The $1/$2 trials begin

Well today I finally got over the $4k mark (again) and its been a fairly slow hike to get there, but get there we did. This afternoon I played a quick 3omin session before going out and won two hands of about $50ea. One of them I really felt for the guy who lost to me. It went something like this...
Loser was in MP and raised to $2, Hero called with AKo, the blinds may have called (irrelevant). Flop came 9xK. He bet $3 and I called. Turn was another K, he checked, I bet $3, he raised $3, I raised $3, he called. River was an A, giving me AAKKK. He checked and I bet $10, he pushed maybe $15-20 more and I called. Losers hand: KK999. The poor guy lost to runner, runner. He played the hand perfectly but was doomed. Even if he had pushed on the flop I would have called. That hand put me to $4075 and I came back tonight and played a 1hr session of two tables at the $1/$2 NL level.

Here's the hand that got me really going...

PokerStars Game #1461513235: Hold'em No Limit ($1/$2) - 2005/04/02 - 23:15:15 (ET)Table 'Toutatis II' Seat #7 is the button
Seat 1: Dr. Moneyman ($65 in chips)
Seat 2: bluey1000 ($293 in chips)
Seat 3: Acid Fire ($169.95 in chips)
Seat 4: Lucas12 ($124.45 in chips)
Seat 5: wptlegend ($235.05 in chips)
Seat 6: AskMyWife ($83.65 in chips)
Seat 7: redsoxgrind ($98.80 in chips)
Seat 8: ginny77 ($88.45 in chips)
Seat 9: allbetsnow ($174.50 in chips)
ginny77: posts small blind $1
allbetsnow: posts big blind $2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to bluey1000 [Ad Ah]
Dr. Moneyman: folds
bluey1000: raises $4 to $6
Acid Fire: calls $6
Lucas12: folds
wptlegend: calls $6
AskMyWife: folds
redsoxgrind: folds
redsoxgrind leaves the table
ginny77: folds
allbetsnow: folds
*** FLOP *** [Jd 2c 2s]
bluey1000: bets $10
Acid Fire: calls $10
wptlegend: raises $40 to $50
bluey1000: calls $40
Acid Fire: folds
*** TURN *** [Jd 2c 2s] [9s]
Moshito joins the table at seat #7
bluey1000: checks
wptlegend: bets $30
bluey1000: raises $40 to $70
wptlegend: calls $40
*** RIVER *** [Jd 2c 2s 9s] [Kc]
bluey1000: checks
wptlegend: bets $109.05 and is all-in
bluey1000: calls $109.05
*** SHOW DOWN ***
wptlegend: shows [Kh Jc] (two pair, Kings and Jacks)
bluey1000: shows [Ad Ah] (two pair, Aces and Deuces)
bluey1000 collected $486.10 from pot

I actually misread the board on the river. When the King hit, I thought "damn he could've just made two pair to beat me". As soon as I hit check I realised "hey I have a better two pair AA22". At that point I really hoped he had KJ and when he pushed I rejoiced. This is now the biggest pot I have won to date but I am sure there will be bigger in my future. I was also doing well on another table until I got KK on the button. MP raised two $6 with one caller and I reraised $10 more which they both called. They both had SS, the largest being $80ish. The flop was t82 and MP bet $12, next guy reraised $12 and I pushed whcih they both called. Turn was a 6, river a Q. MP had AA to beat me and other guy had 86s to take the lions share of the pot. Obviously the guy with the 86s is a moron and will be giving that money back to someone else soon. When he reraised on the flop he was pot committed as he only had about another $12 left - freaking idiot. This hand I had no idea I was up against an AA. See below for another KK hand I had this afternoon...

