RiverRock Casino Resort, May 3rd

After a few months of seasoning by playing micro/low limit NL against solid online players I decide to give the 1/2 NL casino game a go.

I bought in for $100 as 8 or 9 new players formed a table. It doesn't take me long to learn the players. A mid-early 20s aggressive caucasian in seat 4......he didn't bluff or semibluff too much, but overbet (55 all in preflop with $100) and called with mediocre cards and rebought $200 a couple of times. Lost all-in with his AK cracked by AJ, as a J flopped and the turn was an Ace. Lost all in with A9 against A7 he called a 7-high flop and turn and river both being Aces. Lost all-in with Q9 against Mideast guy's JJ with a 9-high flop. Busted someone's TT when he had 86 and board was 63296. Check-check-bluff and lost with a busted draw on a board of 69A66, the other guy had kings.

Then there was this aforementioned middle-east man in seat 1, early 60s perhaps, total fish who plays a lot of hands and calls with lousy cards (called the 55 all-in with A7o and lost), and a semi calling-station in seat 7 who shows his lousy hand like K5o hand even if he loses a showdown.

All in all, a pretty limpy, easy table. Seat 4 is the only aggressive player. A few players didn't raise preflop with AA or AK, but otherwise no one is tricky. Chase with a draw. Bet with a pair. My plan is simple. No bluffs, value bet, chase with proper odds.

I got a lot of weak aces, some of them suited. No pocket pairs. Didn't flop top pair at all all night. Didn't have a PP all night. Had a lot of borderline hands (QT, J8s, A9, T9) that I didn't play because of position.

The 3rd hand in I got AK in SB. Seat 7 raises to 10, 3 callers!?, I call, seat 4 raises to 50!? Original raiser calls, I thought someone must have a big PP and I fold. Board was 44JKQ, Seat 7 going all-in on the flop and beat seat 4's AQ with AK. Oh well, that's how I got to know seat 4 is LAG.

I lost another $7 when I raised to $7 with AT in position 7, reraised to 14 by seat 4 and got called by 4 players!?

A5 clubs in BB, 4 or 5 limped, floped 467 2 clubs. Great flop, but with a loose table and no position I didn't want to semibluff, hoping someone will pay me off even after I hit. Asian lady in seat 9 bet $20, mid-east guy called, I called. Turn was a 5 which was bad for me but also scared the lady. All checked. River was a 2, no flush, check-check, mid-east guy (short-stacked) went all in with Q6o, I folded and lady called with aces.

KT diamonds in position 4, 7 limpers. Flop QJ6 rainbow. Lady bet pot, everyone folded. She had AQ in SB and didn't raise.

A8 hearts on the button, SB folded 3 limpers in total. Flop A76, checked around I bet $5, all folded. $5 net......that was my first pot.

With my stack down to $41 or so I had AQ in mid position. Mid-east guy, raised UTG to $7. I was quite desperate, and I wanted to push, but I called instead. 5 callers. Flop 832 2 hearts, I pushed, got called by lady and mid-easy guy. I was lucky to runner-runner 2 more hearts for the winning flush as my Q beat the lady's JJ (she had the heart J). This more than made up for my bad cards earlier in the night, as I more than tripled up.

Then I folded basically a full round + of hands. It was 856 pm. My original plan was to leave at 9pm, and I was in the BB. What the hell, I'll play another hand. A9 of hearts, 8 limpers (wow). Flop KQT, 2 hearts(K and T). 12 solid outs plus the ace. I checked, seat 8 (solid but not tricky player) bet 20 (a bit more than pot). Lady and Mideast guy called! Even without the implied odds it's definitely worth calling. 5 callers including original bettor in total (wow). Turn was 9D. Seat 8 bet 40, again 2 callers, easy call for me. 4H on the river. I bet 25, lady raised to 36 all in, mid-east guy called. Damn, I couldn't reraise. Seat 8 called my 25 but not the extra 11. Lady had the Q-high flush. That was the last hand for me. I left with exactly $400

That summed up my night. Needless to say I was pumped and excited. That was the winningest session of poker I've ever participated.