To freshen up and refocus I started mixing up the games I was playing. 2-3 straight weeks of grinding in 5c-10c level cash games was wearing me out, so I switched to some SNG's and MTT's, with some reasonable success.
I won a 6-seater SNG, followed by a couple of 2nd's and 3rd's in 9-seater SNG's. That run of three cashes did a lot to raise my confidence and I entered a 180 player MTT (SNG). After almost 3 hours I made it though the bubble, sitting reasonably comfortably above the average, in 8th place.
The blinds were rapidly rising and I was going to have to make a move in order to guarantee a place at the final table and some of the serious cash. Unfortunately, I found myself in the BB with Kc-Jc and was able to get in reasonable cheaply. The flop came down K-T-6 and the only other player at the table pushes all-in. He had only min-raised before the flop, so I am suspicious that he's got the bullets, but it's as good a spot as any (and I have him just covered), so I make the call.
I'm kind-of delighted when he flips up A-Q, for a mere gutshot and an overcard. Incredibly, the turn is a J and, although I now have 2-pair, he's made his straight. Only another K or J on the river is going to save me, and it doesn't come. It was a sick beat; I know I was behind pre-flop, but to out-draw the player only for him to push his luck with a draw was insane - I suppose he was of the same opinion as me and had to double up to have a chance of winning.
Anyway, I more than doubled my entry fee by making the cash and put that profit to good use by entering, and winning, another 9-seater SNG. I've also played 4 cash sessions this week and came out of each with a profit; I'm avoiding getting into situations with players who have bigger stacks and only taking on someone with less that 1/2 my stack. A bit timid, but it's reaping rewards and my confidence is slowly returning.
I hit a couple of cracking hands today; the first was a flopped Full-House (I had pocket 10's and the flop came down T-9-9). Luckily, three other players were interested and I managed to get them all to push in the rest of their (albeit miniscule) stacks by the turn.
Then, later in the day, I was playing in a WSOP qualifier Steps SNG and, early on, woke up with As-Qs and found a loose caller to my 5xBB raise. The flop comes down Q-Q-T; I check and my opponent puts in a huge bet (way over the pot, so I'm convinced he doesn't have Q-T). I push all-in and he calls, flipping up 8c-9c for a ludicrous gutshot. It was all over on the turn, as the case Q appeared completing my quads.
I'm feeling a bit happier with my game now, and have more confidence with big hands that miss the flop. The check-raise is something I am trying to introduce into my game; I just have to perfect the spots I pick to use it.
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