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I decided to try my hand at Full Tilt for the first time - and play like the pros as they say on the commercials. Or do they say 'Play with the pros?' Hmmm. Not sure. Anyway, I load for $500 at a 3/6 NL 6-handed table. The table starts off fairly weak. I raise from the button quite a bit and rarely meet resistence. I also 3 bet from the blinds when I suspect a steal from the button or CO and take down a few pots. I get JJ from MP, raise, see two callers, bet at a low flop and take it down.

One hand that I could have played a bit differently was when I'm in the BB with KTo and there are 3 limpers to me. I check and I flop the nut straight with a flop of QJ9. There is a flush draw on the board and I'm first to act. I bet about 2/3rds of the pot and everyone folds. I considered a check-raise but was a bit concerned about giving a free card to a flush draw. Oh, well.

I get dealt AKs. A MP player makes it 18 and there is one caller. I three bet to 40 and both call. The flop comes 568 rainbow. I decide to lead out for about 2/3rds of pot. In hind sight, I'm not sure if that made sense. Of course I could get AK to fold, but one of these players is likely to have hit a set or have either an overpair like QQ/JJ which in this limit is not likely to fold, or had a mid pair and either hit a set or now has an overpair and a straight draw and again, is not likely to fold. Anyway, they both call and get their money in on the turn. One had 7 for the set, but the other only had A9 (straight draw!). Anyway, I'm fine with the 3 bet, but not crazy about the contuation bet with 2 people in the pot. Your thoughts?

I lose a few small hands and am down to about $380 when this beauty comes up. I get QQ in the blinds and a LAG limps. I bet 20 and he calls. Flop comes J72 rainbow. I bet just under the pot and he calls. The turn is a 6 and he now bets about 3/4 of pot. I push, (another 200 or so) thinking he has a hand like AJ. Can he have a set? Sure, but I have decided that his range plus his bluffing potential is such that I need to play this hand to the end against this opponent. If he had a set, why not check-raise, why lead out after I have shown my willingness to bet for him. He had a big stack at about $1,200 and I had seen him throw chips around on several hands with very speculative holdings. Anyway, he turns over j8 and hit the J on the river and I'm done.

Oh, well!