I♥CR

Finished up my Empire bonus last night. Got some pretty decent cards for most of the night, and I felt I played well, so I ended feeling pretty good about myself and limit poker.

I ended up ahead about $70 from my play (not including the bonus $50) since starting the bonus-hunt, all on $.50/$1 limit tables. Not bad! That's, what, 28 big blinds per 100 hands? If I could keep that up, as well as moving up in limits, then I could start having those daydreams about giving up the day job.

(That's not going to happen, so you needn't warn me. A cold streak will kick in any day now to remind me why 1 or 2 BB is considered reasonable, and I am pretty pessemistic about what I think will happen to most new professional poker players in a few years.)

I got a string of great cards last night -- aces, kings, big slicks, and high cards in big multiway pots that turned into straights and flushes. I was a giggling, check-raising fool, and loving it.

My favorite hand (if I can recall it correctly) started with QQ in about UTG+1. I raised and about 3 people called. The flop came something like Q-7-3 in mixed suits, so I felt pretty good. I checked, going for the c-r, and got it when the second player after me bet. They all called my check-raise.

The turn came something like an 8, of the fourth suit on the board. I bet this time and two called, one dropped out.

The river came a K. Oooo, can I get away with another check-raise? I paused for a second or two, then checked, like I was worried about the king. Sure enough, the next player also paused, then bet out. The following player folded, and I happily hit my check-raise. The last guy called and I took a pretty reasonable pot. I think he had something like K-10.

Man, that felt good.

My poker bankroll is just short of a thousand bucks now, all profit since I pulled out my buy-in money a long while back. I'll give myself a little party when I clear that milestone.

Tonight, off to the poker bar!