.85 from the main pot
End of game 476018476

At the end of the session I was up $4.61. I still cannot believe the cards that came my way.

Current BR: $20.19

Wheeeee!

After losing only $0.59 last night, I decided to get up early and play a short session. I was not able to win a single hand. Most of the hands were folded before the flop.

This was my best shot at winning a pot:

** Game ID 474082761 starting - 2005-08-27 07:09:09
** Hairy Sky [Hold 'em] (0.050.10 Fixed Limit - Cash Game) Real Money
- lara001 sitting in seat 1 with $1.83 [Dealer]
- ddhh sitting in seat 2 with $2.36
- pingvin2 sitting in seat 3 with $34.17
- SpeedOne sitting in seat 4 with $11.74
- steven72 sitting in seat 5 with $2.90
- akl2g sitting in seat 6 with $5.72
- waggledance sitting in seat 7 with $5.39
- MrBigStuff25 sitting in seat 8 with $17.22
- hllywddav sitting in seat 9 with $1.55
- kbomb sitting in seat 10 with $0.82 [Sitting out]
ddhh posted the small blind - $0.02
pingvin2 posted the big blind - $0.05
hllywddav posted to play - $0.05

** Dealing card to MrBigStuff25: Queen of Hearts, Queen of Diamonds
SpeedOne called - $0.05
steven72 called - $0.05
akl2g folded
waggledance folded
MrBigStuff25 raised - $0.10
hllywddav called - $0.10
lara001 folded
ddhh raised - $0.15
pingvin2 called - $0.15
SpeedOne called - $0.15
steven72 called - $0.15
MrBigStuff25 raised - $0.20
hllywddav called - $0.20
ddhh called - $0.20
pingvin2 called - $0.20
SpeedOne called - $0.20
steven72 called - $0.20

** Dealing the flop: 7 of Hearts, Queen of Clubs, 6 of Clubs
ddhh bet - $0.05
pingvin2 called - $0.05
SpeedOne called - $0.05
steven72 called - $0.05
MrBigStuff25 raised - $0.10
hllywddav called - $0.10
ddhh called - $0.10
pingvin2 called - $0.10
SpeedOne called - $0.10
steven72 called - $0.10

** Dealing the turn: 9 of Spades
ddhh checked
pingvin2 checked
SpeedOne checked
steven72 checked
MrBigStuff25 bet - $0.10
hllywddav called - $0.10
ddhh raised - $0.20
pingvin2 called - $0.20
SpeedOne folded
steven72 called - $0.20
MrBigStuff25 raised - $0.30
hllywddav called - $0.30
ddhh called - $0.30
pingvin2 called - $0.30
steven72 called - $0.30

** Dealing the river: 4 of Clubs
ddhh checked
pingvin2 checked
steven72 bet - $0.10
MrBigStuff25 called - $0.10
hllywddav called - $0.10
ddhh called - $0.10
pingvin2 folded
steven72 shows: 3 of Diamonds, 5 of Diamonds
hllywddav mucks:
ddhh mucks:
steven72 wins $3.63 from the main pot
End of game 474082761

After that I was down about $1.50 and I kept playing hoping that things would turn around. I did make some pretty poor decisions later in the session and that caused me to lose more. I need to learn to not let the losses like this one bother me so much and make good decisions all the time. I thought I had already learned that but apparently I had forgotten.

Current BR: $15.58

Slide continues

I really am not enjoying this slide. It is getting pretty old. I played for about 3 hours last night and while I didn't lose as much as the previous two sessions, it still hurt. I did manage to win a few pots and get a little bit ahead but nothing significant. I still did not get many good starting hands and a lot of the wons I stayed in with were folded after the flop.

I had one hand last night that really sucked. I was in the SB and had AJs. I raised before the flop and the BB called. I then checked all the way to the river and ending up making a 5 high straight. I bet, BB player raised and show a 6 high straight. He had 64o.

I did manage to win $1.18 with a pair of pocket Js near the end of the session. That was my biggest pot of the night, but it wasn't enough to get me even or close.

At the end of the night I was down $0.59.

Current BR: $18.00

Slides are supposed to be fun

The slide I am on now is anything but fun. I managed to lose another $2.40 last night. I lost $0.75 early when the Ace high straight I hit on the turn was killed by a second ten on the board at the river giving the winner a full house (Aces full of tens). I should have folded when I saw the second ten, but I wasn't thinking at the time. I was hoping that my losing streak was over and this was going to be a winning session. I just was not getting many good hole cards. The best I received last night was a pair of tens, and that lost when two queens came on the flop.

