Day 11: -$18.20 (-18 BB at $.50/1)

Overall: +$42.00 in 1880 table minutes

I went back down to one table, and things felt a whole lot better. My reads were stronger and I played with much more confidence. The results, however, were less than pleasant. I got stuck in a couple bad spots and it took its toll on me. I may go back to play later today and call it "Day 12" even though it's the same day.

Hand 1: One limper, an aggressive player raises, and I 3-bet from SB with KK. Three of us to the flop. It's 974 with a flush draw, and I lead out, getting called by the aggressive player. The turn is an 8 for a double flush draw and I lead again. This time, the aggressive player raises. I didn't really like the raise, but I decided that he could be doing this with hands like QQ/JJ/TT that wanted to see a good turn card before raising, and possibly something like ATs/KTs that has a straight draw plus a flush draw, so I went ahead and 3-bet him. He capped it. The river was an offsuit ace. This is where I think I made my mistake. I think I can safely bet-fold this river card after all of the turn action. I get paid off by QQ/JJ/TT plus maybe miscellaneous hands that he has that I might not have considered. However, if I check, I allow him to check behind with all those hands, but value bet Ax and better hands. Anyway, I check-call and find that he had 99 for a flopped set.

Hand 2: A loose-passive limper limps and I raise K9o from the button. A somewhat loose-aggressive player in SB calls and BB folds, giving us a 3-handed flop. The flop is QJ9 and it's checked to me. I bet and get called in both spots. THe turn is a 5, bringing a flush draw. It's checked to me and I check behind. I don't like that I was called on this flop. Sometimes it means a lone K, T, or 8 that is drawing to a straight or rarely an underpair that wants to look me up, but I can't often expect this out of two players. The check behind is also good because sLAG may try to bluff this river with both missed draws, giving loose limper a chance to reveal the strength of his hand. The plan was to call a single bet from sLAG, but not overcall, and to fold to a bet from the loose limper. As it played out, sLAG bet, limper called, and I folded. sLAG had 86 for the missed idiot gutshot draw, and the limper turned over J7s for the best hand.

Hand 3: The table is down to 4-handed play, and I raise 98o from CO. I get called by the button and the small blind. The button is an aggressive player who loves to bet, but shuts down to raises (sometimes folding). the flop si T43 with a flush draw, and it's checked to me. I checked for a reason that I don't think I can actually explain because I don't know if a rationale exists for checking, except to check-fold. But I didn't check-fold, I check-called. At the time, I felt that aggressive player would bet any two cards, would likely call if I bet, and sometimes raise no-pair hands as a bluff. So I check-called and hit an 8 on the turn. Here's where I got something right. I check-raised him, knowing that he would continue to bet any hand he had bet on the flop. I could fold to a 3-bet here, and he would have a tough time 3-betting without a strong hand. The river was a 6 and we both checked. I decided not to value bet the river because he wouldn't call with overcards, which was his mostly likely holding. If he had a pocket pair, he would probably call. He turned over 55 and my pair of 8s takes the pot from him.

Hand 4: I flopped a set of 4s in a 5-handed pot, but the flop was monotone. A very aggressive player who I have seen overplaying a flush draw cap the flop and turn. I check-called the river and he showed me J8s for the flopped flush.

Hand 5: I flopped top two pair (Q8s) against an unknown UTG raiser. The flop is capped, and I lead the turn and river. He had QTo and rivered two pair to beat me.