A couple B&M hands, mainly $5/5, one $1/2

[sdplayerb]

Since my success at the Bellagio playing 2/4 NL, i've been meaning to go back to Oceans 11 for the 5/5, $300 buyin which I won over $200 at last time.

A huge waitlist. I called in from home at 3:30, didn't start in the 5/5 game until after 6:30, and that was due to their starting a 2nd table.

First I played 1/2 ($100 buyin). A few from there.

My very first hand I get AA.
UTG limps, I make it $10.
Flop is K77 rainbow. $20 in the pot (rake is $3, a fourth comes out at $40).
He checks, I check. I figure if he has a 7, he gets my stack. I don't put him on AK. So if he has KQ or something like that, maybe he'll get away from it. Obviously two pair is no worry.
T on the turn. He best $15 (it may have been $20, but i think $15).
TT is a possibility. If he has it, I am done. If not, i see him folding to a raise thinking I am slowplaying AK. Otherwise, few cards can hurt me except a K.
River is a blank. He bets $25.
I call expecting i have the best, and that he can't call a raise with a losing hand. The only hand I could see him calling with for the other $55 is KT, but he was UTG.
Plus it is my first hand and I'd be on tilt if i got stacked off on.
He has KT, the only hand I could have stacked off against. But why is he limp calling with KT UTG??
He is semi on tilt at what just happened.

Would you play it different, how and why? I think I played it very well.

A little while later I over $100 when i flop a set of jacks, bet it, turn a fullhouse, slowplay it, and a guy rivers a straight (KQ, JT8 flop). I knew he was loose. He raised $6 with KQ, I made it $25 and he called.

A little while later against the same guy I raise to $7 UTG+1 with AK. He calls in the sb.
KJ5r flop. He checks, I bet $10, he checkraises allin for $75 total.
Anybody ese at the table I throw it away instantly.
After over a minute I think it is just as likely he has KQ, maybe even QT, as KJ. I finally call, and say you have KJ right (i know it was a mistake when I said call)..he shows KJ and stacks off on me.
I saw him play at 5/5 with me later, and he lost over $450 in two hands with garbage. But a checkraise is different.

I finally get called to 5/5 when up $40.
It is a must move and I am first on the list. Too bad, as I really like my table. I had raised preflop with KQ to like $30 with multiple limpers, one call. Then bet $40 into a 776 board, and he folded.

I get to the next table and know right away this is a tougher table. They tell me they are playing live straddle..I thought they were kidding. I said I wasn't going to do it. They were all pretty pissed. I had never done it before, and wasn't going to for my first time here. Also, that means i'd have only 30x the live straddle.
They were all really mad. Especially the guys to my right.
My read also was they would play a lot of hands..and could be dangerous.


Hand 3:
About my 5th hand, there is a live straddle UTG, UTG+1 calls, I get AA UTG+2 and make it $35 (i should have made it 40-50).
UTG+1 calls, and I know he could have a lot of hands.

Flop is JT9s. Not many scarier flops than that.
He bets out $40, and I am pretty sure I am done. I call. I figure that is a flop I really could be slowplaying, so if he bets big on the turn, I know I am done for sure.
A low card comes, he bets $100. I muck it.

Later on I agree to the straddle, but a new player says no, and now everybody hates him. A bigger argument erupts after the next hand I state.

Hand 4:
EP limps, I make it $20 with AQ diamons (i had just raised to $30 with KQ and bet a K high flop, so was slowing down a little). I am at $300 in this hand
Another tricky player calls, as does the limper. I am a little worried about what I'll do on certain Aflops (like AT).
Oh, no worries, T98 diamonds. Well, it is only the third nuts. Slowplay or not?
EP bets $50. I flatcall thinking str or 2 pair, or draw.
other player folds.
low card on the turn.
He bets $100. I pushin for $130 more. He calls and turns over T9 for two pair.
Jd on the river gives me a straight flush.
Anybody not flat call the flop bet?

Hand 5: (well over $600). I have stated before when I get to over 100x, I start to get a little weary about getting stacked off on.
Many limpers, and I have AK in the SB. I make it $35 total.
BB calls, all else fold.
Q9x suited flop. I check, he checks.
Another blank on the turn. I check, he checks.
Q on the river. I decide I a going to check call here depending on his bet and how he does it.
He says "let's see if this holds" or something to that effect and bets $50.
I decide to think it through, but am pretty sure I will call. But have never called $50 with A high before. I see no way he has me beat and would either:
1. Not bet before
2. Not be checking here

I say "i'll make a bad call". (which i think was bad etiquette as I knew it was a great call). He flips over KJ, and I take it down.


Any different plays on these hands I'd really appreciate. I think I could have made a tough laydown with the AK in hand 2.
With AA in hand 3, I could have raised more. But I knew UTG+1 and 2 did want to play with me, so I did want to keep them in, but for a decent cost. I can make a laydown, as I did. But would really like to hear how others would have played it, or who thinks my laydown was terrible.
I think I played the other 3 great. But, if others would have played them different, I would like to hear how and why.

Sorry it was so long. But I like to give as much info on the hands and situations as possible. Because without it the answer is often, it depends.

And every hand I limped in, I lost money. I hate limping.

SD

[Daann]

Nicely done...

Hand 2: You thought that it was equally likely that he had KQ, KJ or QT so you have to call. Annoying that he showed down the KJ but what can you do.

Hand 3: I'm guessing that UTG+1 is one of the tough players... I'm also guessing that you have a tight table image. The main point is though, are you seen as someone who can make laydowns or not? If not, then I fold on the flop. If yes, then I take the line you do.

Hand 4: You can't do anything but flat call IMO, as you want the limper behind you to call as well, though it gives away your hand somewhat. I might raise if I was on the button or if the stack were bigger so to get him to commite more easily as you could be raising with the naked Ad.

[felson]

[ QUOTE ]
Flop is K77 rainbow. $20 in the pot (rake is $3, a fourth comes out at $40).

[/ QUOTE ]

I thought this was illegal in California.

[sdplayerb]

what is illegal?

[sdplayerb]

Thanks.
On hand 3, this is my 5th hand at the table and these were the only hands i've ever played against all but one of the players (and with him only at the 1-2 earlier, and he wasn't at my table).