I won four pots during the session, but none of them were more than $0.20. I kept hoping that if I stayed around long enough that I would eventually get some good cards, but it didn't happen. At the rate I am going, I will probably still be trying to get $30.00 this time next year.

Current BR: $18.59

Not a good night.

Last night did not go very well. At first it looked like it was going to go very well. I sat down at one of the two $0.05/$0.10 limit tables on RVP and waited for the BB to come around to me. Again the table was pretty tight, alot of the player were folding before the flop and there was very little raising or betting going on. When it was my turn to post the BB, I was dealt T9d. Only two people called, a player in MP and the button. I checked and the flop was QJ3d. I bet, the MP folded and the button called. The turn and river were the As and 6c. I bet both rounds and the button called both times. I was suprised to flop a flush on my first hand. That pot was $0.63 and I was already up about $0.30. And then things got very ugly.

A few hands later, I was dealt AKo in MP. A player in EP called and then I raised. One more player called and then the EP caller reraised. Both of us called. The flop was Ad 6c 4d. The EP player checked, I bet and the other two called. The turn was a blank and the EP player checked again, so I bet, the LP player bet and then the EP player raises. But I called for some stupid reason. I could not figure out what he had. The river was another blank, the EP player bet and I called. He flips over AA and I lost big. I felt so stupid for falling for the trap I pulled off on someone in my last session. He played that very well and won $1.40. That put me down about $0.30 for the evening.

Then a few hands later I was dealt T9c in EP. I called, the CO called, the SB and the BB both stayed in. The flop was 599. I checked, the CO checked and both blinds folded, then I raised and was called by the other player. I bet on the turn and he called. I bet again on the turn and he raised, then I reraised and he called. He flipped over J9o and won $1.33. I sure didn't think he had the other 9. That hand cost me another $0.65 and I was down over $1.30 after just 32 hands.

Later on I lost another $0.35 when my two pair (Js and Ts) went up against three Ts. After that I was down under $21.00 and I slipped all the way down to $20.60 and then managed to get above $21.00, but lost it after a couple rounds of blinds. I ended the session down $2.00. Those early loses really hurt me and I spent the rest of the session chasing and getting nowhere. What a drag. I don't think I played differently than I did in the previous session, except maybe I wasn't as focused as I should have been. I thought it was supposed to be fairly easy to win at these micro limits, with a bunch of loose players, but that hasn't been my experience on RVP. I think have run into some pretty tight games. I am looking forward to graduating to another site. RVP doesn't really seem to have very many players at any of their games.

Current BR: $20.99

Playing again

After taking a full week off from playing poker, I finally found some time to play on Sunday night. When I logged on to Royal Vegas there were only 2 full .05/.10 limit tables and both of them didn't look to be very loose. I picked out my seat and began playing.

I did pretty well for the evening. I just continued to sit and wait for good cards to come my way and play them aggressively when they did. I won 9 pots out of 122 hands, 5 of them were up to $1 or more. I was dealt AA three times during this session and won with them twice. I hit a couple of straights on the turn. The first was and A high straight, which won $1.00 and the other was a K high straight that earned $1.43. The biggest pot I won, was with a pair of 4s that I was dealt in the SB and decided to pay another .03 to see the flop. The flop was Ad, 2h, & 4d. I checked, the BB checked, 1 player bet and another raised. I then raised, the BB folded and the origina bettor raised, capping the raises and the original raiser called and then I called. The turn card was the 5s. I immediately bet and again 1 player called and the other raised. We both called the raise and the river card was dealt, a Jc. I bet again, the player behind me folded and the other raised and I called. I won $1.73 with my three 4s and the other player hand two pair, Aces over fives.

The first time I was dealt pocket Aces, I was first to act and since everyone was playing so tight I was afraid if I raised everyone would fold. I thought it over and finally decided to just call and hope someone would raise behind me. The player to my left raised and four players folded and two called her raise. I then raised and the other three called. The flop was Ts 6s and 7h. I bet on the flop and the others called. The turn was the Js and again I bet, this time only the player to my left called. The river was the 6c, I bet, she called and I won $1.20. She didn't show her cards, but I suspect she had KK.

The second time I had pockets Aces, I was outdrawn on the river by a flush. I know I had the lead with my two pair (Aces and tens) before the river, but when that third heart hit I knew that I had been beat, but I called just to see. I should have just folded them and saved .10. Oh well, that's poker.

