Table looks good at first glance. I have notes on only one player so all these guys are fresh faces here. That's usually good news. Once again my goal for this session is to 'play poker' and not just peddle the nuts.

So far just 5 hands in I have perhaps a slightly aggressive image. I limped 3457 in SB vs BB, bet a 26J flop and took it down. Then raised AAK5 versus an MP limper and BB, KQ7 flop check/check/I bet, fold/fold. Great! I also bought in for $200, much more than the rest of the table (avg. about $80). Not sure of the psychological effect that has, but it's probably positive for me.

Stole another pot, standard bet at a KK2 flop with nothing really, backdoor low draw. Both opponents folded. 3-1 pot odds on the 'semi'-bluff, though it's hard to really count the backdoor low draw. Nobody tried to raise me taking 2-1 that I was bluffing. Good!

Switched to a $1-2 table though. Maybe I shouldn't have? First hand in my BB I get [3c 2d Ac Qh], get raised from MP. Decide to just call. Flop comes [2s Th Jc] so I have the gutshot for high and a backdoor low draw. I checked (probably had to bet there) he bet, I decided to 'peel one off'. Turn comes [2s Th Jc] [3s] giving me two tiny pair. Flush draw now present. I check, he bets, I call. River came [2s Th Jc 3s] [Ts] making the flush also and counterfeiting my two miniscule pair. I check, he bets again.

I timed out and thus folded. ARGH. I was getting 6-1 on the call, I had two pair including the board pair of tens. Now that I think about it 6-1 might have been a fair price to snap off an A2xx bluff. On the other hand there's about a zillion ways to be behind there and only one specific way to be ahead. I couldn't even beat some of his bluffs. AH WELL. Probably should have just dumped it on the flop or at least BET OUT and tried to take it down on a two-high-card board vs the preflop raiser.

HAH!!! Nice poker play. 5-way hand I'm in the BB with [As Js 9h 5d]. Flop comes [3d 3h 9c] - paired board. Checked around to a guy I JUST noted "capable of stabbing at scary board". He duly bet that flop. I checkraised him getting 3-1 on him bluffing. He folded!

So far actually 'playing poker' has netted me two pots this session that in my standard boring conservative game I don't win, that I usually let someone else win. It's so far tonight the difference between a winning poker session and a losing one.

Bleah lost a big pot with AA3Q vs AA7Q. I'm a HUGE favorite there I think. He made a flush on the turn and I felt compelled to call the river bet (had nut low draw also). Ah well. Still have accomplished my goal of 'playing poker'. Stats tell the story I think.

Pots won at showdown - 2 of 4 (50%)
Pots won without showdown - 6

Just have not been catching any cards. When's the last time I won a hand with the nut low? Net down about $65 since the blog started.