Poker is a really easy game...

when you are getting the cards. Wanted to try some new things I picked up between reading Hellmuth's book "Play Poker Like the Stars" and articles by Antonio Esfandiari and about several other stars and certain hands. Unfortunately, never picked up the hands to do it the other night. So last night I headed over to PokerStars.net for a little gaming.

First up went to the 100/200 tables for a change. Only took 20K cause I did not want to lose too much.

First hand I picked up pocket aces. I normally bet into them and lose a lot of people off the bat. This time I wanted to win the max possible so I just called a raise. On the flop I hit nothing so unless someone had a pokcet pair they did not either. I was under the gun so I bet out strong. People called, nobody raised. Same on 4th and 5th streets and I took down a nice pot. Continued picking up nice hands and made 12K in about 10 minutes. But it was nervous for me playing the big stakes...I am not ready for that yet.

Went to a sit & go. Had good drawing hands the first round so I bet it. On the river I missed my draws but bet into it anyway to give them a chance to fold. Nobody did so I lost a LOT of chips. Oh, well. Kept at the strategy...and it worked. Ended up dominating the tournament and won it going away.

Back to the 5/10 tables.

First hand picked up pocket queens. Checked, someone raised it 20 so I raised it 60. 2 callers. Flop was nasty...6-8-9. I bet out as if I had hit it. Calls, no raises so I figure I am ahead. Turn was I think a 4. I bet out again. One call, one fold. River was another scare card, a 10. I led out, he called to go all in...and my humble pocket queens took down a nice pot.

Next hand picked up pocket 8s. People limped around to me, I bet into it another 60. Calls around with 1 fold. Flop came q/8/3. Unless someone was not raising pocket q's I have the nuts. Figured I would see where I was at. Raised it pretty healthy. One person called, another came over the top. Hmm, he is showing strength. Does he mean it? I re-raised and he called, the other guy too. 4th street brought me...quads. Now, how to make this the money maker? I bet in about 500 into a pot of over 2K. One guy folded, the other called. Excellent. River was a blank, I bet 990 trying to make it look like a bluff. Too much, he folded. 5 minutes I picked up 2255 chips, more than doubling the 2K I started with. I called it a night, well pleased with my efforts.

2/15/07