Played around 3 hours yesterday and managed to drop $20 through a combination of a few bad, but not overly expensive plays and these two bad beats, apologies in advance for the venting:

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.25 BB (5 handed) from (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

UTG ($8.85)
MP ($3.30)
Button ($19.95)
SB ($42.40)
Hero ($29.60)

Preflop: Hero is BB with T, T.
UTG raises to $0.5, MP calls $0.50, 1 fold, SB calls $0.40, Hero raises to $2, UTG calls $1.50, MP calls $1.50, SB calls $1.50.

Flop: ($8) 6, 2, 3 (4 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $6, UTG raises to $6.85, MP calls $1.30 (All-In), SB folds, Hero calls $0.85.

Turn: ($23) 7 (3 players, 1 all-in)

River: ($23) 5 (3 players, 1 all-in)

Final Pot: $23

Results:
Hero has Td Tc (one pair, tens).
UTG has 5c 5s (three of a kind, fives).
MP has Jc 9c (high card, jack).
Outcome: UTG wins $23.


PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.25 BB (6 handed) from (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

UTG ($14.55)
MP ($30)
CO ($10.40)
Button ($16.85)
SB ($28.70)
Hero ($25.60)

Preflop: Hero is BB with K, K.
2 folds, CO calls $0.25, Button raises to $0.75, SB calls $0.65, Hero raises to $3, CO calls $2.75, Button folds, SB folds.

Flop: ($7.50) J, 6, 6 (2 players)
Hero bets $3, CO raises to $7.4, Hero calls $4.40.

Turn: ($22.30) 5 (2 players)

River: ($22.30) A (2 players)

Final Pot: $22.30

Results:
Hero has Kc Ks (two pair, kings and sixes).
CO has Ad 4h (two pair, aces and sixes).
Outcome: CO wins $22.30.

At this stage I decided to take a break, returning later to bring myself back up to even for the day, before throwing it away on the last hand of the night, really gotta stop doing that.

Current Bankroll: $300

I have come to the conclusion that discussing hands while playing would probably be the best way to improve my game at this point, posting questions on forums is great, however taking it to the next level would be tops.

If anyone playing $25NL or lower would like to sit at the same table and talk hands through then post below or shoot me a PM. Obviously no collusion! Any discussion would need to be after the hand.

I'll come hustle you in like an hour if you can wait, I'm doing homework right now (kinda).

Just played a 3 hour session of NL25 6max, 3-4 tables at a time, ended up exactly even.

I would have been one buyin up had it not been for calling a push preflop with TT, stupid move on my part.

I might jump in for a few SnGs in a bit for some variety.

I continue to struggle with NL25 cash games. In total I am down $85 at that level after around 6000 hands. Part of the problem I believe is that I push too hard on too many pots, given the number of loose/aggressive opponents at this level, I think I need to tighten up and wait for my made hands to come

Fortunately SnG tournies continue to keep my bankroll at a steady $300. 45% ROI for a net total of $81 so far. Several times tonight I was in a good position and made a bad call/push, live and learn I guess

I just made $70 in one hour playing 25NL cash games. I certainly hope that this is the end of what has been a frustrating downswing. Without doubt it was my best session of poker to date, the cards fell nicely and I didn't make any stupid mistakes.

Some adjustments I made for this session included really tightening up my starting hand requirements from the cutoff and the button, previously I had been entering with a wide range of hands into an unraised pot, however I am going to keep that strategy in my bag of tricks for times when I am not getting much action, or I know that the blinds are especially tight/passive.

This session was successful because I followed the standard advise given out on these forums for the micro limits: don't get fancy, play straight forward poker and bet big when you have a strong hand. I think I also saved a lot of money by not chasing small pots against loose/aggressive opponents who just wont lay a hand down and will chase any draw.

Current Bankroll: $380

Yeah that was fun. I think I would avoid the minraise with the set though. It screamed monster. I dont know what I would raise to if I were in your position and worried about the flush, but that was not it.

Then again, that is the first time I have played cash he in about 6 months.

-Jus

Played a bit of a card dead up and down session this morning, in the end I was up $10 which is not a bad result. Had my AA cracked twice by some fool chasing a flush when I was firing pot sized bets on the flop and turn, I didn't pay off either after the third suited card hit which is something I suppose.

The good news is I am now in the black playing NL25! The only way is up...

