Crazy, up and down (then up) night

I won't say too much about this evening, I'll let the hands do the talking:

Hand 466:

Things went pretty much by the book for the first 465 hands. I picked up AA three times, twice in the BB (when I got a walk, both times) and another where I raised and everyone folded. I laid down Kings, twice, when on both occasions an Ace fell on the flop and I was faced with sizeable bets. I had to lay down Queens on an all undercard board with 4 diamonds when faced with an all-in from my opponent. However, I was still in profit when it came to this hand.

I limped in with Kh-Qh and the Button, SB and BB come along. The flop comes down Jh-7h-10h, for the first time in I don't know how long I've flopped a flush - and the 2nd nuts, at that (well, 3rd).

The blinds check to me and I lead out for half the pot and get quickly called by the Button. The blinds get out of the way and the turn is the 5d. Again, I bet about 3/4 pot (not wanting to see another heart, as he could have the Ace). Again, he flat calls. The river is another brick (4c) and I am now value betting. I bet about 1/3 pot (50c) and he instantly raises to $1.50.

I simply cannot believe that he has the Ace high flush and he must be bluffing - so I call. He turns up 9h-8h, for a flopped Straight Flush. This is simply another case of how bad I am running - I am just glad I didn't have the Ace, or I'd have shoved the rest of my stack in and been broke.

So, shrugging that off and with my stack down to just over $2, I reload to the max and work on getting it back.

Hand 531:

Over the next 80, or so, hands I've only increased my stack by about $1.00 when pick up Ah-Jh in the small blind. There's a min-raise from the button and I make the call. The flop is Jd-10h-Kh, so I have 2nd pair with top kicker and the nut flush draw. I check and he bets 20c, I call. The turn is a brick (2s), so I check again and bets about 30c, again I call. The flush doesn't materialise on the river (6c) and I check. Now, he pushes his last $1.30 into the middle, a massive overbet. I assume he believes I've missed any draws I was chasing and will not call, but I've still got 2nd pair - so I make the call (maybe a bit of a hero call), and he flips up Ac-Qc for a flopped Broadway.

Hand 594:

The next 60 hands fly past without any drama when I pick up pocket 10's in mid-position. It's raised ahead of me and I make the call. The flop is 2h-2c-6h and my opponent checks - I bet about 3/4 pot (about 30c) and he re-raises to 70c. With my overpair I make the call and hit the dream card on the turn, 10c. With the paired board I now have the nuts - he checks and I check back. The 8c lands on the river and he waits until the last second before betting out $1.20. Too many times in the past I've had the nuts and not got any value, so I am praying he has made a flush, or even has AA or KK. So, with only $3.00 left I push it into the middle; he tanks for half the clock and eventually calls - Ac-Qc for the nut flush, but not good enough. Hallelujah! At long, long last I've managed to find an opponent with the 2nd best hand who is prepared to double me up. Things are back on track.

Hand 683:

It's about 90 hands later, and nothing much has happened. I pick up the Cowboys in mid-position and make my standard raise to $0.15. The player immediately behind me raises this up to $0.50 and he only has $1.25 behind, so I decide to put him all-in. He makes the call and turns up Ah-Jh. The last 3 times I've had KK tonight there has been an Ace on the flop and I fully expect to see it again. However, the board runs out 4c-6h-9c-8c-2c (lucky he didn't have clubs!) and my Kings have held up. I'm now in profit for the evening, having got back everything I'd lost in the Straight Flush and Broadway hands.


Hand 711:

I almost decided to quit, having got myself back to level for the evening, but decided that I was on a decent run and should try and maximize it. And, about 30 hands later I pick up the Rockets in the cut-off. I never slow play, even though it was folded round to me, and I make the standard raise to $0.15. The SB makes this $0.45, with about $1.30 behind. Rather than just flat-call I decided to put him all-in and hope his re-raise is with a big enough hand to call - it is, he commits his stack and turns up Kings. It's all but over on the flop - 9d-8c-Ah. I don't even have to sweat the turn and river and my good run has continued.

I decided not to chance my luck any further and get out with a reasonable profit on the evening - not as good as it could have been, but at least it wasn't a loss.