At the end of the session, I was up $2.29. I will definitely be playing tonight if I can find the right table.

Current BR: $22.99

Texas Fold'em

First Session
Most of the two sessions I played on Sunday were not very exciting. The first session I played I didn't get very many good starting hands, so most of them were quickly folded before the flop. And then, if I did get to see a flop the hand would not be good enough to continue with. I was dealt 76 hands and only managed to win three pots.

After folding about 50 hands, I wound up with AA in the big blind. I would have much rather see that when I am in early position. By the time it was my turn to act only three people had called. I raised and those three called. The flop was 736 rainbow. The SB checked, I bet again and the fellow behind me folded. The person two seats to my left, who started out the had with only $0.25, raised, the SB called and I reraised. Now that person two seats down is all-in when she calls my reraise. The turn and river cards were a K and a 5. The SB checked and I bet both times. The all-in player won the main pot with a straight to the 7 (holding 45 suited) and I won the side pot. I didn't even see the straight possibility or I would have folded instead of reraising after the flop. The $0.39 I won from the side pot didn't cover what I had put in on that hand.

The other two hands I won with was a pair of 8s and a pair of queens that didn't make it to the turn.

I was also bluffed out of one pot that I would have won if I had stayed in. I received the 8 and 7 of spades in late position. With three player before me folding and three calling, I called as well. The button and the SB called after me and the BB checked. The flop was Qh, 3s and 8d and everyone, including me checked. The turn was 8h. The SB and BB checked the next player bet and two people before me folded. I called (probably should have raised) and and the button and the SB folded and the BB called. The river was a 2 of hearts and the BB raised and the player before me called. I couldn't be 100% sure the BB wasn't bluffing at a flush so I folded. The BB flipped over Ts and Js and the other player had a pair of sixes. The BB made a great play and got me to fold the best hand, but at least he didn't win the pot. I should have been more observant when he showed his cards before this hand.

I felt like I played this session pretty well, even though I ended up losing $1.02 (it would have been more if I had not won those three hands). I just didn't get very many good cards and I wasn't willing to put money into the pot unless I thought I had a good chance at winning it. At the end of my first session I was down to $20.00.

Second Session
The second session started out about the same as the earlier one. I folded most of my hand either before the flop or after the flop. Then after about 40 hands things started to turn around (I was down $0.81). I managed to win seven pots out of 94 hands.

The biggest pot I won was $0.98 with pocket aces. It ended up improving to two pair on the turn (Aces and Tens). I was determined to take those aces all the way to the river when I saw them. A few hands earlier I was dealt pocket aces and had to lay them down, after a third heart hit the board on the turn and it became very clear that one or two players had made a flush.

At the end of the session, I was up $0.70. I feel like I played this session pretty well also. I hope I can continue to make good decisions and continue building my bankroll. I am thinking about rereading The Illustrated Guide To Texas Hold'em to see if I can pick up on anything I missed the first time.

Current BR: $20.70

Doubling up!

Saturday morning I only had one hour that I could play. I played 38 hands and won three of them.

The first hand I won with, I received a pair of Qh Qd in early position. I raised and three people called. The flop was As 4d Qs. I bet and again the other three called. The turn was a 5d, I bet and only one person dropped out. The river was another 5s. Now there is no way I will fold this hand. I bet, one player called and the other raised. I reraised and they both called and the $1.75 pot was mine. I didn't get to see what cards the other two players were holding, maybe one or both of them hit a flush on the river.

Later in the session I won $0.98 with an Ace high club flush and then $0.36 with a pair of Aces. Most of the other hands were folded before the flop and I tried not to put money in after the flop unless I thought I had a good shot at winning it.

I bought a poker book last week called The Illustrated Guide To Texas Hold'em by Dennis Purdy and I believe reading it has really improved my game. I think I have a much better understanding of what hands to play and how to make the correct decision during each round of betting.

I ended up winning $1.53 this session and have now doubled the $10 that RVP gave me when I signed up.

Current BR: $21.02

Friday Night

I sat down and logged on to Royal Vegas intending only to play for 1 hour on Friday night, but I ended up playing three. I started out the night with $16.76 and after about an hour I had managed to win over $1.00. I could have quit right then and been pretty happy but I felt if I stayed in a little longer I could do better. Before I knew it another hour had passed and my winnings were still a little over $1.00. I had improved in the second hour but not by much. The third hour was a dramatic improvement.

