The warm up

It's funny how after taking a break of even just 2 or 3 days, you have to ease yourself back into the mindset of sitting at a table and concentrating on all the right things again. At least I do. Last week I was playing 4-5 hours without much of a break and not finding it a struggle to focus at all. Last night I was playing for just an hour & a half before I felt my mind starting to wander. I did not, however, begin to play badly after this 90 minutes. I just got up from the cash table I was at, sat out from the tourney I was in, had a smoke and then got back to it after reminding myself that this is fun and paying attention will make it more fun.

So anyway my night was fairly straightforward, or straightflush-ard if you like, yup that's right, for the first time in 2 years I flopped a straight flush. I've had one or two before but not flopped, and never on a cash table. As I triple checked the cards to make sure I wasn't seeing things, the big question was how am i gonna get paid off. Fortunately the loose-aggressive guy sat on my right was going to help with that.

> Dealing Hole Cards
> Dealt to TanOrpheus (JC QC)
> mickster called for $0.50
> TanOrpheus called for $0.50
> rudyitalia called for $0.50
> Cooperman10 folded
> MrBaldi folded
> Bjornlun called for $0.50
> danielmofo called for $0.50
> TheLoser folded
> The_coean called for $0.25
> jinxsphinx checked

> Dealing the Flop(8C 10C 9C)
> The_coean checked
> jinxsphinx folded
> mickster bet for $2
> TanOrpheus called for $2
> rudyitalia folded
> Bjornlun called for $2
> danielmofo folded
> The_coean folded

> Dealing the turn(5D)
> mickster bet for $7
> TanOrpheus called for $7
> Bjornlun folded

> Dealing the river(JH)
> mickster checked
> TanOrpheus bet for $12
> mickster called for $12
> mickster mucked
> TanOrpheus wins $45.15 with a Straight Flush, Queen high, Clubs

After a few more good hands at that table it became clear that everyone was tightening up to my preflop raises, and I was running 3 other tournament games, so I got up and left. I was playing a freeroll and a $20 tourney on ladbrokes also, busted early in the freeroll and 86/267 in the $20 game. While all that was going on I was yet again playing the $3 rebuy qualifier to the PokerStars 500K GTD on Sunday. I've been playing these a lot the last few weeks and they've usually been painful, this one was different though - this time I made it ! So while I may not be in Vegas, at least I am in the 500K GTD. Who knows, if the cards are kind it could be a very very good christmas !

I told you December was lucky.