The Downs and Ups

As regulars will know, the Sky Poker platform has been a bit flaky of late, and when I lost my connection fifteen minutes into tonight's Bounty Hunter I was ready to get mad with them. Especially as I'd won seven of the first thirteen hands!

But this time it was Virgin's fault. Literally. Quite a surprise, really - I don't remember there being a break in service for several months. But still very frustrating. It was ten past ten by the time I got back online, by which time my 6,000 chips had shrivelled away to 300.

An hour later I made the decision that since I'd been playing well, I ought to sit down at a cash table for a while. I was a little bit on tilt so I sat down with £77 at a £1 table (I usually play the 20p and 50p tables) and "got busy". There were a couple of guys on the table with £150 but my first three hands were KT, AQ and KK so I was able to come out all guns blazing and quickly get myself a good table image. A few hands later I got AKs in early position and surprised myself by opting to limp. A good move - a couple of guys raised, so I raised them all-in, they folded and I took an easy £13 (nett).

Then I got 55 twice in a row. The first time the flop was Q43 so I fancied my chances, but I was pleased to only lose £5 to the guy with the Q. The second time I flopped a set and check-raised.

My next four hands were AQ, 77, J9, 99. Obviously I lost £11 with the pairs, won £20 with the ace, and won £90 with the jack. That's poker. The board was JT3JK and the guy went all-in. The way he bet, he could've had Q9, so I used the full time before calling. I wonder what he did have?? Bloody Sky Poker doesn't reveal the losing cards in that situation...

Sitting on my left at the table was an aggressive player called Godson. I think I prefer having an aggressive player on my left rather than on my right. It makes me less likely to limp or call with rubbish, but at least gives me the option to bet. Anyway, Godson went on tilt at just the right moment. A guy nicked half his stack by catching an ace on the river. So Godson went all-in with 55 on a 682 flop, and I had 99 and an easy call to win £100.

£200 up in 30 minutes - not the usual!