Well, I have always just played the 3/6 limit games at the casino, as the $300/$500 buy in for NL games is way over my bankroll or wallet either one. I don't have as much expendable cash as others who can take a big chunk of cash out to the casino on the weekend. Soooo, when Harrahs and Ameristar started offering a $1/$2 NL game with a $100 max at Ameristar and a $200 max at Harrahs recently, I decided to give the NL cash games a shot.
I went to Ameristar and played in the $100 max buy in game. And I played horribly. I was so worried about losing my buy in right away, that I never got anything going. I played way too passively and wanted to have the nuts before I bet. So, of course, I eventually lost my buy in anyway. I would have been better off to play smart and aggressive at the beginning, because I actually had a couple of big hands that I really misplayed and cost myself some money.
Once, I had AQ suited and didn't raise pre-flop. Then when 2 of my suit hit on the flop, I should have bet on the flush draw, but I did not. Everyone checked and we saw a free turn. I could have probably picked up a bet or two on the flop. I made my flush on the turn, and when I bet, I got no callers. Missed opportunity.
Another time, early on, maybe my 3rd or 4th hand, I got QQ. I was afraid that if I raised a little bit, someone might re-raise me and I'd have to decide whether to put in more money, so I just limped to see a flop. Well, when the flop came J 8 5, and it was checked to me, I bet a bit less than the size of the pot and got one caller. I figured he had hit the J and I was still good, and was happy he called my big bet. Then another J on the turn and he checked to me. Now, I figure he is slow playing at least 3 Jacks, so I check also. Another 8 on the river and he checks again. Okay, so now, I'm thinking, maybe he DIDN'T have a J after all, but if not..what did he call the flop with? Have my Queens been dead all along? So, I just checked as well, and found out he had 78, had hit the damn middle pair on flop and called with just that damn pair of 8s. He checked the Jack on the turn because he thought I had a Jack, and then even when he made his boat on the river, he figured his 888JJ was no good to my possible JJJ88. Arghhhhh.
First of all, I should have raised pre-flop, but who knows, he may have still called. I think I did alright to bet the pot on the flop, and he was stupid to call, but then I probably should have bet out at the Jack on the turn, just to find out if he really did have the J. Maybe he would have folded then and I'd have won the pot. Instead, I let him catch a 3rd 8 on the river and make a lousy FH when he shouldn't have even called the flop.
The only hand that DID sort of work out for me was later when I had AA and raised pre-flop. Got a few callers and hit a set on the flop. Bet out and got one caller, then bet the turn and she folded. At least my AA made a set and held up enough for me to win a little pot.
Finally, after several hours, I started playing a bit stronger. I raised with KK preflop. Got one caller. The flop came A 10 x and she bet when I checked to her. I called and saw nothing I liked on the turn and I folded to a bet. She showed A3. Lovely. Thank you for calling my raise, after I had folded about 20 hands...with your A3. But what can I do when an Ace hits the flop? I guess I could have raised her to play as if I had a bigger Ace, but she most likely would have called and I'd be out that bet....so I lost less money by just checking and folding.
Next hand, I get AJ suited and raise pre flop. Got 3 callers, bet out at the J high rainbow flop and got raised. I called the raise, which by this time, put me all in, but I was pretty happy with my hand, until the guy turned over AA. So when I finally hit top pair top kicker, the damn guy has snuck in with AA. And I'm done. I played for about 4 hours on my $100 buy in and hung in there for a while, but I just don't think I played very well.
When I play this game again, I need to play a LOT better and get in the right mindset. I think it can be a money making game for me in the long run, if I smarten up in the future. I'll keep trying it for a while, and stay away from the 3/6.
