Kind of a blahh week

I've been playing at PokerStars $100 NL this week. Negative Variance has reared its ugly head on Stars and I can't remember seeing so many sets against me. It seems like every decent starting hand, AA, KK, etc. has been downed by a set or some junk two pair (96 offsuit calling my 5XBB Raise and flopping 2 pair vs my KK was notable) I guess that I could be playing overpairs a little aggressively, it just kinda sucks right now. Also, getting stacked twice by pushing the flop with open ended straight and flush draws and having 15 outs twice not hit in either hand doesn't help. I still think that I had enough fold equity to make them the correct play. Luckily I cleared 2 $120 bonuses, so I'm still ahead after the bonuses, and when the negative swing ends it'll be OK. I also didn't play as much as I'd like to because of Thanksgiving and deer hunting this week.


I did play in the Absolute Poker Forum $1 buy in tournament again. I finished 16th, I made a huge mistake pushing into the chip leader when he happened to have AA vs my AK after he raised from early position preflop. Oh well, live and learn, I had enough chips to hurt him if he had wanted to coinflip with an underpair or figured that I had him dominated with another Ace. I also figured that he would have limp reraised with AA or KK. I also figured that my fold equity probably made this a +EV play, maybe not.

One thing that I have changed in cash games is with my mid pocket pairs. I'm raising them from any position if first in, and calling a raise with them if raised before the action gets to me. I figure that I need to make sure that the pot is raised one way or another. This varies from my usual PF mid pocket pairs limping and then calling for implied odds if raised. I haven't played enough hands to know for sure yet, and these hands aren't the ones I've been getting killed with. It does seem sweet when you raise with 66, have 3 overs come on the flop, continuation bet and take down the pot.

I still need to sign up with Ultimate Bet from PSO Frequent Flopper Rakeback this week. I shoud have last week, but I'm a procrastinator. I also haven't heard back from Mike or Dan from PokerSource Online about my Absolute Tournament 100K buyin, I should probably send them another e-mail.