PokerStars Game #1457973713: Hold'em No Limit ($0.50/$1.00) - 2005/04/02 - 12:17:25 (ET)Table 'Marfik' Seat #9 is the button
Seat 1: papooze ($24.15 in chips)
Seat 2: bluey1000 ($100 in chips)
Seat 3: jfreeman420 ($124.85 in chips)
Seat 4: bmonty21 ($157.15 in chips)
Seat 5: DavidDiggler ($38 in chips)
Seat 6: Talmain99 ($123.15 in chips)
Seat 7: ABrave808 ($36.50 in chips)
Seat 8: JackRussell ($100 in chips)
Seat 9: bayleaf ($205.80 in chips)
papooze: posts small blind $0.50
bluey1000: posts big blind $1
JackRussell: posts big blind $1
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to bluey1000 [Kd Kh]
jfreeman420: calls $1
bmonty21: calls $1
DavidDiggler: folds
Talmain99: raises $2 to $3
ABrave808: folds
JackRussell: calls $2
bayleaf: folds
papooze: calls $2.50
bluey1000: raises $10 to $13
jfreeman420: folds
bmonty21: calls $12
Talmain99: raises $49 to $62
JackRussell: folds
papooze: folds
bluey1000: folds
bmonty21: folds
Talmain99 collected $46 from pot
Talmain99: shows [As Ac] (a pair of Aces)

In this situation the most common hands that play back at you are AK and AA. I have seen both played that way and both often. So I had to decide which I wanted to believe - I chose to fold. The other guy who had called my big raise said he had AK. Always a tough fold but always a good one. The whole idea of the large raise with KK is to see if anyone reraises which typically tells me they have Aces and I am glad he did. In my opinion he should've played it like I did in the next sample hand from the day prior...

PokerStars Game #1455749919: Hold'em No Limit ($0.50/$1.00) - 2005/04/01 - 23:18:13 (ET)Table 'Agematsu' Seat #7 is the button
Seat 1: msojoe ($161.90 in chips)
Seat 2: lankyman ($90.40 in chips)
Seat 3: rAAKKe ($96.50 in chips)
Seat 4: truegrav ($108.25 in chips)
Seat 5: debbojojo ($28.30 in chips)
Seat 6: Outsidefun ($49.60 in chips)
Seat 7: TJL515 ($14 in chips)
Seat 8: bluey1000 ($108.20 in chips)
Seat 9: HerdOwns ($100 in chips)
bluey1000: posts small blind $0.50
HerdOwns: posts big blind $1
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to bluey1000 [Ks Kh
]msojoe: folds
lankyman: folds
rAAKKe: raises $4 to $5
truegrav: folds
debbojojo: folds
Outsidefun: folds
TJL515: folds
bluey1000: calls $4.50
HerdOwns: folds
*** FLOP *** [7d 9h 6c]
bluey1000: checks
rAAKKe: bets $15
bluey1000: calls $15
*** TURN *** [7d 9h 6c] [6s]
bluey1000: checks
rAAKKe: bets $76.50 and is all-in
bluey1000: calls $76.50
*** RIVER *** [7d 9h 6c 6s] [Ac]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
bluey1000: shows [Ks Kh]
(two pair, Kings and Sixes)
rAAKKe: mucks hand
rAAKKe leaves the table
bluey1000 collected $191 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $194 Rake $3
Board [7d 9h 6c 6s Ac]
Seat 3: rAAKKe mucked [Jd Jh]

When someone raises big and I have large pocket pairs (KK/AA) I like to call and let them bet all their money. If I reraise and advertise I have a bigger PP I may not get all their buy-in. This sneak attack has by far won me more money than if I was to reraise and give information to my opponent.

Getting back to my 1hr session at $1/$2. I was surprised how bad the play was. I was getting reraised when I bet with TP by people chasing flushes. They would also lead a nice bet on the turn when they missed. I also found out some people were chasing gutshots against a pot sized bet from me. This is of course very good news as it means their could be enough idiots at this level too to pay me off handsomely the majority of the time. Their is definitely a lot of mony to be lost and won at this level and I look forward to tryin it again tomorrow. For the 1hr session I made $375, not too shabby :-)