Just say no to PL Hi/Low

for me at least... I suck at Omaha, but this dude and some RPT donk were playin' so I figured it'd be fun. My short buy in lasted all of 5 minutes I think.

Back to the micro-limit NLHE tables.

Things didn't look so good at first, as I quickly whittled down to just under $7. Then I opened a 2nd table (the erratic play on the first table was kind of annoying), and was going to see cheap flops in position, & play premiums otherwise 'till I decided which table to stay at. Turns out both were sweet, mostly due to some super-skillful card racking. ;)

I got these hands, between the two tables, within about 4 minutes of each other (listed here in no particular order). One was a double-up, one a big pot, and 2 I got to felt my opponents; too bad they didn't have more cash on the table:



I knew that flop was beautiful, but was still 3-way to the turn. I slowed down on the turn, figuring I'd try to conserve my cash if there's a 6 out there. Turns out the guy who turned the straight gave me a free card, though. Thank you , Mr. 62o, calling a 2/3 pot bet with a gut-shot. I 1/2-pot-bet the river, was min-raised, I "tanked," then overbet-shoved for value. Called, thanks kind sir :)







I had to call a min-raise to see this flop. I love the min-raise (such a weak move!), and yes - I don't mind playing a sooted ace in position against weak fish. Oh, how I loved that flop. Oh, how I adored that turn. On the river I was afraid we got a chop, but just to be sure in case he wasn't holding an ace I jammed, and was called. I still don't know how the guy called my flop bet and turn bet. I had no reason to ask him ;)







Again, had to call a min-raise to see this flop. Sure I could have popped it preflop, but with middle pairs I'd rather lay low and set-mine. And as soon as I saw that flop I was worried about the straight. That didn't stop me from betting, though - more of a blocking-bet than anything: I bet out about 1/3 the pot so I could hopefully catch a cheaper boat (if I checked and he pot-bet, I'm not sure what I'd do ). I can't remember the turn action, but the guy was smart on the river: when I bet 3/4 the pot or so, he didn't raise (even with the nut straight - smart play, dude).







Yet again, only had to call a min-raise to see the flop. Yep, junk hand, OOP... but my stack was healthy, there was enough in the pot that calling the extra 1.5 bets was worth it. Poor guy had no way of knowing just how far behind he was on that flop. Hoping I was up against a flush, I got it all in on the river and was called. And while I'd love to say that it was a horrible call on his part (hard to see how QQ is good on that board), it's about up there with my worst call ever - just cost this guy $3 and not the $300+ it cost me...

I'd post some bad beats, but tonight wasn't about taking bad beats - it was about giving them ;)

I do love this game. It's nice to get in the swing of things again. Wednesday or Thursday will be a tourney-night for me, depends on the work schedule at this point: it's shaping up to be a busy week already. I'm still more interested in cash games than tourneys. I've loosened up my hand requirements big time in cash games... I mean, if they're gonna let me keep limping in, I'll do it with not complete junk (I wouldn't call with a 62o for example), and hope to get lucky. Not sure the same would be a great idea in a tournament, though. I've gotten more aggressive, though, when not holding much of anything, which is imperative in MTT's.