Current Bankroll: $390

Three hands in the space of around 30min:

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.25 BB (6 handed) from (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

Hero ($13.30)
SB ($12.25)
BB ($9.35)
UTG ($24.05)
MP ($7.80)
CO ($45.80)

Preflop: Hero is Button with K, K.
UTG raises to $1.5, 2 folds, Hero raises to $3.5, 1 fold, BB raises to $9.35, UTG raises to $24.05, Hero calls $9.80 (All-In).

Flop: ($46.80) 2, 3, T (3 players, 1 all-in)

Turn: ($46.80) 2 (3 players, 1 all-in)

River: ($46.80) J (3 players, 1 all-in)

Final Pot: $46.80

Results:
BB has Ac 9c (one pair, twos).
UTG has Jh Js (full house, jacks full of twos).
Hero has Kc Kh (two pair, kings and twos).
Outcome: UTG wins $46.80.


PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.25 BB (6 handed) from (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

BB ($64.50)
UTG ($13.65)
MP ($40.95)
Hero ($17.10)
Button ($24.10)
SB ($1.50)

Preflop: Hero is CO with A, A.
UTG calls $0.25, 1 fold, Hero raises to $1, Button calls $1, 2 folds, UTG calls $0.75.

Flop: ($3.35) 6, 7, 4 (3 players)
UTG bets $2, Hero raises to $4, Button folds, UTG calls $2.

Turn: ($11.35) J (2 players)
UTG checks, Hero bets $4, UTG calls $4.

River: ($19.35) 7 (2 players)
UTG checks, Hero bets $5, UTG calls $4.65 (All-In).

Final Pot: $29

Results:
UTG has 7c Ad (three of a kind, sevens).
Hero has Ac As (two pair, aces and sevens).
Outcome: UTG wins $28.65. Hero wins $0.35.


PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.25 BB (6 handed) from (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

BB ($59.20)
UTG ($20.65)
MP ($42.30)
Hero ($26.85)
Button ($23.15)
SB ($12.65)

Preflop: Hero is CO with 2, 2.
UTG raises to $0.5, 1 fold, Hero calls $0.50, Button calls $0.50, SB calls $0.40, BB calls $0.25.

Flop: ($2.50) 2, T, 5 (5 players)
SB bets $0.75, BB folds, UTG raises to $1.5, Hero calls $1.50, Button folds, SB calls $0.75.

Turn: ($7) J (3 players)
SB checks, UTG bets $3, Hero raises to $8, SB folds, UTG calls $5.

River: ($23) Q (2 players)
UTG checks, Hero bets $11, UTG calls $10.65 (All-In).

Final Pot: $44.65

Results:
UTG has Kh Kc (one pair, kings).
Hero has 2c 2d (three of a kind, twos).
Outcome: Hero wins $44.65.

I was feeling pretty miffed after the first two, gotta love the third

Played one final late evening session last night, at one stage I was sitting pretty up almost two buyins, but as I started to get tired I decided to play "one more good hand" or "one more bad hand" before heading off to sleep. Unfortunately the latter was the case when I called all in preflop with AK and came up against AA. I only ever made that kind of call when im tired or tilting, note to self, call it a day as soon as I start thinking about "one more big hand...".

I have noticed that my VPIP has dropped over the last few days from around 25% to 18% after the changes I made to my late position starting hand selection. This also probably is related to the fact I am comfortably playing four tables instead of focusing closely on two.

Anything less than AT is right out now, although I am limping or raising with suited connectors whenever the table conditions are suitable for either approach. I am far more aware of which opponents I can expect to leverage positon using a standard cbet against, and which I should just wait for a premium hand to connect with.

Overall a bloody good weekend really, up $100 and I now feel far more comfortable at NL25.

Current Bankroll: $400

Didn't many hands in this evening since my internet connection was down for a while. Ended up dropping just under one buyin, though I was somewhat card dead. Snagged pocket aces twice, but nobody was prepared to bite onto a x3BB raise, the tables were rather tight/passive tonight, a big change from the aggro fest over the weekend.

Blatantly stealing the format from Stoneburg, here is my biggest winning and biggest losing hand of the day:

Winner - Reraise from the BB was too small to push me off my suited connectors in position, as soon as the flop hit I was fairly certain I had his stack.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.25 BB (6 handed) from (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

CO ($6.20)
Hero ($24.65)
SB ($19.90)
BB ($14.60)
UTG ($28.40)
MP ($12.45)

Preflop: Hero is Button with 5, 4.
3 folds, Hero raises to $1, 1 fold, BB raises to $1.75, Hero calls $0.75.

