(Less Than) Perfect Poker

Another day, another big ride on the no-limit roller coaster. In the span of two hands (again!) I had a monster loss and another monster gain. Here are today's two hands of the day:

First hand:

CO ($9.15)
Hero (Button) ($25)
SB ($14.65)
BB ($11.13)
UTG ($25)
MP ($60.21)

Preflop: Hero is Button with K, A
UTG bets $0.90, MP calls $0.90, 1 fold, Hero calls $0.90, 2 folds

Flop: ($3.05) 5, 4, A (3 players)
UTG bets $2, 1 fold, Hero raises to $9.05, UTG calls $7.05

Turn: ($21.15) 7 (2 players)
UTG checks, Hero bets $15.05 (All-In), UTG calls $15.05 (All-In)

River: ($51.25) 4 (2 players, 2 all-in)

Total pot: $51.25 | Rake: $2.56

Results:
Hero had K, A (two pair, Aces and fours).
UTG had 4, 4 (four of a kind, fours).
Outcome: UTG won $48.69

Ouch. In this hand I pretty much got what I deserved. The first mistake was not re-raising PF. Then I got married to Top Pair Top Kicker (TPTK). Finally, the biggest error was betting on the river. When he checked to me, I should have realized that the only hand he was going to call a bet from me with was a better hand. I should have checked behind. Arghgh. This is not how to play poker, kids.

Okay, second hand was as follows:

MP2 ($6.48)
Hero (MP3) ($25)
CO ($26.90)
Button ($15.53)
SB ($5)
BB ($11.79)
UTG ($9.84)
UTG+1 ($49.29)
MP1 ($58.44)

Preflop: Hero is MP3 with 7, 7
UTG bets $1.25, 1 fold, MP1 calls $1.25, 1 fold, Hero calls $1.25, 3 folds, BB calls $1

Flop: ($5.10) 7, 6, Q (4 players)
BB checks, UTG bets $2.25, MP1 raises to $4.50, Hero raises to $13.25, BB calls $10.54 (All-In), 1 fold, MP1 calls $8.75

Turn: ($44.39) 9 (3 players, 1 all-in)
MP1 checks, Hero bets $10.50 (All-In), MP1 calls $10.50

River: ($65.39) 6 (3 players, 2 all-in)

Total pot: $65.39 | Rake: $3

Results:
BB had A, 10 (one pair, sixes).
MP1 had 5, 2 (one pair, sixes).
Hero had 7, 7 (full house, sevens over sixes).
Outcome: Hero won $62.39

Nothing really spectacular about how I played this one. I followed the 15x set-mining rule and got paid off when I hit my set. That said, it sure was nice to get back all I lost on the previous hand (plus some). Up and down, down and up... thus goes the life of a poker player.

All-in for now...
-Bug