Roller Coaster

That's the only term to describe my Friday night. Long story short: I was in for 5 buy-ins before I cashed out for 6 and a half. Crazy night.

I was up and down so much the night seems like a blur. Consequently, it's a bit hard to learn from your mistakes if you're not sure where you made them, but let me give it a go. Yes, I believe Imade may mistakes given the swings I had. No game where you're in for 5 buy-ins and swing back to up on the night can possibly represent optimal play.

1. I called too much. Often I made the right read to call, but I needed to raise in some more spots, and fold in quite a few as well. There's just a few guys in this game I love to play pots in position with, and it bleeds over into other players I should be re-popping or folding against.

2. I tilted for a period. At one point I got it in way good in a couple of spot against the loosest player at the table, and he ran me down with maginal calls both times. I knew he was going to give me action, I just couldn't believe he caught up both times. As a result, there was at least one 45-minute period where I was playing angry. That's silly and needs to stop. I am getting better at absorbing beats, but this is one of the worst leaks in my game right now -- I need to keep striving.

3. I probably played a little too sociably. In a couple of spots, I "pulled up" because I was playing someone I knew and liked. While I don't mean I softplayed them, I probably raised more with the winner, because I had won enough of their money and didn't mind if they folded. I understand why I did this, but I'm not sure it's a very good idea (the people I like tend to be the better players).

At the end of the day, I played longer than I was accustomed. One of the usual producers hit the game big and cashed out early. That took a lot of money off the table, and I was not able to make a comeback because the worse players were extremely short. Finally, one of the best producers of them all came by late and I got involved in a huge hand with him.

To set things up, I had made about 2/3 of my money back, and flopped top two pair on a two-diamond board (PLO). Based on my read and past experience, I was convinced that I had the best hand, and the producer knows me to be a good player, so I thought I would represent my hand as stronger than it was. I bet pot, he raised, and I re-potted. He called. The third diamond came on the turn, gave me a better two pair, and I pushed representing the nut flush (knowing this plyer could not call without the Ace of diamonds in his had for the nut flush, but also know he would have called my flop raise with an inferior two pair, a crappy flush draw, and a straight draw). Unfortunately, he did have the nut flush draw (with nothing else with it, so my initial read was confirmed) and had hit it, so obviously he called. I rivered another King to win a massive pot. It was a misread on my part that paid off -- I took a shot and made a play, and got extremely lucky. The producer was pretty steamed, but I felt like I was striking a blow for all of us who had been sucked out on by this guy over the last couple of years......


Anyway, I cashed out about an hour later and headed home. While all the adrenaline was fun, I need to work on my game not being so swingy.

Is that a broken record I hear in the background? ;)