Flop: ($3.60) 5, A, 5 (2 players)
BB bets $2, Hero calls $2.

Turn: ($7.60) 8 (2 players)
BB bets $1.5, Hero raises to $4, BB calls $2.50.

River: ($15.60) 9 (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $7, BB calls $6.85 (All-In).

Final Pot: $29.45

Results:
BB has Qh Qd (two pair, queens and fives).
Hero has 5h 4h (three of a kind, fives).
Outcome: Hero wins $29.45.

Bad Beat

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.25 BB (6 handed) from (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

Button ($25.30)
SB ($24.40)
BB ($22.50)
UTG ($9.45)
MP ($6.75)
Hero ($13.60)

Preflop: Hero is CO with 8, 8.
2 folds, Hero raises to $0.75, 1 fold, SB calls $0.65, BB raises to $2.5, Hero calls $1.75, SB calls $1.75.

Flop: ($7.50) 8, 4, J (3 players)
SB checks, BB bets $4, Hero calls $4, SB folds.

Turn: ($15.50) Q (2 players)
BB bets $16 (All-In), Hero calls $7.10 (All-In).

River: ($38.60) 9 (2 players, 2 all-in)

Final Pot: $38.60

Results:
BB has 9d 9s (three of a kind, nines).
Hero has 8s 8c (three of a kind, eights).
Outcome: BB wins $38.60.


Finally the hand I feel I played the best, I knew he thought I had a weak ace by the time the second king hit the river, it was fairly obvious he had a weak ace also:

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.25 BB (6 handed) from (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

SB ($28.75)
Hero ($14.30)
UTG ($24.75)
MP ($16.70)
CO ($5)
Button ($6.10)

Preflop: Hero is BB with K, Q.
1 fold, MP calls $0.25, 2 folds, SB completes, Hero checks.

Flop: ($0.75) A, 2, K (3 players)
SB bets $0.5, Hero raises to $1.2, MP folds, SB calls $0.70.

Turn: ($3.15) 5 (2 players)
SB checks, Hero checks.

River: ($3.15) K (2 players)
SB bets $2, Hero raises to $5, SB calls $3.

Final Pot: $13.15

Results:
SB has 9s As (two pair, aces and kings).
Hero has Kd Qh (three of a kind, kings).
Outcome: Hero wins $13.15.

Current Bankroll: $380

Played some terrible terrible poker this afternoon, threw away x3 buyins in less than an hour. Fortunately over the next two hours some kind souls threw x3 buyins right back at me, ending up just over $5 ahead. I did not deserve the positive result for the day.

This is the worst hand of the lot, as well as the biggest losing hand. I have no idea what I thought I could beat here, I should have flat called and played for set value.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.25 BB (5 handed) from (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

Hero ($14.65)
UTG ($42.75)
MP ($1.85)
Button ($16.15)
SB ($29.65)

Preflop: Hero is BB with T, T.
1 fold, MP raises to $1.85, 1 fold, SB calls $1.75, Hero raises to $5, SB raises to $29.75, Hero calls $9.65 (All-In).

Flop: ($46.25) 9, 3, 7 (3 players, 1 all-in)

Turn: ($46.25) 6 (3 players, 1 all-in)

River: ($46.25) A (3 players, 1 all-in)

Final Pot: $46.25

Results:
Hero has Td Ts (one pair, tens).
MP has Qh Tc (high card, ace).
SB has Ks Kh (one pair, kings).
Outcome: SB wins $46.25.


My biggest winner was a dream come through, praise be to the donkey:

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.25 BB (6 handed) from (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

BB ($9.40)
UTG ($20)
MP ($29.65)
CO ($8.65)
Button ($19.65)
Hero ($25.70)

Preflop: Hero is SB with A, A.
UTG calls $0.25, MP raises to $29.65, 2 folds, Hero calls $25.60 (All-In), 1 fold, UTG folds.

Flop: ($55.85) Q, Q, 2 (2 players, 1 all-in)

Turn: ($55.85) 8 (2 players, 1 all-in)

River: ($55.85) J (2 players, 1 all-in)

Final Pot: $55.85

Results in white below:
Hero has As Ah (two pair, aces and queens).
MP has Ts Tc (two pair, queens and tens).
Outcome: Hero wins $51.90. MP wins $3.95.

Current Bankroll: $385