I got some pretty good cards and won some pretty good sized pots all three hours. I stuck with my game plan. I was determined to stick with and play only the cards that were on my starting hand chart. I can't afford to play foolishly. I have done that in the past and it has cost me too much.

The biggest pot I won during the night was $1.55 and I did it twice, both times with pocket Jacks. The first time was early in the session and I was in early position and raised and got four callers. The flop was 6, 2, 3 rainbow. I bet again and one person called, one raised and two more called with me. The turn was a another Jack and again I bet and the other three called. The river was an Ace and I bet and this time only 2 players called. They both mucked there hands so I don't know what they could have had, probably nothing better that two pair.

The second time I won $1.55 was the last pot I won before quitting. Again I received Jacks, but I didn't get the third Jack until the river. The other guy showed AT suited and wound up flopping a pair of tens.

As for the hands I did not win. I did not play very many all the way to the river at all. I think the most I put into one pot that I did play to the river and lost was $0.60. I tried to be very selective about how I played after the flop as well and only called when I felt the pot odds were worth it.

After that it was time to push away from the table. I won 15 hands out of 154. At the end of the night I was up $2.73.

Current BR: $19.49

Tuesdays are not good for poker

I lost again last night. I am 0-3 on Tuesday nights. I came close last night but it wasn't enough. I think I am going to take a couple of nights off and do some reading. I bought The Illustrated Guide to Texas Hold'em by Dan Purdy and it is pretty good.

I don't think I did anything really stupid last night. I probably made some calls before the flop early on that I shouldn't have and that hurt me. About 25 hands in I managed to win 3 out of 4 hands but that only put me about $.11 up so I continued on. After that I folded just about every starting hand before the flop and if I did see a flop I usually folded after the flop.

The table was a little looser than Monday night but not much. The biggest pot I won was $.70 with two pair. I was in the BB and was dealt K4s. There were 3 limpers ahead of me when I checked. The flop 29K and the SB checked. I didn't think anybody could have had better than a pair of Kings so I bet. Two players called and the SB folded. The turn was an 8 and I bet again. This time I only had 1 caller. The river was another 4, I bet again and was called. My opponent didn't show his cards so I am not sure what he was doing.

Near the end of the session I called with AT of spades and ended up getting 2 more spades on the flop and called after the flop and turn hoping to get another spade to make a flush, but it didn't happen.

I ended up losing $.49 for the night, most of it in blinds.

Current BR: $16.76

Monday Session

The Monday session was the exact opposite of the Sunday session, super tight. There was almost no raising. Whoever bet first won the tiny pot. So I decided to sit back and wait for my turn to win a small pot. I ended up winning a medium sized pot ($.50) and a large pot(>$1.00). The medium sized pot I won with two pair (Aces over Tens). The large pot was $1.78 that started out with a pair of sevens and ended up a full house (7s full of 4s). For some reason several players woke up on that hand and started betting. I never raised during that hand just kept calling. Only one player showed there cards and he started out the A4 of clubs. After that everyone started to play very tight again.

I could have saved myself some money on one of my final hands had I folded it when I knew I was beat. I had KQ suited so I raised before the flop and had a couple of callers. The flop was Q54 and I bet after the players before me checked so I bet again and they both called. The turn was another 4 after they both checked in front me, knowing I had the best hand. One guy folded but the other one called and got an Ace on the river. I knew when I saw it that he had me beat, but I couldn't lay it down, I know I should have.

After that it was time to get out of there before I lost the rest of my winnings. I ended up winning $.42 for the night. I need to be better disciplined and quit after a set time instead of staying in.

Current BR: $17.25

Sunday Session

Well, the Sunday session did not go as well as the Saturday session. I found a super loose table and thought I would wait to get some good cards and make a killing, but the good cards never came. I ended up playing for almost 2 hours and lost $1.32.

The best hand I had was a pair of Ts before the flop. I ended up getting another T on the flop and then a full house on the turn and was able to win $1.43, which was almost enough to get me even, but I continued playing and losing.

Current BR: $16.83

Saturday Session

I played for about an hour and a half on Saturday morning and I won a whopping $.15. I should have quit after about 50 hands. I just can't seem to hang on to my winnings if I play more than about 50 hands. I don't know why. It is really frustrating. Maybe it is because I am anxious to get to $20.00 and I am pushing too hard.

