2 HU $2 + .20 End 2nd 16 hands

I really can't complain about this one. I feel I played well overall. Maybe I could have been a bit more aggressive, but on two critical hands the cards didn't fall my way.

Hand 7. A nice win with a scary flop. I'm BB w/5d 6h. SB limps in (usually they were raising to 3 BB) and I call. Flop Jh 7h 4h. I have an open ended straight draw as well as a flush draw, but SB could already have a flush and with only a 6h high in my hand it'll be iffy if I do get the flush. I bet the pot of 40 and SB calls. Doesn't tell me anything except he isn't afraid of the flush. Turn 8c. I've hit my straight. Once again I bet the pot (120) and SB calls. Hmm, maybe he doesn't have the flush. River 7d. Pairs the board. Since SB hasn't done more than call so far, I bet the pot (360) one more time and again SB calls. SB shows 5s Js; only a pair of J's and I win the 1080 pot. That was the high point of this session for me.

Hand 13. The 1st of the hands that didn't go my way. I'm BB w/Qd 10d and 1840 chips. SB raises to 60 and I call. Flop 2d 10c 9s. I hit top pair and bet 70 into the 120 pot. SB calls. Turn 4s. My pair of 10's still looks pretty good and I bet 150 into the 260 pot and the SB raises me to 360 and I call. My thought was he might have a 10 w/a higher kicker, I didn't consider beyond that why he might have raised me. River Qh. This was not a good card for me once I see the end result, but I felt good about now having 2 pair and doubted he would a better two pair to beat me, so I bet 460 into the 980 pot. SB calls and I'm looking forward to the win, BUT NOT SO FAST, SB shows pocket 4's and he had hit his set on the Turn. :-/ I lose and am down to 910 chips.

I'd not considered that he might have a hit a set on the Turn when he raised my bet and though I suspected he had something, it was hard for me to not like my paired 10 with the Q kicker. Then when I hit two pair on the River, well there was no way I was going to get off that hand.

Hand 16. Last hand and 2nd hand where cards didn't go my way. I'm SB w/3h 10s and 780 in chips. I open raise 3 BB (90) and BB calls. Flop 10h 3d Qs. Nice, I hit two pair and it's looking like I might get some of my chips back!! BB checks and I bet the pot of 180, BB calls. Turn Jh. Possible straight out there. BB checks. I only have 525 chips left and it's either all-in or check and I decide to go all-in. If he has the straight I'm dead, but if he's only on a draw or has nothing maybe he'll fold. He calls and shows Kc 10c. Had paired his 10 and has an open ended straight draw. I'm hopeful. River 9s. He gets his straight and session is over.

I feel I played that hand as well as I could once I hit two pair on the flop. He didn't back down and hit the straight on the River. That's the way the cards went.