Variance is a Bitch

I have been playing at 1/2 this week, although sparsely. I've been very busy at school lately, and exams are approaching. I am also involved in a project with a local newspaper. It has 80,000 regular subscriber, so it's a good chance for me to make some contacts in well-renowned company.

Unfortunately, variance hasn't gone my way at the poker tables. Yesterday I was up a good amount before I ran AK into 77 on a KK7 board with deep stacks. There is really no way anyone is getting away from that hand, it's just a huge cooler. That made my session only slightly above even. Today I ran absolutely terrible. The games were good and I think I played well for the entire session. I was disiplined enough to quit before I started steaming. There were some key hands that made me a $200 loser today:

I trap a guy I know squeezes very light by only flatcalling in the SB with QQ. I knew he would push like 80 % of his range. He pushed with 77 and hit a 7 on me.

I raise A5 of spades in the CO and gets called by a crazy Swedish donkey on the button and a fish in the BB. Flop is 762 two spades. I check to the Swede, expecting him to bet 100 % of the time. He bets $10, I raise to $50 and he shoves another $50 on top. He has Q2 and holds. I don't know if he thought he could bluff me out or if he just thought he had the best hand. Anyway, it worked for him, as he dodged my 15 outs.

I flatcall a button raise with A5 of diamonds in the SB (not really a good play, I was getting a little steamed up already). Flop is Q52 with two hearts. I check-raise to $36. Calling is not really good there against most people, since most cards are bad for my hand. He insta-shipped his $200 and I called quite quickly. There is no way he goes instantly all-in with a hand that has me beat. Sure enough, he had a flush draw and I got it in as a 2 to 1 favorite. But he got there.

In other news, mad props to local hero Johnny Lodden, who made the final table of EPT Budapest. Of course, he got very unlucky and busted out in 8th. Once that kid gets luck on his side, he will start winning big tournaments.