Rough start!

At the start of year, every poker room and bookies usually have some kind of bonus. At the start of the year I received an email from IAS. They were giving me $200 (100%) bonus. I deposited $400 in it and cleared it in no time. Once I cleared it, I withdraw $1000 straight away and still have $100 open bet on the Saints in Superbowl.

With $600 AUD profit, I had something else in mind. I said to myself, I will take a shot at higher limits in PLO. So I deposited US$500 in my PS account and start rolling. My target is to play at $1/$2 PLO. I would like to give it a try and I am confident I will be OK. My PS adventure didn't start too well. Coolers after coolers. I didn't think I played it bad. I played most of my hands in position. A lot of times, I managed to keep the pot small pre-flop and on the flop. Then based on my read, I either, re-raised or check-raised on the turn, managing to ship my stack in when I were well in front. Not 1 time my hand held up. What a sick feeling. I guess PS just wouldn't allow me to play at those middle stack. Or perhaps I am a worm, so they will award bad players the monster pot at my expenses. No idea whats going on. I guess I will stay away from there for a while.

I bought in for $175 in $1/$2 PLO and after a few rounds, I built it up to $185, then this hand came up. On the button, UTG limp for $2, CO raised pot to $9. My hand KJ68 ds, not a bad hand on the button. I flat called. Blinds folded, UTG called. $30 pot on the flop. I hit middle pair but no draw. All checked to me, so I checked as well. Turn 6. Now I had middle 2 pair along with 2nd nut flush draw. UTG checked as well. Now the initial raiser bet $22. The 6 most likely won't help him. His checked on the flop gave his hand away. Any kind of hand from 2 pair or set, he would at least bet a bit on the flop. I guess he would also bet the diamond draw and wrap. So most likely he had nothing but an overpair. Since no one showed any strength on the flop, he tried to take a stab at the pot. I believed I am in front. If he had a lower wrap, or AA with flush draw. I must make him pay. If he hd a set, I still got outs. So I raised the pot to $94+ leaving $82+ behind. Tried to end it right there. UTG folded, CO re-raised all-in, I called. My read spot on. I were 60% to win. What a donkey he was. I must have at least 2 pair. If I had a set, he could be close to 3-1 dog. Anyway DONKEY RULES!

At the same time I also playing in 25c/50c NLH. Straight after I busted in the PLO this hand came up. UTG raised to $1.50, all folded to me in the big blind. I called. Hit top pair on the flop, but I expect him to bet. I figured he had a hand, so I took the aggressive route by checking. He bet $2.25, but I still not sure if my hand good or not. So I called. Turned Qd. With 3 flush on the board, I can't check anymore. I figured my hand were good, HU situation, can't put him on flush. If he had overpair, he will check/call behind me. So I lead out for $6, almost the size of the pot. Now he raised me to $19.50. If he had a small flush, or set then hes too good. I put him on AA with Ad. Can't really call the bet and left $20 behind. So I shoved all-in for $42 ($23+ more for him). He snapped called me with nothing but AK. I were 75% to win on the flop, 73% to win on the turn, but in this game, you NEVER beat a SNAPPER on draw.

Then I went back to 25c/50c PLO full table, lost about $60 when my flopped top set lost to turned straight for another $100 pot in BB. So I quit for the night and went back the next day.

With bankroll about $230, I kept my promise. Went back to $1/$2 PLO 6 handed. Bought in for full amount $200 and slowly up to $220. Now on the button dealt 3456 ds. UTG folded, CO called, I raised to $6. Perfect hand to play on the button with a raise. If I hit the flop hard, I will win a big one. BTW my opponents most likely put me on high cards, so my hand would be well disguised. Both blinds called along with CO, so $24 pot pre-flop. I hit the flop well with bottom 2 pair + open ended. No flush draw there, so even I didn't have the best hand, I certainly had the best draw. Both blinds checked, CO bet $10, I mini raised to $20, Looking for a free card on the turn. Both blinds folded, CO called. Turn another 10. I figured he had turned a set, maybe boat but very unlikely coz he must have 10 4 or 10 3 in his hand. Now he checked and I checked behind him. River completed my nut straight. CO bet pot for $60. 50/50 situation for me. He might have A 10 or boat. I knew he put me on high pair, but I had straight. Made a curious call and he had quads.

Now stack $131. Down to $93. The guy on my right was a fish, never fold a hand. I had position on him, so I got the perfect seat. I slowly built up my stack back to $174, raking a lot $20+, $30+ pot. Then this hand came up in BB. Had AAQJ ds. All folded to SB fishy and he raised to $6. With my huge hand HU + position, I re-raised him to $18. He had no choice but called. I caught a good flop, 10 6 2 rainbow. No obvious draw out there and that guy has to raise with junks to hit 2 pair. Best hand he could have will be 2456 or 6789 or 679 10 sort of hands. Now he checked, need to play it quick and try to end it right there. I bet pot for $34+. Now SB re-raised to $89 all-in. His range was huge, from 2 pair to 789. Since he raised pre-flop, I put him on KKxx, 4 high cards with a 10. I trusted my instinct and called him straight away. Once again my read spot on. Once again I were 69% fav pre-flop, 83% fav on the flop when the money went in. He must know whats coming and the spiked the Kc on the turn. Even though I still have re-draw, now I had a big wrap with nut flush draw. Although he spiked the miracle, I only 40% dog to win. River completed my flush but the board paired. Lost another one. $214 pot.

Now stack down to $67. I made a re-raised bluff on the turn with my wrap and took a much needed $50 pot. I slowly built it back to $140+. Then this hand came up once again with AAxx in BB. All folded to button and he raised to $7. SB had no choice coz he never fold and he called. I had AA39 1 suite. I were not folding, but my AA a bit weak. If I had a larger stack, I might just call. With $140 behind, I could either raise or call. Since the button played very aggressive and always raised in position, I decided to re-raised. So I pot to $28. Button folded instantly which was good. SB ATC again. Flop K 5 6 with 2 spades. Now SB checked, I decided to bet the pot coz I had the As. Representing AA with nut flush draw. I bet $60 leaving $58 behind. SB thought for a long while and shoved. He had me covered by a few $$$. Tough decision on my part. Since he had a long delay check/raise, I knew hes on draw. He would slow play a set, plus any kind of big hand he would check raise a lot quicker. He would check/call on crap flush draw, lead out with 2 pair. I thought for a long while, and put him on AKxx. Getting 4 to 1 on my money, I need a bit of luck there. He got 1 pair + up and down with no flush draw. I only 46% dog in this hand, but could easily be 67% fav if I had the flush draw. Turn blank, river 4s. BUSTO!

Losing US$500 in 2 days really hurts my poker mojo as I normally play in micro-stakes. Since I am on a free roll from IAS, I can still handle that. Did I play it that bad? I lost all the big pots when I were in good shape. I didn't shove it on the flop, but most of the time on the turn with only 1 card to come. Somehow PS always reward pots to those players shoving it on draw, espically on the turn. I lot of river rats these days. Perhaps ATC is the way to be no matter what. That's really piss me off. I am off from poker in the next few weeks. I am off to Adelaide on the 17th and play in the snooker tourny over there. I will also go to Sydney for the Oceania Snooker Championship in March. Need to spend more time in snooker and F*** poker right now!