Here's a little something to remember next time you play:  Just because the guy is an idiot, raising all the time with nothing....it doesn't mean he won't occasionally have SOMETHING. 

I've played twice so far this week, and I'm fairly happy so far with the results.  In case you hadn't noticed, I haven't done so well in the last few weeks.  So I was determined this week to get back in to the groove. 

Monday night, at a 20 person, $40 game, I played my tail off for several hours before finally chopping three ways in the end.  We could have played further, and the three of us had plenty of chips, but we were at someone else's house who wasn't in the game anymore, so we felt it was best just to chop it out and let them get to bed.  So $40 in, $200 out....and I am a happy camper. 

One thing about Monday night that is interesting:  I was literally exhausted when it was over.  Sometimes you win because you just got great cards.  Sometimes you win because the other guy just hands you their chips.  Monday night I won because I had to play my a** off.  It was one of those games that reminded me that I really do know what I am doing. 

The hand that got me there though was not of that variety.  Final 8 players, and I'm about near the bottom in chip stack.  The real bottom though moves all in ahead of me, and I look down at A-K of clubs.  Now, I could just let it go and see if he gets knocked out by someone else.  OR, I could try to double up and get in the chase for the money.  So I choose the latter.  No reason to play for 7th, when they are paying 4. 

I flip up mine, he flips up A-J of diamonds.  I am D-O-M-I-N-A-T-I-N-G.  And then the flop comes J-J-10.  Yay.  But, it included the J-10 of Clubs.  So I have hope.  Turn is the 7 of Clubs....and now I am praying....don't pair the board or drop an Ace.  And to prove that God loves me.....a 2 of Diamonds.  Bye David, hello $20,000 in chips.

From there I was able to play to the cash.

Then....last night.  A night that proved to me that although I really do know what I am doing, I still have a lot to learn!

I spent the first two hours watching idiot after idiot take down pots where they called massive raised with A-4, or A-7 offsuit.  It was the craziest thing ever.  I guess I was still in the Monday mode, because in Monday's game the talent level is much higher.  In this game last night, it might as well have been 13 year olds playing.  Basically, don't raise, because they'll just call you and chase it down.  The better strategy was to just call preflop, and then only raise when you have a solid hand or the nuts.  Seriously.  If you raised preflop with A-A, and the flop had two 4's in it, I GUARANTEE the guy that called you did so with K-4.   It was that bad.

One guy, who had the button when I was on the big blind, continually raised when he was on the button.  So he continually raised my big blind.  Now I love poker, and I've played a million hands between live and online.  And I know that you cannot possibly have a great hand every time you have the button in your hand. 

So finally I push back with 8-10 offsuit.  And he folds.

Next time around he does it again, and I push back with 10-10, and he folds.

And then finally, he does it again, and I push back with K-K, and of course....Aces.  Oh well, what are you going to do?  I'm not the kind of guy that is just going to lay down K-K against a guy that hasn't had a real hand all night.  I have folded them preflop many times, but against far superior players to this guy.  I even had a guy lay them down post flop to me, when I raised with a pair of Jacks, with an Ace on the board, and he folded Kings.  But against Mr. Raise Every Button....no chance.

So anyway, not much more today than a rundown of the week so far.  $70 invested, $200 received, so I'm still $130 up after two days. 

Upcoming:  Small $$ cash game tomorrow night, and then $100 buy in 30-person tournament on Saturday.  The goal for the week is $500 profit.  Lets just see how I do.