I Love it When a Plan Comes Together

I know it could have been just a lucky night, but I am going to enjoy it anyway.

I put together all the dribble I have been saying and had a great night. I left work at noon and met some friends for lunch in Reno. Decent streak and salad to protein up before play. I arrived at the Eldorado and after having fun at the 1-5 stud game I was sat at the 1/2 NL table at 3pm. I was excited at first and splashed around to loose 50 bucks. I calmed down and started to play like I do on the Internet.

I waited and got JJ in early position. I raised and got two callers. It was a 9 high, rainbow flop and I slow played with 170 behind. The first caller bet 20 and was called by the third player. I raised it to 80 and the first caller folded. The second caller thought awhile and just called. My read on her was that she had a pair but not a strong one. I bet the 80 knowing I was going to go all in on the turn. The turn was a K but I still pushed right away. The longer she thought the more confident I became. She called and mucked TT to my JJ. More then doubled up.

The next hand of note was a luck hand. I was in MP with Ah5h when everyone started to limp. I limped too and the button raised 10. Again everyone called so I did too. The flop was a paired board with two hearts. The guy on my left bet 20 and only the button called to me. I had the nut flush and an ace so I raised it to 100, representing the set. I expect to pick up the pot but the original raiser went all in for 70 more. I hated to call but I did and got the flush on the river. He said a set was good so he must have been on a flush draw too.

Now that I had the biggest stack at the table a good natured drinker was trying to see if he could get more chips then me. We stayed out of each others way for awhile building our stacks even more. He kept saying that we were going to get all our money in with AA against KK and who would suck out and so forth. It was just for table talk and fun.

Then we started to tangle with each other. Twice I got a good hand UTG when he was on the button and after building a big pot he would raise big on the turn and I would have to fold. He kept showing the bluff so I was putting his betting patterns together. We got into another pot in the same positions and I felt I had the best hand but I only had third pair, 55. I called to the river and he put in a big bet. It was out of his pattern so I folded and again I had him. I just couldn't put in all my chips with such a weak hand.

Now he had a few chips more then me and I was getting tired. It was 7:30 so I decided to leave at 8pm with my winnings, just not as much. I went to the bathroom at 7:40 and on the way back I was debating to leave now. I decided to stay until 8pm as planned and would just stay out of this guys way unless I had the nuts. Not two hand after I got back I was dealt AA UTG. I did a normal raise to 20 and it was folded to the other guy. He was getting drunk by this time and starting to make wild bets. I am sure my folds were giving him confidence so thinking I would fold again he said all in. I called instantly. Even before it was my turn.

He turned over KK asking do you have AA. I said yup and he was stunned. An A fell on the flop and he didn't improve. The table was stunned that his prediction came true with the two big stacks at the table. I took a few steps away from the table as the dealer counted out our stacks. He had $12 left.

It was just so ironic with his predictions, my folds and the timing. A half hour earlier he asked the table if he could give $100 from his stack so his friend could play and I objected. Then his friend told him to rack up but he said he still wanted to play. Everything just fell into place. I gave the dealer a $25 tip I was so happy.

I played a few more hands and at 8:04 I racked up. Big win!! Going back tomorrow so I will see if it was just luck.

New Direction

Things have finally calmed down in my life. Work is back on an even keel for now and I took the last couple of weeks to clear my head. I did play alittle while in Colorado and when I got back but ended up loosing overall. I could see the beginnings of my new plan working, but not enough. So I took some time and looked at the big picture.

In Reno and the surrounding areas there is very little middle stakes holdem. Even the 4/8 games have started to dry up and playing any lower is not worth the time. So looking at which games run consistently all I could see was No Limit. Most of the 4/8 players are now playing NL. They have taken their bad play and are now playing a game that they can loose everything in one hand. Granted it is 1/2 NL, but you can still make a few hundred a day. Supplement this with some online play and low expenses and it is a living.

So my plan is to switch to NL. I'm going to approach it the way I should have with holdem, study. I have the materials I need lined up and already started to study the basics. There is alot more thought to this game and since my opponents don't put in the study time, I should have a large edge at 1/2NL. I will also practice my bankroll management skills and stay at the low levels until I have a large bankroll for even the next level. I won't go broke this time.

I am still working so my new play schedule is Friday and Saturday at the casinos and the rest of the time studying or playing online. The casinos host tournaments from time to time so I will put in extra hours at those times.

It's a start.