I've had some good sessions recently online at Empire. I've been playing the 2/4 tables and meeting some success there. I've been applying some of the strategies from Small Stakes Hold Em and they are paying off. Firstly, I am upping the aggression factor - raising/re-raising where before I may have limped or cold called; secondly, I am sticking very tight to positional play and folding marginal -EV hands. I've begun to characterize opening hands as to whether they are calling or raising - and that is heavily dependent on position and whether or not I am first in. A 7-8 suited, for example, is a late position calling hand with a large field in the pot, but not a hand I would necessarily open with against a small field.
I was really tested last evening when a loose-aggressive maniac joined our table. He raised every pot and pushed hard if he was on a draw or hit even a small piece of the flop. He went on a fast and furious run nearly doubling his stack within a few hands. He sucked out on me (ew that sounds so rude) more than once in hands where I was leading and he got his miracle on the river or he hit two pair with hands like K-2 offsuit. My blood began to rise a bit, but I managed to calm down and continued to play my game. I knew it would only be a matter of time before myself and the other players would be getting our share back. The player to my right did a great job of encouraging him and keeping him on the line. He commiserated with him when he began to lose, he never insulted him - he just played him like the fish he was.
My chance eventually came when I received 55 in the hole. Most of the table came in and I followed along. The flop gave me my set, but it was all suited and and with so many in the pot, I feared a flush was inevitable. It was bet and called around to me, I raised and our guy re-raised. Everyone stayed in and I began chanting "Pair the board! Pair the board!" My invocation worked, the turn came and paired the board another 5! Quads for Maudie. There was another round of raise-re-raise and then it slowed to check and all called my bet on the river. It was a nice big juicy pot. The kind we live for.
I left the table shortly thereafter. The pirahnas continued to feed off our poor fish - he was severely shortstacked when I departed and not long for this world. I moved on to a nice time with Bad Blood and Derek at a NL table. BB took chunk out of my stack at one point when I wasn't paying as close attention as I should. I thought I was laying a crafty trap for him when he snuck up behind me a zinged me with his flush. But I got him back by flopping the nut-strait draw and making it on the turn. I pushed on the river and he called. However, drinks are now on me in Glitter City.
So, I am on a nice upward swing at the moment. I hope it lasts longer than the last downward swing. The strategies in Small Stakes Hold Em are definately sound ones and I know it's responsible for this string of positive sessions lately. If you haven't checked it out, I highly recommend it.
