Serenity Now!

I managed to give back $70 last night on Full Tilt, thanks to a few runner-runner flushes caught against me, and a general lack of hitting the flop. I don't know how many times I raised with AK/AQ only to be called and then bet into when the flop came 9-high...or just the opposite, raised w/88, called, flop was A-K-Q, caller bet pot.

Ended up playing a $1-1 NL cash game at a local bar with a few other friends later in the evening. The night boiled down to three key hands:

- Dealt Q-J, Luke raised to $6 on the button...Luke's an aggressive player who will raise with a wide range of hands, so I called. Flop was Q-Q-10, we both checked. Turn was a blank, and Luke bet $12...I hemmed and hawed before raising to $24, only to have Luke go all-in for $40 more. I called and he showed a 10, nice.

- Luke has also fallen in love with the blind straddle (blind-raising UTG with the option to act last before the flop), so when he did it for the 3rd straight time (with me on the button), I decided to blind raise him back $5 more...I believe Roy and Randy folded to Luke, who then declared 'all-in,' in the dark! I definitely wasn't going to call him blind, so I sloooowly squeezed my hole cards: 7........7! "OK, I'll call." Luke flipped over his cards, 8-6o. Board was junk and I busted him again for a big win.

- Luke raised from the SB to $6, I called in the BB with A-8. Flop was Q-J-9, we both checked. Turn brought an Ace, Luke checked, I bet $12 and he beat me into the pot. River was a 2 and he quickly bet $24. I was befuddled, what did he have? I finally put him on A-weak kicker, which would mean we chop the pot if I called. Randy wondered if Luke might have 10-8, but that's more of a hand he'd see a flop with rather than raise. After a minute or two, I finally tossed my call in the pot and Luke showed.......10-8!

Well everyone (except me) erupted in laughter, and I whipped my cards at Randy. I guess it was pretty funny...Luke said that he raised without looking and alomost cracked up when Randy came out with the 10-8 comment.

Net $55 profit in the cash game. Good times.