Nice comeback

So on Monday I lost $450 and last night I made $460. I really didnt expect to make it all back in one night and yet I did. I won it back by having a couple of chumps pay me off when I shouldnt have been, by dragging as much as I could from my opponnents and by playing super tight. I was also lucky enough to get AA 4 times. Only one of them got paid off huge, 2 I milked them for a medium pot and another had zero action.

There is no way I could've made the $460 last night without one chump who I had pegged early as a chaser/caller and here are the two hands he paid me off when obviously he shouldnt have...

PokerStars Game #1476846221: Hold'em No Limit ($1/$2) - 2005/04/05 - 20:53:03 (ET)Table 'Agena III' Seat #9 is the button
Seat 1: ChanSucks1 ($146.55 in chips)
Seat 2: Chief11 ($115.40 in chips)
Seat 3: stevenno ($137 in chips)
Seat 4: Diogenesiv ($184.80 in chips)
Seat 5: birddog2631 ($246.70 in chips)
Seat 6: bluey1000 ($204.50 in chips)
Seat 7: PokeHer10 ($62.80 in chips)
Seat 8: tad233 ($263.75 in chips)
Seat 9: hitter28 ($77 in chips)
ChanSucks1: posts small blind $1
Chief11: posts big blind $2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to bluey1000 [Ad Kc]
stevenno: calls $2
Diogenesiv: calls $2
birddog2631: folds
bluey1000: raises $6 to $8
PokeHer10: folds
tad233: folds
hitter28: folds
PokeHer10 leaves the table
ChanSucks1: folds
Chief11: folds
stevenno: calls $6
Diogenesiv: folds
*** FLOP *** [4d 7h 7d]
stevenno: checks
bluey1000: bets $16
stevenno: calls $16
*** TURN *** [4d 7h 7d] [Jd]
stevenno: checks
bluey1000: checks
*** RIVER *** [4d 7h 7d Jd] [6d]
stevenno: checks
bluey1000: bets $40
stevenno: calls $40
*** SHOW DOWN ***
bluey1000: shows [Ad Kc] (a flush, Ace high)
stevenno: mucks hand
bluey1000 collected $130 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***Total pot $133 Rake $3
Board [4d 7h 7d Jd 6d]
Seat 3: stevenno mucked [4s 3c]

He called my $8 PF bet I assume to get lucky? Called my $16 flop bet I assume because he put me on overcards? If he believed that he should've reraised. The turn bet missed me so I checked behind him for a free card and got my flush on the river. He checks and I bet close to pot on a 4 diamond board and he calls with his 4's - thanks steve!

PokerStars Game #1476946013: Hold'em No Limit ($1/$2) - 2005/04/05 - 21:09:54 (ET)Table 'Agena III' Seat #3 is the button
Seat 1: ChanSucks1 ($117.25 in chips)
Seat 2: schem11 ($207 in chips)
Seat 3: stevenno ($193.80 in chips)
Seat 4: Diogenesiv ($219.80 in chips)
Seat 5: birddog2631 ($215.75 in chips)
Seat 6: bluey1000 ($267.50 in chips)
Seat 7: AKlucky ($216.20 in chips)
Seat 8: tad233 ($288.75 in chips)
Seat 9: hitter28 ($72.15 in chips)
Diogenesiv: posts small blind $1
birddog2631: posts big blind $2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to bluey1000 [As Ad]
bluey1000: calls $2
AKlucky: folds
tad233: folds
hitter28: folds
ChanSucks1: folds
schem11: folds
ChanSucks1 said, "is that 3?"
stevenno: raises $6 to $8
Diogenesiv: calls $7
birddog2631: calls $6
bluey1000: raises $22 to $30
stevenno: calls $22
Diogenesiv: folds
birddog2631: folds
*** FLOP *** [6h 3s 2s]
bluey1000: bets $30
stevenno: calls $30
*** TURN *** [6h 3s 2s] [3d]
bluey1000: bets $60
stevenno: raises $70 to $130
bluey1000: raises $70 to $200
stevenno: calls $3.80 and is all-in
*** RIVER *** [6h 3s 2s 3d] [6d]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
bluey1000: shows [As Ad] (two pair, Aces and Sixes)
stevenno: mucks hand
bluey1000 collected $400.60 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $403.60 Rake $3
Board [6h 3s 2s 3d 6d]
Seat 3: stevenno (button) mucked [7c 5c]

So my friend Steve did what I was hoping someone would do and raised the pot. If no one called his raise (or possibly just one caller), I would simply call to hide my hand and play off the aggressor. But with 2 callers to his raise I wanted to thin the field or take the pot. Steve called my raise, God Bless him with his 57clubs and he chased his gutshot straight all the way to the turn before reraising my $60 bet to put him all-in, HA! My friend Steve turned a good night into a great night - thankyou.

The lesson I want to pass on to people from last night is not to bet huge amounts when you have a monster but to understand what you think the maximum bet your opponent will call. See below some examples...

