[sweetjazz]

Heh, funny thing is I just started learning no limit recently too. I'm pretty bad as well, but I've probably played over a thousand hands now, so maybe I have the tiniest vaguest notion of a clue of how to play this game (but probably not [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] ).

I learned because the largest limit game my local casino spread is 3/6, but they have a $200 buy-in 2/5 game. Even being somewhat clueless, using basic TOP concepts has given a huge edge over the other (generally horrible) players in the game.

As for your hands, I like your reraise there, as you want to get the pot heads up. Maybe you could lower the raise to $40 or $45 to entice a call, but honestly I think a hand that calls for $40 will often call for $50, so you may as well take the extra EV. Given your short stack, I would have pushed or made a pot-committing bet on just about any flop.

As for the second hand, your flop call is thin. Villain, for whatever reason, overbet the pot. You have to be paid off fairly often (and for a decent amount) when you hit the flush to compensate for the poor odds you are getting to draw (even with BBs presumed overcall). Your stacks really aren't deep enough to insure that you will get paid off, and you can easily be bet off your draw if you don't hit on the turn. (Of course, sometimes you will get a free turn card.) And maybe your villain is doltish enough to pay you off when the third spade hits, but even some horrible players can see a flush when it is staring them in the face.

Since you have no use for promoting a gambling image (since you will be leaving the table soon anyway), I think I would pass on this flop after the EP overbet. If you had a better read, giving you an idea of his hand range and what the likely turn action would be, you might have a call (or a raise) in this spot.

Anyway, don't take my opinion to have any degree of authority, because it doesn't. Just my thoughts as I try to learn this game as well.