So there was a discussion on long-term staking strategies which came about after I had a huge live night followed the next night by my first (and equally big) loss. The way we had it set up, I got paid after each session: 50% of the winnings, staker swallowed the losses. So, after essentially breaking even over 2 sessions, I still took home over $500, which means that the staker was out for essentially exactly that much - not a very fair setup. The solution has been to get paid at the end of each calander month. However, it's unclear whether we tally the losses and I have to dig myself out of a hole to see any profit. So, if I'm up 500 for one night, go down 700...do I have to make >200 to see any profit? Unclear.

Anywho, BRAG post about a good session last night - first one in a month since the debacle (not REALLY a debacle ).

2/5 live at the local club

Early on I limp UTG+1 with QQ over Shobute (he was on my right , then moved to my left ) and it gets limped maybe 5-6 way until TIGHT Nick the Greek (his name is nick and he's REALLY Greek - old school greek) pushes in for about 130...I push and it's headsup...he has AKo and doesn't improve.

Next hand I have 56s OTB and call 20 over 2 callers and it's 4 handed. Flop brings a diamond draw and an OESD for me. OR bets weak (15 or so) and 3 of us see the turn. HOWEVER, I only thought that it was HEADS UP because the 3rd guy completely hides his cards in his hand and I didn't see him make the call. The 7 comes - GIN - and it's OR who bets 60...I think and call, and while still looking down I hear ALL IN. I [b/honestly[/b] thought that it was villian going all-in in the dark and I instantly - and I mean instantly - said 'call'. But then dealer says that it's not my turn and I realize that there's a 3rd man in...and now I'm PISSED that I may have missed out on OR's dead money...but he said he wasn't calling anyway...so I triumphantly flip over the nuts...to only see 45dd for the OESFD! FUGG!! He's freerolling me........and misses. PHEW! Dodged that bullet and still made some $$.

Next big hand is AKo in BB and a super loose, mildly aggressive FISH (part owner of club who has $$) makes it 15 to go and 3-4 of us see the flop. Comes 225 bringing me the A high backdoor flush draw. I decide to semi-bluff because I can hit a big hand or pick up a draw that they won't expect...I bet 35...OR MIN raises...and we're HU and I call. Turn brings the offsuit K...and I CRAI. He flips over KK for the boat and I'm drawing dead...FUGG!!! Wasn't a monster pot since he always plays kinda short - I lost maybe 300. Shob and I were saying that I got one-outted on myself since that's the ONLY card I really lose with - unlikely to call with just the FD, and the A puts me ahead...so the case K is the only card I lose more money on...oh well! COOLER! I put villian on 77-TT type hand.

Next BIG hand is my favourite type of hand to play against these guys (along with the aforementioned monster 45s) is 57o in the CO after 4 limpers (shob plays along OTB...fugger moved on me, like I said) and 6-7 of us see the flop. Flop comes Q86 two tone. OR from the 56 hand makes it 15...maybe one other calls, and I call...the SB calls, and it's 3-4 way. Turn brings the oh-so beautiful 4 (I was hitting a lot of straights - there are others I haven't mentioned cuz no one paid me off on those)...the flop bettor leads out 40. I'm worried that SB (with 160) has the FD...and I don't want to scare off villian...so I make it 90 instead of 100 (and instead of the minraise 80)...SB thinks...PUSHES - WTF?! So it's 120 to villian and he calls pretty quick but not instantly. I take a few seconds..."I'm all in" SB has this "FUGG!!!" look on his face Villian TANKS...and I mean TANKS! 5 minutes at least.

Back story: I like the psychology side of live play the best - it's where I feel I get to really 'play poker' and use all of my tools/tricks. Often in situations like this where I feel like they're leaning to a fold (and he certainly was), I often don't put my chips in when I decalre all in, but I will start moving my stacks in to disrupt villian's thought process and get him started over (Caro's law of loose wiring)...or I'll knock over a stack or two...ANYTHING to get them to start thinking again so they call instead of fold. Well...THIS time I actively chose NOT to do this (Shob asked me after the game why I didn't...and I told him the same thing). I felt like it wouldn't work here against this guy, so I looked at him and said "Are you going to be less than a minute?...cuz otherwise I'll call the clock" He says (pleasantly) "Goi ahead" "Okay, clock" I felt that doing this would force him to actually call (though most times people think that this gets people to fold)...I thought if he thought LONGER he'd fold, but if I put him to the decision NOW, he would lean to a call...he took about 4 seconds and called....

flipped the straight (they both swore)...villian had top 2 (Q8), other villian had 2pr (84) and wasn't happy at all (he'd already suffered TWO bad beats so far)...and the river T meant that I dragged the monster pot. This put me to around +400 and I finished +450 (fairly standard for me in this game).

So, I'm back in black as the stakee after - IMHO - was one of my better outings. Didn't get even close to out of line once (Shut up shob , that A3 hand was NOTHING...that hand where I was gonna CR you was KJs overs no draw...but I decided that I wasn't going to tangle with you without a hand...and even THEN, I'd go really easy)