Villain runs down hero on the river

Ok, day one is in the books so to speak. I did not actually play very much because of all the admin crap and non-poker issues. What did I do?

First, I went to rakebrain.com to set up some new accounts where I get some rake back from the blood sucking leaches (the ones that put up a site to let me play whenever I want, but won't do it for free). It was relatively easy, but I had to set up new accounts.

I didn't think the sites allowed this, but I guess they do because I didn't encounter a problem with the first two sites I set up last night. If you have ever considered getting in to the rake back game, do wait any longer. It is amazing how much rake is taken during your play each month and how much you leave on the table if you aren't getting a percentage back even at the microlimits (in the hundreds of dollars per month with 50-80 hours of play per month).

I set up two accounts, one at wingows and the other at full tilt. I did wingows because they give you $5 free without even requiring a deposit! The only problem is that there is no deposit option for Visa (using prepaid visa cards to deposit until something better/cheaper comes along) and they don't have many players. For example here is a snap shot at around 8pm EDT on a Tuesday, Wingows - approx. 2K plyrs, Full Tilt - approx. 41K plyrs, Pokerstars - approx. 89K plyrs. But, $5 is $5 which is a lot to a microvillain like me.

I also set an account up on Full Tilt because - 100% deposit bonus, decent volume of plyrs, visa deposit option, rake back offered, and I love their commercials. After wasting what little time I had setting up a rake back account, opening two accounts on wingows and full tilt, making a deposit on full tilt, I finally sat down at Full Tilt to play.

I end up at a 0.25/0.50 limit hold em table 9 handed. I choose this table because the pre-flop percentage was 70%. Since it was during the week, I only faced one of my two personal demons (desire to play [not fold] and beer) - I played too many hands early, but settled down after 15 minutes or so.

The details, bought in and played 70% of the hands and almost lost first buy in. I have this problem alot. I work all day and want to take a break and have some fun so I log on to "play." I can't stand/don't have the discipline to folded till I get a good hand or even good position, so I see a lot of flops. I know - this is the reason I lose so often and overall especially on the weekends after many beers. Given the limits I now play (use to play $3/$6 NL and $109 SNGs) in addition to my goal of recreation as opposed to profit/income, I am not too disappointed with myself or too interested in playing better.

Reloaded before completely out, won a decent 3 way pot when neither believed I flopped the ace. Then, this gem comes along: The table of heroes folds around to the villain (yours truly) who has pocket 7s on the button. I still can't believe this given 5 or 6 were seeing the flop on almost every hand while I was at the table.

Interesting side issue - when you have such a high percentage that play each hand what does it mean when a hand comes along and only the button plus blinds or just blinds play? That nobody had even marginally playable hands? If that is true, what about the blinds? Shouldn't you give them credit for having better than random hands you otherwise assume because none of the "good" cards have appeared (evidenced by the normally loose callers who have all folded what must be a lot of sub-par hands)? Back to the fun...

I raise, SB and BB call. Flop comes K A K, SB and BB check, I bet, SB check raises me and BB folds. Since I am sober I just call trying to convince myself that the SB just sensed a button preflop raise for a steal and a continuation bet he can push me off of. As you will find out later, I play too NL were people can bluff, steal and re-steal successfully. I also convinced myself that it was unlikely he had a K (two of the four hit the flop - but more on this topic later if I remember) or an ace because he didn't reraise my preflop steal raise.

The turn brings a 6 which is safe for my sevens if he hit it by chance. He bets and I call because my hindbrain is hinting that he has at least an ace although I still don't believe him. The turns brings a beautiful 7. The hero in the SB bets his apparent winner and I raise, which he calls. I show the full house and he shows the A 8. Looks like the Villain struck another blow to the heros of micro-limits.

Walked away shortly after that with a profit of 3+ BB for 40 minutes (= approx. 6BB/hr) and $5 in free wingows money plus $0.18 of full tilt bonus money.

WPT is on tonight so I don't know if I will get a chance to villanize the micro-limit tables.