PokerStars Game #1478153278: Hold'em No Limit ($1/$2) - 2005/04/06 - 00:20:25 (ET)Table 'Aries IV' Seat #1 is the button
Seat 1: lumbs_13 ($178.15 in chips)
Seat 2: Ahhdada ($47.70 in chips)
Seat 3: deadwhak ($282.70 in chips)
Seat 4: fignewton6 ($84.80 in chips)
Seat 5: GuardDawg30 ($16.15 in chips)
Seat 6: check_kills ($215.55 in chips)
Seat 7: glaubsag23 ($76.30 in chips)
Seat 8: MaCkInYoHo ($163.65 in chips)
Seat 9: bluey1000 ($200 in chips)
Ahhdada: posts small blind $1
deadwhak: posts big blind $2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to bluey1000 [6s 6h]
fignewton6: folds
GuardDawg30: folds
check_kills: folds
glaubsag23: folds
MaCkInYoHo: folds
bluey1000: calls $2
lumbs_13: raises $2 to $4
Ahhdada: calls $3
deadwhak: folds
bluey1000: calls $2
*** FLOP *** [7s Ad 6d]
Ahhdada: checks
bluey1000: checks
lumbs_13: bets $8
Ahhdada: folds
bluey1000: calls $8
*** TURN *** [7s Ad 6d] [Qc]
bluey1000: checks
lumbs_13: checks
*** RIVER *** [7s Ad 6d Qc] [Kh]
bluey1000: bets $10
lumbs_13: calls $10
*** SHOW DOWN ***
bluey1000: shows [6s 6h] (three of a kind, Sixes)
lumbs_13: mucks hand
bluey1000 collected $47.60 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $50 Rake $2.40 Board [7s Ad 6d Qc Kh]
Seat 1: lumbs_13 (button) mucked [8s Ks]

So I flop my trips with an Ace on the board so I am hoping for some action and I simply call his flop bet (In hidnsight if I had reraised he would've folded). When he checked the turn behind me I knew he had nothing and I had to bet small on the river for any chance at more money from him. He hit his King and was willing to call for a measely $10.

PokerStars Game #1478190367: Hold'em No Limit ($1/$2) - 2005/04/06 - 00:26:54 (ET)Table 'Aries IV' Seat #7 is the button
Seat 1: lumbs_13 ($136.35 in chips)
Seat 2: Ahhdada ($43.70 in chips)
Seat 3: deadwhak ($299.95 in chips)
Seat 4: fignewton6 ($69.80 in chips)
Seat 5: GuardDawg30 ($20.40 in chips)
Seat 6: check_kills ($200.40 in chips)
Seat 7: glaubsag23 ($68.15 in chips)
Seat 8: MaCkInYoHo ($192 in chips)
Seat 9: bluey1000 ($225.60 in chips)
MaCkInYoHo: posts small blind $1
bluey1000: posts big blind $2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to bluey1000 [Ks 5s]
lumbs_13: folds
Ahhdada: folds
deadwhak: folds
fignewton6: folds
GuardDawg30: calls $2
check_kills: folds
glaubsag23: calls $2
MaCkInYoHo: calls $1
bluey1000: checks
*** FLOP *** [Kc Kd 5d]
MaCkInYoHo: checks
bluey1000: checks
GuardDawg30: checks
glaubsag23: bets $6
MaCkInYoHo: folds
bluey1000: calls $6
GuardDawg30: folds
*** TURN *** [Kc Kd 5d] [4h]
bluey1000: checks
glaubsag23: checks
*** RIVER *** [Kc Kd 5d 4h] [8h]
bluey1000: bets $6
glaubsag23: calls $6
*** SHOW DOWN ***
bluey1000: shows [Ks 5s] (a full house, Kings full of Fives)
glaubsag23: mucks hand
bluey1000 collected $30.45 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $32 Rake $1.55
Board [Kc Kd 5d 4h 8h]
Seat 7: glaubsag23 (button) mucked [3c 3h]

Flop a monster here and hope someone has a piece of it and just call the $6 flop bet. He checks behind me on the turn so once again I know he has nothing and with the scary board know I have to bet tiny on the river to get any kind of call. I actually hope my timid call will look weak and get reraised, but not this time. Would've been a great pot if he hit his 3 huh.

PokerStars Game #1478327111: Hold'em No Limit ($1/$2) - 2005/04/06 - 00:51:16 (ET)Table 'Eugenia II' Seat #9 is the button
Seat 2: texas tunas ($78 in chips)
Seat 3: mav_killer ($206.25 in chips)
Seat 4: bluey1000 ($213.60 in chips)
Seat 5: OC Bryan ($104.90 in chips)
Seat 6: tad233 ($214.30 in chips)
Seat 7: Maverick938 ($55 in chips)
Seat 8: jucifer ($201.95 in chips)
Seat 9: Acid Fire ($675.75 in chips)
texas tunas: posts small blind $1
mav_killer: posts big blind $2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to bluey1000 [As Ah]
Lomez joins the table at seat #1
bluey1000: calls $2
OC Bryan: folds
tad233: folds
Maverick938: folds
jucifer: folds
Acid Fire: folds
texas tunas: calls $1
mav_killer: checks
*** FLOP *** [9h Qh Jh]
texas tunas: bets $2
mav_killer: calls $2
bluey1000: raises $4 to $6
texas tunas: calls $4
mav_killer: folds
*** TURN *** [9h Qh Jh] [2s]
texas tunas: checks
bluey1000: bets $10
texas tunas: calls $10
*** RIVER *** [9h Qh Jh 2s] [Ad]
texas tunas: checks
bluey1000: bets $10
texas tunas: calls $10
*** SHOW DOWN ***
bluey1000: shows [As Ah] (three of a kind, Aces)
texas tunas: mucks hand
bluey1000 collected $57.10 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***Total pot $60 Rake $2.90
Board [9h Qh Jh 2s Ad]
Seat 2: texas tunas (small blind) mucked [Kc Jd]

I limp under the gun looking for a reraise but no such luck but luckily only a couple play. Three hearts on the flop so I have the nut flush draw and top pair and take control of the hand early. By keeping my bets small I milk an extra $20 bucks from texas who by the river has 3rd top pair only. Seriously what did this guy think I had to call me down?

Anyway, the whole point I am attempting to make is read the situation correctly and measure what you think the mximum return you can get from a hand is, not what you wish to get.