Balancing The Scales

There was a Cash game at El Diabl0's on Thursday night starting at 7pm. It was the standard $1/$1 NLHE ($160 max). On weeknight games, I only play until 10-10:30, so I only brought $200.

I bought in for $100, and got off to a good start. I won a nice pot with AJ by flopping Top Pair. That was the highlight of the evening for me, because things starting going downhill after that.

I limped in Mid position with KTo in a Straddle pot ($2). The BB (Mike K) raised to $12, and I was the only caller. The Flop was Kd 6d Th, so I have Top Two Pair on a very Wet board. BB bets $20. I know that he C-Bets about 114% of the time after he raises, so I just call. I figure if he wants to keep betting, I'll keep calling. Turn [Kd 6d Th] Qh. He thought for a moment, and checked. I quickly bet $30, and he called. River [Kd 6d Th Qh] Jd. He quickly went All-In for about $60, and had me covered. That River card was what I call a Joker because it completed all possible draws. At this point, all I could really beat was a bluff. I didn't think he would shove with QJ, which was the highest hand that I could beat. So I thought for a moment, and folded. He said that he flopped a Flush and Straight draw, but who knows.

This left me with around $50 - $55, and I decided not to reload yet. However, I went very card dead for a while. Finally, I looked down at at AK in Mid position, and limped in a Straddle pot hoping that someone would raise. The Button did raise to $12. He's a new player who's playing a lot of pots. One player (Colin) called. I back-raised All-In for $44. The Button quickly and calmly called, which I wasn't happy about. Colin folded ATs. I showed my hand, and Button showed A6d. One of the other players (Chan) said that he folded 66. So you know what that means... Flush Draw on the Flop. The Turn was a Brick, but the River was the Qd, and I lose my first buy-in.

It's only 8:30, but I decided to leave. I could tell that this just wasn't my night. Plus I was getting tired. Delivering mail in the 90 degree weather lately has not been fun.