+71 @ The Commerce Casino

Another night with no big pairs (9s were my best), and big slick only once, but my cards really came through for me after a slow start.

• My very first hand at a new table brought me A,J so I raised. I bet the J,5,4 on the flop, the 7 on the turn, and the K on the river. The woman who had K,Q stayed with me all the way to take the pot at the end (but she didn't raise me). Maybe I should have slowed down when the K hit, but I didn't want to show weakness. Instead, I lost $6 I didn't need to lose.
• Q,K suited, 6,9,Q on the flop. Again I'm betting hard but got raised when a 3 fell on the turn. Huh? Maybe a hidden high pair that didn't raise? I checked the A on the river. It was bet and I shoulda folded, but I called. Dumb move. Not only did the raiser have an A, she had two of them. Combine those misplays with my pocket 9s that didn't work out and I was down $60 in 30 minutes because of my poor play. Checks!
• A,4 of diamonds and all black middle cards on the flop made that pre-flop raise annoying, but just a few hands later I got A,4 diamonds again. It was raised pre-flop and I just called. The flop came out 3 diamonds, K, 5 diamonds. Wow! I'm in it till the end, what with all the nuts I could get. I didn't have to wait long though, cause the 2 of diamonds fell on the turn! That just became my best hand ever. How do I get money from it? It was checked to me, I bet and got some callers. There was a 3 on the river which gave us the jackpot possibility if someone had a pair of threes. The play repeated itself with me betting and getting a couple callers. It was a nice pot.
• A few minutes later I had a couple hands that I couldn't play though. J,10in early position and the big blind wanted to know if I was a chopper when everyone else folded (I was), and A,J as big blind and everyone (all two of them) folded when I bet the A on the flop.
• 4,5 suited as small blind. Raised by a solid player in early position so his hand is clear. Flop is 3,6,_ and the player keeps betting and a few of us keep calling. I made my straight on the river, but it also put three to a flush on the board so I didn't raise. It was a nice pot and the guy with the pocket aces was annoyed at getting cracked, but he understood why I was in the pot.A,K as small blind and I raised pre-flop. The flop came out rags and I bet it as a semi-bluff but got raised. Damn. I called and became a calling station even when the K hit on the turn. I took the pot.
• A,Q suited on the button, but I missed the flop again and there was way too much betting to stick around.
• A,4 of clubs and J,8 of clubs on the flop. I called the multi-way pot. The 9 on the turn didn't give me the nuts, but I didn't think that the straight flush was a likely possibility. She bet it, I raised and she re-raised me. Wow! I of course made it 4 bets. Maybe she had the straight flush after all? Nah. Couldn't be. She bet into me again on the river but just called when I raised. She had a straight. Send the money.
• K,2 suited as big blind. I called the raise pre-flop. Got the flush draw on the flop, then made the flush on the turn. The A was missing in action but I was able to check raise the turn. I bet the river and took a good pot.
• 10,9 suited as small blind (the very next hand). I made my flush (again! I had lots of flushes tonight) on the turn but couldn't get any action.
• Black pocket 3s, flop is black 8 and 2,3 diamonds. I raised the flop and the 8 of diamonds fell on the turn. As opposed to a horrible lay down a few months ago, I recognized that this was the perfect card for me. Lots of betting was going on and I was able to join in the fun. There were two flushes fighting it out and they both had a shock when I turned over the boat.
• I finished the night with a play that could have been worse. I had 5,10
  suited as big blind and the flop gave 5,5,J. I checked hoping to call or check raise, but it was checked all the way around. I bet the 2 on turn and the 4 on the river and the fellow who had been calling all the way showed his 4,5. There was nothing I could have done that would have caused him to fold, so I'm lucky that I got out of as cheaply as I did.