I started off at the $5/$10 NL game running well and playing well. Latley Ive been playing mediocre and running horribly. AA vs QQ raised and reraised and I lose when he hits a Q. JJ vs KK and I lose to a chronic bluffer who has a real hand this time. Big draw after big draw missing. Youre heard it all before so I wont go into it any more. So whats the cure? Play some $25/$50 NL!

I wouldnt recommend that to anyone including myself, but I havent been myself lately. Some times you just gotta say WTF.

Im probably going to take a long break to clear my head but I decided to play the big game before the break.

Table consists of
1) Blackmetalhead.....regular
2) Irockhoes..............regular who Ive heard has his own website and all that jazz
3) Steve Zotlow.....some FTP pro Ive never heard of
4) Waddacooler..........regular who I think is really good
5) Me
6) Some fish who tries to win every pot.

I really felt like I was getting no cards at all, but when the session was over, I was at 20 / 10 just like my normal stats at 5/10.

1) 3 times Ive raised and the flop was monotone and I had none of that suit. All 3 times I bet the flop, got called and had to check fold. I decided that if I hit a real hand, I would bet the flop and then check to simulate I had nothing

I raise to $150 in the SB with [9s]. irockhoes calls in the BB.

Pot $300. Flop [Js][4s]. I bet $225 and he calls.
Pot $750. Turn . I check, he bets $400 and I check raise to $1200. Thoughts?
Like I said, all 3 other times the action was exactly the same up until my check raise (different villains though)

2) I limp [8h] UTG (very marginal but Im getting nothing). Fish raises to $150 on the button. I call.

Pot $375. Flop [6h][3c]. I lead $250. He raises to $650. I push for $4000 or so. This guy is in EVERY hand. hes raised me several times on the flop. Hes called every raise and has led out almost every time into the raiser. He thinks he can win every pot. Thoughts?

3) A few hands ago the fish min raised UTG. Waddacooler reraised to $650 and fish called. Flop was AT3 and fish led $650 which got called.

Turn was a J and fish led $1800 and waddacooler folded. Fish showed T7s

Fish min raises UTG again. I reraise to $550 with KK. Fish who only has $3000 now after losing to 2 obvious flushes calls.

Pot $1175 Flop 873. Fish leads $650. Do you push now or call and push the turn?

Ice,

it's good to know that yu are finaly tasting the waters in the high stakes poker. The only real leak I've always thought you had was being so good and still playing 1/2NL. It's also good to know that a bad streak can help you with your leaks: You are getting little bit more disrespecful to money. You needed that in order to play higher.

Before I go into specifics, I should say that your table selection was not so good. irockhoes is a big time winner at FTP. All those guys yu mention are except the fish. Five sharks and a fsh is not table.

Hand 1. I dont think there is a different way to play the hand. BTW, you raise to 150, bet 225 and reraised all in to 1200? You are playing very shortstack. why?

Hand 2. The limp UTG is very marginal as you said, but calling the raise is awful, IMO. I think you are playing with an improper mindset.

"He thinks he can win every pot."? You are definetely affected by the bad run. That kind of move is to be tried on the good players , not the crazy fishies/maniacs who think they are supose to win every hand.

Hand 3. I push right thre or raise big time. I dont want to see another Tthat could give him two pairs, Tens and sevens . I dont want to see any A either.

Hand 1 looks good.

Hand 2 looks good except for preflop.

Hand 3 push now. He's probably tilting. And the pot is big enough as is.

Also I disagree with Alex, I wouldn't have thought you'd still be looking at playing bigger games after the way you've been running lately.
I'm fairly sure your game isn't its best right now.
Hope things worked out!

Steve Zolotow....isn't he the guy with the Hulk Hogan type mustache? Wrote something, can't remember which section, for Super System 2?

Hand #3 might actually be a situation where I don't advocate the 3-bet being all-in. That sort of player seems to be much more willing to PUSH all-in than CALL all-in so I think you should make the raise substantial, but not all-in.

#2 is a coinflip against any overpair other than AA, since he's obviously raising weak I think an all-in push here is good, you really should have significant fold equity.