About 20 hands into this session I was dealt A4 of spades and decided to call after only two of the 5 players before me called and only the blinds were behind me. The SB called and the BB checked.. Two more spades came on the flop (a K and a 3) and I called after the SB bet the BB folded and the player to my right folded. The turn (2 of spades) produced a flush for me and 2 players checked, I bet and they called. The river was the 10 of spades the SB bet, player to might right called and I raised. Both players called and I won $1.23. I see how being in late position benefited me on that hand. Had I been in early position there wouldn't have been enough money in the pot to justify calling on the flop. I was probably not a wise move to call before the SB and BB acted because if either one of them had raised after me I probably would have had to throw that hand away.

The hand that killed me came near the end of the session when I called with QJo from UTG. The flop was QQ5 and I decided to checked after the SB and BB. A player to my left bet and I decided to raise thinking I might be up against a pair, and he reraised. That should have clued me in, but I reraised and capped the betting. The turn was a K and I came out betting again and he raised. I don't know why I called but I did. The river was an 8, I bet, he raised and I called. He flipped over a pair of 5s and won the pot. I never saw it coming and I should have.

Before I quit before the day I was able to win a couple of medium sized pots to end up $.15. I need to learn to recognize when I am beat and fold my hand and I need force myself to quit after about 50 hands.

Current BR: $18.15

Down by the river!

I played another short session last night. I decided to limit myself to an hour long session, since that seems to the most profitable. It seems like anytime I play longer than an hour I will win some hands during the first hour and then during next few hours I end up giving most of my winnings back.

I got very lucky last night in all of the hands I played. I won 5 hands and 4 of them were hands on which I need the river to win. The first two hands I won with Jacks full. Both times I was dealt pocket Jacks, both times I made two pair on the flop. I probably shouldn't have stayed in after the turn, because I didn't have the right odds, but I got lucky and the J hit on the river. The first time I beat out a guy who made his full house on the flop (4s full of 6s). He didn't bet on the flop so I thought my Js & 6s were good. He did bet on the turn, which should have clued me in but I missed it and got lucky. The second time I don't know what the other guy had because he mucked his cards but he was not happy that I got that Jack on the river. I figure he might have had 3 of a kind, but who know.

The third pot I won was only $.37. I was dealt 62s in the big blind, so I checked. The flop gave me another 2 and I checked again and so did everyone else. The turn was a 9, so I checked a third time and everyone else did the same. The river was a 2 the SB bet. I figured he probably had two pair so I called and won.

The fourth pot was even smaller ($.16), but it didn't get past the flop. I had JTo in MP and everyone folded around to me. I called and everyone else folds around to the BB who checks. The flop was AA6, the BB checked, I bet and the BB folded.

The last pot I won was a hand I think I played very well. I was dealt AhAd in EP, the two player before me called and I raised. Everyone called behind me except for of the SB. The flop was QT8d. Three players check in front of me and I bet. Two players dropped out but everyone else called. The turn was a 6x and the three players in front of me checked again. Since I did have anything other than a pair of aces I checked and a player behind me bet and several people call. Now the pot is up to almost $2.00 and I have 9 outs, I thought for a bit and decided to call. The river was a 7d and 1 player in front of me bet and I raised and got 2 callers. Both player mucked there hands, so I didn't get to see what they had, maybe they had smaller flushes or they were bluffing.

After that my hour was up and I got out. Who knows how my night would have turned out if I hadn't gotten those river cards. Probably not good. In the end I ended up winning $3.72 for the night. I got extremely lucky.

Current BR: $18.00

4 sessions, 1 update

I played 4 sessions over the weekend. One long session on Friday night, two short sessions on Saturday and one on Sunday.

Friday Night Session
I played for 4 hours on Friday night. I did not do very well at all. After about 70 hands I was up to $15.62 and that is where I shoul have quit. I really thought that by playing long I would be able to win more. Instead I lost all that and then more. I finished the night down $1.54.

Bankroll after Friday night: $11.99

Saturday Morning Session
After playing poorly in a long session, I decided to see if I could win some of my losses back by playing a short session. I did better. I ended up winning $.70, most of it from 4 hands near the end of the session.

Bankroll after Saturday morning : $12.69

Saturday Afternoon Session
I was able to find a little bit of time to play again later Saturday afternoon. I only managed to win $.12, but I'll take it

Bankroll after Saturday morning : $12.81

Sunday Afternoon Session
I managed to win $1.47 during this session, but it could have been more. After about 55 hands I was up to $16.01, but I didn't have the discipline to quit and played for another hour.

Current BR: $14.28