So I've been having some decent success lately. Finished 16 out of 180 for a small payout. Not bad considering I never had anything over about $7000 in chips. I was able to survive that long without a whiff of good cards. My cash game is back as well.

I've gotten myself up to $39.91 in cash now, the highest ever. I've done it by playing unimaginative poker. I'm folding most times when I don't hit the flop (unless I think I can float and get them later which is rare) and I'm betting out strong when I hit. And I'm also playing less hands (somewhere in the 18/14 range mostly). I started playing two tables occasionally, especially if one of the tables is a slow go.

I think I've finally found the trick to successully playing 2nl. Patience. Don't bluff often unless you've gotten a read on your opponent that says he will fold to a bluff. Most times, your op at 2nl will not fold if they've hit something on the flop unless you're willing to push and even then they might not fold.

Play in position almost always. When I play a hand, I'm almost always in position to play it unless it's a monster where I don't need position (like KK or AA). Being last to act after the flop is a money making endeavor. Having to act first just plain sucks unless you flop the nuts.

Having said that, you will still lose from time to time like I did yesterday. I managed to sandwich two good sessions around a bad one. In the bad one, I had A-9 and raised 4x the BB with position and got two callers. One thing I've noticed, if your Opp limps in, they will almost always call you unless you raise a huge amount. The flop comes 5-6-9 rainbow so I bet a little more than the pot and get called by one. The turn comes another 6 and he checks to me. That's a huge scare card for me because I could see him calling my raise with a 6. If he did, he's now got me crushed. I check behind.

The river is a brick (3, I believe). He bets out a dollar. I know that three didn't help, but what could he have? It's either a bluff or he's got the best hand. I still think he might have the sixes, but I call anyway. He turns over J-6 and I lost about half my stack. Here's the lesson I learned: Early in your session fold those hands if you have any doubts. Folding's much cheaper than finding out the hard way you're beat. There will be other opportunities to make money once you've had time to watch your idiot opponent play.

Unfortunately, he left soon after before I got a chance to get my money back. So from then on, I'm in catch up mode, being very patient, but looking for an opportunity to get my money back. About 40 minutes later, I get my chance when I have 10-2 in the big blind and I check. I flop two pair on a 10-k-2 board. My opponent raises, I re-raise and the other person gets out of the hand leaving it heads-up. My oppponent re-raises me and I push all-in. I know he has a King. I don't know what the other card is, but I'm fairly sure that I'm ahead here. The turn is a 7 and the river is a 9. He turns over the King.... and the 9.

Such crap! I leave the table cursing my bad luck, but I am still at another table. And in that table about 4 hands after my debacle, I have A-J from the small blind. I raise to 6x the BB because I'm OOP and I don't necessarily want a call, I'll be happy to take down the blinds plus the extra from the two limpers. I get insta-called by one opp and then another. The flop comes K-10-Q, two spades and I'm one happy camper. I raise and get re-raised by the biggest fish at the table. I'm happy to go all-in and he calls. Q on the turn and a 7 on the river. He turns over K-9. All of a sudden, I've made back almost all of the $3 I lost at the last table.

Luckily this guy has me covered so he's still got chips left to burn. He's one of those players who will randomly push all in. He's not getting called, so I can't see what he's playing but I know if I wait long enough, I'll get the rest of his chips. It took some time, but here's the last hand I played at the table (when I felted him).


PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.02 BB (9 handed) - Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

SB ($5)
BB ($1.51)
UTG ($2.92)
UTG+1 ($1.18)
MP1 ($5.78)
MP2 ($2.58)
Hero (MP3) ($5.41)
CO ($2.65)
Button ($9.32)

Preflop: Hero is MP3 with Q, A
1 fold, UTG+1 calls $0.02, MP1 calls $0.02, 1 fold, Hero bets $0.12, 1 fold, Button calls $0.12, 1 fold, BB calls $0.10, UTG+1 raises to $1.18 (All-In), 1 fold, Hero calls $1.06, 2 folds

Flop: ($2.63) A, 5, Q (2 players, 1 all-in)

Turn: ($2.63) 3 (2 players, 1 all-in)

River: ($2.63) 5 (2 players, 1 all-in)

Total pot: $2.63 | Rake: $0.10

Results:
UTG+1 had 8, J (one pair, fives).
Hero had Q, A (two pair, Aces and Queens).
Outcome: Hero won $2.53