Played on stars for a change. Compared to UB, the play is really insane, at least at the $100 game I sat in. People calling huge raises with almost nothing. Anyway, I watched this table and figured it would be a goldmine since people seemed willing to play for their stack with a meagre straight draw when the board was already paired, and things like that.

For 45 mins. I don't get many playable cards. There is one guy to my right who raises most pots preflop and usually bets out or raises the pot on the flop. He has a big stack (>$300) and is not afraid to invest a big part of it on a weak hand. Basically, when you play a hand against him you play for your entire stack. I therefore fold most hands preflop and only call a raise with strong hands hoping to hit the flop hard. That does not really happen until the next hand (which is really just a bad beat whine).

I have 6789ds; 4 limpers, bully raises pot, we all call. 6 people in, pot is about $30. Flop comes 667r. It gets checked to the bully, who bets the pot. I figured that this was good enough for my stack, so push in. Only the bully calls. Unfortunately he hit his 2 outer (he had A2TT) on the turn.

The bully left shortly after this and I decided to play a bit more, since the other players were still ignoring odds and all. Then this came up:

I have [9s][Kd][8d] in EP and call. About five others call and we see a flop of [6s][7s], giving me the nut flush and the nut straight draw. I bet out the pot, and a very loose player (seeing almost every flop) in LP (stack: $70) calls. This player would raise with something like two pair or a set. Turn is a . I decide to semibluff and bet the pot again. Opponent flat calls. River is an offsuit J. What do you do now?

I thought of trying to shoot my way out, hoping he was on a draw and would fold, but then figured I shouldn't bluff a loose calling station. Opponent checked behind me and took the pot with 5533. Even a calling station would have folded this to a big bet, right?

Anyway, so much for my excursion to stars. I'm always tempted to play there because the people seem to have no clue, but I don't seem to be able to convert that into big profits. Any thoughts?

Pieter