TRUST YOUR READS!!! Mixers, 5/31

I promised myself no limping today; raise or fold. I also wanted to make sure I guessed at what people were holding on every single reveal and was going to play a hand without looking at my cards...just read their reactions. Is zero for three bad?

First hand, A/10 suited. Limped in from middle position. I should have raised but talked myself out by saying, "they will just all call anyway." Checked to me on the flop, should have raised...didn't. Ended up losing a hand I should have won to 2 weak cards that paired. I got badly outplayed.

later I read Bert for a bluff in a hand I was not in. From the way he looked at the board and reached for chips I decided his bet had nothing to do with the board and he was simply making a pre-determined bet. I was right.

A couple hands later I flopped a flush draw, raised, they all folded. Then I folded a lot. Did put people on the correct hand a couple times, including knowing Bert had King/Jack twice; once when he won with top two pair, another time when he lost with top two pair against a flush.

However, I also let him puch me off a hand when I read him for middle pair, talked myself out of it and into him having same pair I had but better kicker...and he had middle pair. Still later read him for a bluff but with Linda to call behind me folded. I would have split the pot with them as we all had Aces, though they both had rags and I had another 10. They outplayed me yet again.

Eventually I got down to about 1800 having only won the one hand. I picked up fishhooks from late position. Lots of limping to me, I went all-in, 2 callers. The jacks held up and I doubled through. Later I got all-in again with A/10 against Dee's Q/7 and doubled up again. I was in good shape.

Blinds were rising, I had about 10 times the blinds. I picked up pocket 6s. One loose player went all-in. I put him on A/rag. Dee called, she would call with any 2 cards. I had pocket 6s. I called (I should have raised all-in to isolate). Another guy came over the top all-in. Dee called. I called. Mistake after mistake on this hand. Flop came J/10/J. Dee seldom slow-plays. I knew I should go all-in. I checked. A three came. She bet 2K which would put me all-in. I read her for the three. The math was right to call anyway. I hesitated. I told her I thought she had the three, not the j or 10. I kept hesitating. I thought about it. The math said call. Her betting said she had the three. I....laid it down. And she turned up the three.

BELIEVE YOUR READS!!!!

Yes, I know they are not always correct. I have been bluffed off a few hands where I believed a read they were stronger than they were. But more often I have made the correct read and would be doing even better than I already am. I just need to follow up on my reads.

The next hand I picked up pocket 6s again. I went all in. 3 callers. One paired their 4, another hit nothing...and the last guy hit a 10 on the turn and I was done.

I finished 7th but should have finished higher. I was badly outplayed all night. Hopefully I learn my lesson. No calling...raise or fold. Believe my reads and act on them.