Hey guys,

I've been reading around for a bit & decided to start my own thread here...

Now, I'm not out to achieve various goals & such. I mainly just have 1 goal in mind: To get better. (now I know that can be relative)

A little back ground on me. I've been playing live poker for a while now...Use to play a lot of MTT, but I've transitioned in to cash games now. I play mostly 1/2 NL with the occasional shot at 2/5. But really just trying to build that bank roll up & up...

I've been playing 3-4 times a week for about 2 yrs now. Before I would only sneak in a couple of hours a day, but recently, with recent life changing events, I'm playing 4+ hours most times I go play.

Earlier this year I started running really bad. some was bad play, other times it was bad luck. For example, in that time I had AA 4 times, lost them all, 3 of them on gut shots on the river. (& it's not like I wasn't betting at them, my philosophy on that is if you're going to suck out on me, your going to pay. It's gonna hurt either you or me.....unfortunately it would end up hurting me)

OK, anyways that's in the past. In hindsight I feel that bad run did me good. Made me tighten up & really pay attention to my play.





I've been doing good in August. I've had only one losing session the past few weeks & that one really boiled down to 2 hands.

Hand 1 was completely my fault. I got a little too cute for my own good & I fully realized it right away.

Had K10 in BB in a button straddled pot to $8. I call, UTG calls, MP calls & button straddle checks it.

Flop ($32) comes A73

I check & it's checked to button who I've seen steal a few pots. He bets $45. I think about it for a minute & just call, UTG calls & MP fold.

Turn is 4 for my nit flush. This is where I made my fatal mistake. I checked, hoping that one of them had made a smaller flush & would bet, where I was going to CR...but they both checked.

River ($167) 3

I lead out for $55 (too small) & UTG raises me to $115.....button fold. I think about it, not liking the 3 that paired the board, but with an AK flush & $345 in the pot I called the extra $60....where he turned over 37 for a rivered boat.

Now no need to tell me on this hand. I know that I committed the cardinal sin of poker, giving them a free card to beat me, but I really thought one of them was going to bet, where I was going to re-pop it...







About a rotation later I get 22 again in the BB, & again lag button straddles to $8. I call, as a few other do...again about $32 going to the flop.

Flop comes A27 rainbow....perfect flopped my set! Time to get some of my chips back.

Again I check, it's check to button where he bet's $25 & I just flat, every one else folds.

Turn (~$80) another A (giving me a boat). ..This time I lead out with $65, he thinks a bit & just calls

River (~$210) is a five. I jam for my remaining ~$150 & he snap calls showing A5 for another rivered boat. He later said he had put me on a bigger Ace, but never expected the deuces....I probably could of played this one better also, maybe jamming on the turn when I turned the boat.

So that was my last session, in 2 bad hands I lose my stack. Any comments or creative criticism is welcome.

now once I finish this post I'm going to head over & play a couple of hours. I'll report back tomorrow if I have time.

Thanks guys, Good luck!

Well, played again last night as planned & it was a weird night.

I quickly went down when I ended up with an open ended straight draw + flush draw, but missed everything. A million out's & no in's......

Also a big hand that really cut in to my stack was when I turned the K high flush, only to lose to the A high flush....

All in all I found myself with my last $46 from the $300 I had put in. I was a little frustrated & wasn't feeling like I was playing my best. I also wasn't getting any cards for a good while there....& when I did I'd miss flop completely. For example two back to back hands I pick up AQ, one suited the other off....I raise the 1st one to $12 in position & get 4 callers....all low cards on the flop & these guys are all betting at it, I fold. I limp with the second AQ off & again, all low cards & guys betting like maniacs, fold again (I wouldn't of won either hand.)

Pick up pocket Jacks (which I hate), I raise to $15, get 4 callers, one of which goes all in for $18....everyone calls.....flop is something like 5-8-5, I shove & everyone folds, so I'm left HU up the all in.....who shows 5-4 off...of course I lose with Jacks, again!

I was frustrated most of the night, but I decided I was gonna really tighten up & just get it in good when I could. I think I went over an hour without playing a hand. It was just fold, fold, fold....

Then I pick up AA, & win with it. Get AA again a few hands later, Pick up 44 & flop a set, make a good steal on the river to take down a decent little pot, flop a set of 7's....

Over all I walked out up $105, which considering that I was down to my last $46 (out of $300) I think It was a decent comeback.....Not overly pleased with my play on the night as a whole, but feel that when I really decided to tighten up & play well I did.