....at the 1/2 limit tables on Poker Stars this evening after work with a very short, but profitable session. I spent some time during my lunch hour re-reading some sections from 'The Psychology of Poker.' I needed to be reminded to scrutinize my opponents - in and out of hands. In other words, if I want to increase my hourly rate - I've got to work harder (just as in life & work) - not just in playing the cards I get, but playing the cards others get, as well, n'est pas?
After an hour and half of play I was up about 25 BB. I was getting some great cards - AA twice (the second time got busted to 2 pair on the river), spiked a gutshot straight on the river with a T9 - one of the very rare times I ignored the pot odds and went for it - and busted AAJJ. I got caught in a stone cold bluff on an attempt to steal the BB from the SB - didn't hurt me, though, the table had started to tighten up against me when I was in a hand and I was losing action, so seeing my bluff loosened them up a bit. It was one of only three times I didn't take the pot at a showdown, though (one time being duriing the site freeze when the network went down in the middle of a hand - I had 98 suited and had just raised with a flush draw on the flop - site froze and put us all who were still in the hand all-in and I lost to a strait).
The table was loose/passive with about 3 - 4 really raw players who were oblivious to position, odds, cards. I had one guy to my right who was a fairly solid, tight player and seemed to be playing kosher - but he was dead easy to read. There was some crazy pre-flop raises with big cards flopping (like AKQ in one flop) and it'd play it to the river and lose to a pair of 22 with someone who called the pre-flop raise holding T2s or the like. Where was their big openers???? It was crazy.
'But I dint care'.......I was playing good poker and stepped up my aggressiveness which got me some good pots. Love this kind of play. Wish it happened more often!
'Til next time - keep those cards in the air.......
