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I was getting an itch to play some poker after not having sat at a cash table for over 10 months. I decided to deposit $50 on Stars after a fellow blogger mentioned that e-checks are a fast and easy way of getting money on the site. I had been hoping to play on carbon, but after going on there and seeing the scarce options for NL $25 (for both full ring and 6 max), I just went for stars. A fellow blogger said that e-checks were a very easy way to get money onto the site, and even though I had been reluctant to give out my checking account information I went with it. Stars quickly approved the transaction and I sat down at a table. Started out playing 6-max but the table broke up so I just went to full ring.

So here's some hands in no particular order. Basically both tables are playing the same, basically tight, somewhat passive, not a real lot of late position raises or contesting the blinds.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.25 BB (6 handed) - Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com BB ($14.50) UTG ($6.15) MP ($47.30) CO ($25) Button ($27.30) Hero (SB) ($23.30) Preflop: Hero is SB with 8, 6 UTG calls $0.25, 3 folds, Hero calls $0.15, BB checks Flop: ($0.75) 8, 3, J (3 players) Hero bets $0.50, BB calls $0.50, UTG raises to $1, Hero calls $0.50, BB raises to $2.50, UTG raises to $5.90 (All-In), Hero folds, BB calls $3.40 I flop a pair + a backdoor flush draw, I throw out a little feeler bet, see if I can maybe take it down. Unfortunately it doesn't work, but I only get minraised. Assuming the BB would have just called I'm getting 6.5:1 to see the turn, unfortunately the BB throws in a raise and UTG shoves. Easy fold at that point. Turn: ($13.55) 4 (2 players, 1 all-in) River: ($13.55) 2 (2 players, 1 all-in) Total pot: $13.55 | Rake: $0.65 BBs J3 > UTG's slowplayed KK.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.25 BB (9 handed) - Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com MP1 ($26.15) MP2 ($23.15) MP3 ($25.95) CO ($31.30) Hero (Button) ($23.25) SB ($25.45) BB ($25.60) UTG ($24.30) UTG+1 ($19.05) Preflop: Hero is Button with 7, A 5 folds, CO calls $0.25, Hero calls $0.25, SB calls $0.15, BB checks The CO was playing very passively before the flop and I was able to take a few pots from him after the flop, but the last few hands I played against this guy resulted in a few folds from me. One hand I had 99, raised his limp, J-high flop went check-bet-call, check-check on turn, before opponent shoved for like $9 on an A river. Then another hand I had JJ, raised his limp, and ended up folding to a check-minraise on the flop. Probably could have taken one off there, but here we are, so in this hand I just limp and take a flop, keeping the pot small. Flop: ($1) 3, Q, 6 (4 players) SB checks, BB checks, CO checks, Hero checks. Blinds took a flop too, so 4-handed I just check behind rather than taking a shot at it. Turn: ($1) 7 (4 players) SB checks, BB checks, CO checks, Hero bets $0.50, 2 folds, CO calls $0.50 Turn comes a 7, after another round of checking to me I believe I have the best hand so I bet it. Of course our favorite villian calls. River: ($2) 2 (2 players) CO bets $1.50, Hero calls $1.50 This time I just felt there was a decent enough chance of him having nothing to call. In reality though, I really thought it was worth the $1.50 just to see what he had. Also at this point I think I had a slightly weak image so a loose call might gain some respect in future hands. Total pot: $5 | Rake: $0.20 Main pot: $5 between CO and Hero, won by Hero Results: Hero had 7, A (one pair, sevens). CO had K, 6 (one pair, sixes). Outcome: Hero won $4.80 Third pair, not really sure the reason behind betting there. I win that one, but there would be another confrontation between this player and me.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.25 BB (8 handed) - Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com MP2 ($34.50) CO ($35.45) Button ($35.50) SB ($5.05) Hero (BB) ($23) UTG ($23.95) UTG+1 ($39.75) MP1 ($21.50) Preflop: Hero is BB with J, J UTG calls $0.25, 5 folds, SB calls $0.15, Hero raises to $1.25, UTG calls $1, SB raises to $5.05 (All-In), Hero raises to $15.50, 1 fold I'm just not going to give this raise a whole lot of respect. He limped in preflop, if he really had a big hand he should have raised. I am putting him on his whole range here. With UTG still in the pot, I wanted to make a big reraise to get this pot heads up. Flop: ($11.35) 6, 8, 2 (2 players, 1 all-in) Turn: ($11.35) 5 (2 players, 1 all-in) River: ($11.35) 9 (2 players, 1 all-in) Total pot: $11.35 | Rake: $0.55 Main pot: $11.35 between SB and Hero, won by Hero Results: SB had K, A (high card, Ace). Hero had J, J (one pair, Jacks). Outcome: Hero won $10.80 Much better than what I put him on, but still a shitty initial limp preflop.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.25 BB (9 handed) - Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com MP2 ($32.65) MP3 ($35.10) CO ($33.40) Button ($11.95) Hero (SB) ($32.25) BB ($21.65) UTG ($39.40) UTG+1 ($21.50) MP1 ($4.65) Preflop: Hero is SB with K, A UTG calls $0.25, 4 folds, CO raises to $1.50, 1 fold, Hero calls $1.40, 1 fold, UTG calls $1.25 This was a tough preflop decision for me. I really hated this spot. CO was playing well, wasn't getting out of line with PF raises, so I didn't like the idea of a reraise here and getting called. If I make it $5, I probably get UTG out of the way but if CO calls we're looking at a remaining effective stack of ~$27 with ~$10 in the pot, for an SPR of ~2.7. Not ideal when you're going to miss the flop 2/3 of the time. So I just call, but admittedly without much of a plan on the flop. Flop: ($4.75) 9, 6, J (3 players) Hero checks, UTG checks, CO bets $2.50, Hero folds, 1 fold I miss the flop and check/fold. If it was heads up, I may have made a move against the weak-looking $2.50 continuation bet but even that's a tough proposition. If I'm in position there I probably take one off. At least there I can see what card comes off on the turn and see what he does before I have to make a decision. So I just cut my losses there. Like the authors say in NLHTAP, "Out of position, out of the action". Still not extremely happy with the play there but it could have been worse. Total pot: $4.75 | Rake: $0.20 Main pot: $4.75 returned to CO Results: CO didn't show Outcome: CO won $4.55

Ended up +$5.50 for my first session back, not bad. Really a lot of hands though that were just raised by one player and folded by everyone else. Got quite a few walks (5 or 6 I believe) playing in the 6 max game as well, a lot of rocks. You really have to be able to find your edges in games like these, using position, finding good bluffing opportunities, getting the most value out of your hands, etc.

It's just a hobby for me at this point though, so no worries about having to grind it out for the rent money. See you at the tables.