Same Ol Song and Dance

The last couple of days continue to be tortureous for me on the tables. My net result is down about $3400. I continue to miss every board until I hit and get coolered. As well, I continue to miss every draw and I mean every draw. Yesterday I had at least 10 flush draws, some both flush and straight draws and I never made one. And of course, my big pairs come so infrequently and when they do I usually find the ace on the flop. Its been several weeks of this and I'm hoping it comes to an end soon because I'm really missing out on big cash. I gracefully watched the two solid players at my table yesterday make close to 10k each as the fishies couldn't wait to donate with slim draws or middle touch. On a similar note, Travis 'seabuscuit' Brown showed up and took the games for over 5k on each of his first two days. Nice to run good sir... (don't get me wrong I'm very happy for him and he's definetely buying lunch today!). A couple highlighed hands from the last two days are as follows:

Hand #1:

Aggressive goon has $1500 in front as is trying to muscle the table. He raises to $120 from early position and everyone folds to me in the big blind. I look down at KK and decide I'm going to slow play him. The flop comes down 852 rainbow. I check he bets $240. I raise to $600 and he instashoves for $1500. I instacall he tables 1010 and suprisingly no 10 comes.

Hand #2:

A tight player (but not really that good) raises to $60 from early position gets 4 caller so I defend from the big blind with 96 diamonds, one of my favorites. The flop comes down 1074 two diamonds. After checking to the initial raiser he fires a continuation bet of $180 and everyone folds to me. I decide to check raise even though I haven't hit a draw since the Reagan administration. I make it $400 to test the waters. He calls and the turn is an offsuit Q. I fire out $600 and he quickly calls. Something about the quick call made me feel he was on the draw or had a vulnerable hand that he was trying to perceive as strong, likely flush draw or maybe A10. Anyway river is a dud like 3 or something and I decide to go after it and I bet $1000 which looks like a solid value bet river with two pair or set. He thinks for awhile and folds.

Hand #3:

I'm on the button with 98 hearts when an early position player makes it $80 and he gets 4 callers. The flop comes down J105 two hearts. The preflop raiser checks and the next in line bets $200. I decide I have to pump this as the better only has about $1200 and I'll gladly gamble my hand for that price. If he was deep I may play less aggressively givin I can't hit and I put him for a big hand. So, I decide to make it $550. All of a sudden a guy from the blind declares he's all in for $1700. The initial flop better calls and action is to me. Into three way action and with the money I've invested I have to call and hope I'm not up against a KQ of hearts type hand or 555. Anyway, I call both all ins and the pot is about $5,000. Both opponents show J10 and I double brick.

Hand #4:

I have 84 of spades in the big blind when an early position player raises to $60. 4 call before action gets to me so I call. The flop is 1053 with two spades. Action is checked to the preflop raiser who bets $250. Everyone folds to small blind who calls. I'm thinking about passing the hand because I'm positive the preflop raiser has a big pair and I think the small blind may be on bigger spades. However, after a little hesitation I call to see what happens on the turn. Turn is offsuit 6. Check check and this time the bet is $550. The small blind tanks then calls, still not sure if he's check calling a 10 or a draw. Now at this point I am 5k deep and the small blind is a fish who is as deep thanks to hitting two sets with action and another hand where he sucked out on the river. The initial better has about $1500 left and is one of those incapable of laying down so I decide there is very good value in the call as I have an open ended straigth as well. In the back of my mind I'm also thinking I could stack the small blind if he has 64 and the offsuit 7 comes. Anyway, the river pairs the running 6s and the small blind fires out $1000 and is called by the preflop raiser. The preflop raiser shows KK and the small blind shows 64. ONE TIME PUT DOWN THE 7! Then the action would be small blind bets $1000, big blind raises allin knowing small blind will call expecting to chop.

Hand #5:

A guy sits down at the table and posts in mid position. Action is folded to him and he raises to $80. Everyone folds to me in the big blind and I call with AJ of diamonds. The flop comes down AJ8 rainbow. I check he checks. The turn is the 6 of clubs bringing in a club draw. I bet out $140 and he immediately raises me to $640. I'm like wtf? I was so confused. I wasn't sure if he flopped, which would be a wierd way to play the hand, turned a set, or more likely, he was making an amateur hour goon play on a flush draw like KQ, K10, or Q10 of clubs. Anyway, I decide to call not really knowing where I was or what was going on. The river brought in the club and I checked. He thought for a minute or two then checked behind and showed me 888. Very strange hand, luckily it didn't cost me too much. The thing is its such a silly way to play the hand. Unless I had a really strong hand like AJ he's gonna make nothing on the hand. Anyway, that same guy proceeded to go on a hitting frenzie and made about 5k without having a clue on how to play.

Thats enough for hand discussions its making me depressed :) My only saving grace is that I have made online what I have lost live (with a little interest). It's funny because what little time I spend playing online I'm crushing it, and the players I play there are 10 times the players I face in the live games.

Oh well, today is another day. I'm going to play a tourney today, the 6-max 500 buy. I'll keep you posted.

Cheers,