Stepping Back Into The Arena

In case you haven't noticed, I have not played any NL cash games since Christmas Day. The reason for this is because last year sucked badly at the $1/$2 and $2/$3 games (-$4381 in 90 sessions), and that last session was me hitting bottom. A lot of the problem was Lady Luck having some fun with me, as you've read in many posts. But I also know that some of it was me, as I've already written.

So after taking two months off from the NL cash games, it's time for me to jump back in to the arena. On Thursday night, I went up to the Peppermill to play some $1/$2. Since it's a weeknight, I decided to shortstack. I bought $100 Red and $100 Green chips. I put $50 on the table, and the rest in my pocket. If I need to rebuy, or there's a big stack throwing money around the table, then I can pull out more chips.

Here's a Running Log of the session:

7:45 $50 - It's a new table at the Peppermill, which is the third $1/$2 table. We start seven handed. Most of the stacks are in the $100 - $200 range, with me having shortest stack. The largest stack is $300, who is on my direct Left. He's a Prop Player in this room, and is a decent player.

8:00 $49 - Table is now nine handed. Play has been calm as expected for a weeknight. The Prop got shipped off to the $2/$4 game.

8:30 $31 - I won two small pots early on. I raised to $10 with ATo. I checked and called a $5 bet on the Flop. It got checked down, and my AT-high was good against two players. The other small pot was me limping with QJh. Flop was QQ6. I bet $6, and everyone folded.

Later, it folded to me on the Hyjack, so I raised to $10 with 53d. Only the BB called, who is 70's guy. Flop QTT. He checked, I bet $12, and he called. Turn [QTT] 4. We both checked. River [QTT 4] A. He checked. I bet $20, as it looked like I had an Ace in my hand. He called with AKc. Hands like this are why I lost so much money last year.

9:00 $33 - I doubled up early when I went All-In with KQ on the Flop. I had Top Pair (K) vs Nut Flush Draw. The Kc on the Turn gave her the Flush, but the Ks on the River gave me Quads.

After that things got annoying. Everyone kept flopping Trips against my Top Pairs. Fortunately, this table is  very passive, so when they check-raise my small bets, I can make the easy fold.

9:30 $61 - After a few limpers, I look down at AKo in the BB, I considered shipping it, but raised to $12 instead. Four players called, and I'm shoving any Flop for $19. Fortunately, KJ4o was a good Flop for me, but three players called. Turn [Kc Jh 4s] 2d. All players checked. River [Kc Jh 4s 2d] Ac. Not the card I was hoping for, as QT just got there. All players checked. I showed my Two Pair, hoping it held up. It didn't, as one of them had QT. Oh well, I gambled by not shoving preflop, but it just didn't work.

Rebuy #1.

Very next hand, I looked at JJ in the SB, and raised $12 again. Only the BB called, and he's a Super Nit. I shipped my $38 in the dark, and he folded to a Q-high Flop.

I played a few other pots, some good and some annoying. Every time I have something, like two different Sets, I won a small pot. The one time I made a move with a Double Gutshot on the Turn in a pot that was checked on the Flop. I bet $16, and a loose shortstack went All-In for $25 with Top Pair. Naturally, I missed.

10:00 $150 - I finally won some chips. I had 7h 7s in the SB, and the Flop was Ah Jh 7s  I bet $7 on the Flop, $15 on the Turn, and got a couple of callers. I went All-In for $38 on the River, but the only caller had less then me.

A couple of hands later, UTG+1 raised to $8. I 3-Bet to $20 with QQ. The loose shortstack jumped in for less, and UTG+1 called. Flop was J-high. UTG+1 checked, and then folded to my $35 bet. The shortstack missed whatever he had, and left the table.

10:20 $194 - It folded to the Button, who limped. He's been one of the more active players at this table. I had A4o in BB, and checked my option. The Flop was A-high. I checked and called his bets of $5, $10, and $20. After I called the River bet, he quickly mucked.

A few hands later, I limped in the Hyjack with 4s 4c. Five players saw a Flop of 7d 5c 5h, and everyone checked. Turn [7d 5c 5h] 4d. BB bet $6, and one player called. I saw no reason to slowplay, so I raised to $20. Surprisingly, everyone folded. How did nobody have a 5 in this hand?

I was planning on staying 'til 10:30, but the table got shorthanded and broke. Overall, a solid session, as I finished with a $94 profit. In these quickie weeknight sessions, a profit of $75 - $100 is a realistic goal.