O-Poker

I got off to a horrible start in my 50k hand challenge (down 4 buy-ins) thanks to running pretty horribly. I think that I need to play tighter in the $1/$2 NL games than I do in the $2/$4 games. There are a lot of players that will pay you off when you have the best hand, whether you have been playing tight or not. I have been running really horrible at $1/$2, but am confident that I can pick up the pace.

I have been trying to use good table selection, but wound up adding my name to a ton of waiting lists and then just joining the tables with open seats. I was able to follow a few bad players around.

The Good
There were a few bright spots despite the horrible start.

A good example of how following around a bad player can pay off. This guy called off the last of his stack drawing to 4 outs. This is the same player that couldn't lay down ANY hands in an earlier session and wound up sucking out on me a few times.
http://www.pokerhand.org/?1334181

Standard - flopping a set vs. an overpair.
http://www.pokerhand.org/?1334177


The Bad

I should have laid this hand down easily. I think frustration got the best of me here. This player was prone to calling just about any raise with any two and I had seen him shove a lot. Easy fold right? :)
http://www.pokerhand.org/?1333918

Unfortunate hand. I was trying to milk him on the turn, but saved money because he wouldn't have folded the turn and he way underbet the river.
http://www.pokerhand.org/?1333893

I don't think that I could have laid this down - possibly against this particular player, but doubtful in a 6 max game. I would be interested to hear anyone's thoughts on this being an easy lay down.
http://www.pokerhand.org/?1333911

The Ugly

This hand set the tone of the first few days (happened in first 200 hands of the challenge) - KK vs. JJ all in pre. Jack on Flop.
http://www.pokerhand.org/?1333934

Top pair with flush draw and representing an overpair. This was one hand against the same player as the 1st hand in the Good category. I knew that he was incapable of folding and sure that I had the best hand on the turn.
http://www.pokerhand.org/?1333921

Horrible play by small blind gets rewarded. I flop two pair in BB against his overpair. All the money goes in on the flop and the turn brings a set for him.
http://www.pokerhand.org/?1333904

I hate short stacks - unfortunately they are all over the place in the 1/2 games.. Two hands were I got in as a dominant favorite against short stacks.
http://www.pokerhand.org/?1333889
http://www.pokerhand.org/?1333885

I think that there were only a couple of hands that I should have played differently. I got my money in with the best hand most of the time and wound up down 4 buy-ins over almost 2,500 hands.

My sister-in-law took the kids to her house this weekend, so my wife and I were able to go out both Friday night and Saturday night - a rare treat. I cleaned out the garage on Sunday and did some work Sunday night. This all added up to not getting any as many hands as I had hoped. I plan on getting in a lot more this week.