$50 NL (err, PL) update

Played an hour and a half of $50 NL today. Actually, it took me 45 minutes to realize I was at a pot-limit table. My style of play tends to very rarely use overbets, so I just didn't notice (should have been a little suspicious when people kept betting things like $2.25 though). Honestly, that probably means I am missing some moves in my NL games -- the ability to overbet should add something to strategy.

Anyway, had a good run of cards and steady earning, coming out ahead by $22. I hit some huge hands (a set at least three times, two of which turned into quads). In all cases I didn't really get a lot of action. Although the time I flopped kings full of tens with KK in the hole my lone opponent had AT in the hole -- if I had made a standard continuation bet on the flop he probably would have gotten all-in. Instead, I turned quads and he slowed down after making a min-bet so I only made $6 from him. Maybe I should be leading out with a standard continuation bet when I hit a huge hand like that -- usually I don't because I figure that flop left only 3 good cards for him to hold.

My main mistake was as follows: I raised with KQo on the button, small-blind re-raises (from $2 to $5 total). I called, hit a queen on the flop. At this point, I figured I was either way ahead or way behind, but since he only had $14 left I decided to check after him. He bets pot on turn, and I put him in without thinking about it. Honestly, the best play would be to lay it down pre-flop. He could have me in trouble in so many ways, and the only time I feel secure is if I flop trips or two pair (unlikely). With a bigger stack, calling would become better, but when he is short-stacked I'm better off avoiding the risk. Anyway, that burned $17 of profit.

The good news is I should only have about 90 minutes left of bonus-whoring -- hopefully I can finish it up tonight. Then, I get my $100 -- whoopee! Of course, I'm only about $3 ahead after 18.5 hours of play -- ouch. But I am learning how to play against tighter, smarter opponents at least.

Later: I finished off the bonus finally tonight, coming out about $5 ahead after 80 minutes of work. Man, players are pretty good at the ex-party skins -- most of the money I made was from big bluffs, not value bets. Difficult to keep those guys in a hand. But, I really felt like I learned a lot about aggression and selling a bluff. I probably also got lucky not to run into a call in some of my big hands, but it worked out.