Friday night game

Played in a $65 buy in game Friday night. Interesting that I am playing SO much better in person than on the internet. Why is that? Why I ask you?

There are about 31 players and at the table I recognize most of them. A couple of them need to be manuevered around as they are aggressive but overplay hands such as Ax. In the BB, I get to do the BB- LEX. Which is Limp in the BB, then bet out 1/2 pot after the flop. You are not even to play your cards (which I did not). When I got called, I fired out 1/2 pot on the turn and got the fold (as will happen 2/3 of the time).

Boone catches me putting in a 2xBB raise with a connector and pops me. Shame on me.

one of the LAG players raises 5xBB (he had QTo). Make a mental note.

Had a baby pocket pair and hit a set of trips. Got little action. Just some.

Watch as players (some who know better) raise with QTo or JTs.

Watch Mr Draw play 96s and hit a boat. Jealous.

I watch as Axo hands clash. Are you kidding me? Then like 2 hands later, an Axo had is CALLING raises?

Came over the top on a hand with a nice semi bluff vs. one of the LAG players. I drove out the LAG players, but got a call from TP. I missed BOTH draws I had. Back at starting money.

Folded a medium pair from the BB vs a big reraise from a LAG on a flop of A35. I have to assume he had Ax yet again.

I am down to 60% of my starting stack and go all-in with 99 to steal a limp and the blinds. Got KQs to fold.

Move to 13k when my JJ gets a call from 99.

Took a big pot on a paired board when I reraised on the turn.

Made another nice push out of a player who was playing weak after the flop.

At the break I am at 26k and we are down to 2 tables. the avg stack is 15k

I once again let Boone pop me on a 2xBB raise. (I hope I can take advantage of this at the final table now) [future note: did not get to exploit this]

Watch Scott play a flush draw for most of his chips. Curious. He lost the hand.

Now the best thing that could happen. A table change to a tight table. I am like a tiger out fo the cage, raising hands left and right. I was to the right of BALLGAME, and I really enjoyed discusing hands and strategy with him. In the first two hands at the table I had AA or 54o. I played both the exact same way, and won both hands with no action. This set up my play for the next 30 minutes. I would raise my way in if I way going to play a hand. Ballgame was stuck getting lame cards and the others were not willing to clash with marginal hands.

Still, there were the down slides. I lost a big hand when I had to fold 99 on the river. The cards? 67Qh - Kh - Ah.

I had the bully image, so when people reraised me, they usually had a good hand. I watched as the captain got his AKo paid off when he out drew TT.

I am sitting pretty with 33k now and I am weary of the Big K. He plays VERY few hands and only plays the turn with the goods. I know this, yet will make a major mistake in a few moments. In the meantime, I am concentrating on playing each hand the same way with the same manorisms. The only hand I play timidly on, I end up taking a small pot when all 3 of us miss the pot and I win with AQo vs two other Ax hands.

A mental killer when I catch someone allin with KQ and I have AK. The turn gives them a straight! and the river gives me the straight! Chop.

I notice that Big K is willing to call all-ins with 88 or better.

Now the killer stoopid move. I check from the BB with K2o. Big K bets the flop of K blank blank and I call. On the turn he bets again. At this point, what do I expect? I lost this hand. Yet, I inexplicably call the 10k bet on the river and he shows 2 pair. Why do I call this bet? Wishful thinking?

So now I can not go to the final table with a big stack. I have to play perfect. I make diciplined folds from ealy position (like A9s or 55 vs a reraise). I even let Scott steal my blind. I saw a flop with a baby pair and folded when I missed the set. But then I go all-in preflop with JJ and for some reason Scottt calls me with QTs. He was going to raise with the hand and realized it was my action. I STILL went all in. He should have put me on a monster even better than JJ at that point.

i somehow managed to get to call a desperate all in from J6 with my Q5 and I won. I have 60k and there are 7 left. (pays 5). I fold my way to 5th.

Then, I notice the stacks and the players. I believe that if I can knock out one of the 2 players to my left, I think I can outplay the Big K on my right. Plus, I was a little frustrated that one of the final 5 did not understand about tournament all ins and dry pots. We had ballgame stuck all in and we had a better chance to knock him out together. But he raises me out of the hand on the flop, and then loses to ballgame in effect keeping him alive. I guess I cant really complain, as few people really understand final table strategy. But because of this, I am forced to make a move to doublle up and make a run at the top two places. I believe I could have folded my way to 4th and waiting for ballgame to drop out (he had like 3xBB left). Then I was dealt KQs. Now its 5 handed and I am on the button. I raise the blinds all-in and the BB (same guy) calls with 55. Now this is a tough call, but I can not fault him on this. On the river, my flush card gives him a boat and I am out 5th. Ballgame was out 3 or so hands later.

Still, I played well. I had added a few plays to my arsenal, and they worked. Another interesting point was I was picking up on players when they had a big starting hand. There was one point in the night that I played like 7 hands in a row, then someone peaked at there cards on my left and a just sensed that they wanted to play them. I threw my cards away with hardly a look. I think it was KK.

Online I am struggling, but sitting at a table, I am playing decent poker. I think its because I have time. I get the clock called on me more than any other player, but I use the time wisely. I am not just sitting there guessing. I am running the hands through in my head. One time I even did it with the nuts, just to entice a call. I won a huge pot. You have been warned. (lol)