2 HU $2 + .15 End 1st 81 Hands

I didn't think I was going to win this one as I was down to a 680 stack by hand 6. I had 3c 5h as BB. SB limped in for 20 and I called. Flop Ad 5c 3s. I have bottom 2 pair. I decide to slow play and check. SB bets 20 into the 40 pot and I call. Turn 4d. That I didn't like. I had a wheel straight draw, but SB might already have one. I check again and SB bets 60 into the 80 pot. River 2d. Well that gives me my wheel straight as well as the SB one; if that holds we'll chop, but there is also a possible diamond flush out there. I check and SB bets 520 into the 200 pot. I think about it and wonder if he's trying to push me off the chop? Anyway I decide to call. SB shows Ah 6d. He has the wheel straight up to the 6, I only have it up to the 5. No flush, but I still lose.

Hand 12 I get some of those chips back. I'm BB w/Kh Qh. SB open raises and I decide to call w/my last 520 chips. They show 7d 4d. I have two, suited overcards. The board plays out: 10s Ad 5s 9s 2c. I win and double up to 1080 chips. I'm feeling a bit better.

Hand 48. I've been going up and down between roughly 500 to 1000 chips. I'm the BB w/pocket 8's (8c 8h). SB limps in w/50 and I raise to 100, they call. Flop 6d 7h Qh. Only one overcard. I bet 100 into the 200 pot and SB calls. Turn 5h. That gives me an open-ended straight draw but SB could already have the straight. I decide to see if I can push them off this hand and bet all-in, 425, into the 400 pot. Since SB has 2175 chips they decide to call showing 4d 7s. They paired their 7 and also have an open-ended straight draw but only to an 8 high. River 9s. I hit my open-ended straight on the high side and win, doubling up to 1250 chips.

Hand 54 I get closer to even. I'm BB w/10c Ks. SB open raises 2 BB (100) and I call. Flop 6c 8c 5c. I have a 10 high flush draw. I bet 50 into the 200 pot and the SB calls. Turn 7h. The board shows it's likely someone has a straight, I have a gutshot straight draw. I make another min bet of 50 into the 300 pot and SB calls. River 3c. I have the flush, 10 high. Again I min bet 50 into the 400 pot. SB raises me to 200 and I decide to just call since my flush could easily be beat. SB shows Kd 9c. A flush also, but nicely not as high as mine. I have 1475 chips and am breathing a bit easier.

Hand 61. I'm back down to 1050chips. I'm SB w/As 9d. I open raise 2 BB (100) and BB re-raises me to 150, I call. Flop 2s Jd 9h. I pair my 9. BB bets 150 into the 300 pot and raise him to 300 to see what he'll do. He could have a J. BB calls. Turn 4c. BB bets 150 into the 900 pot and I decide to raise him all-in w/my last 600 chips. Either I've got the best hand (paired 9's w/Ace kicker) or he has me beat. BB calls showing 10c 9s. Wow, only a paired 9 too, but a worse kicker! River 5d. For the 1st time in this session I have a substantial lead with 2100 chips to their 900. Far from won, but I'm in a much better position.

By hand 76 I'm back down to 1470 chips. Hand 77 I'm back up to 1950 and shortly after comes hand 81.

Hand 81. I'm SB w/8s 10c. I open-raise 2 BB (160) and BB calls. Flop 2c 8h 3d. I pair my 8 and have top pair. BB checks and I bet 160 into the 320 pot, BB calls. Turn 3h. That pairs the board; I rather that hadn't happened. BB bets 240 into the 640 pot and I think about it for a bit. Could he have trip 3's? I decide that's not likely and call. River 10h. Well that gives me 2 pair but there could be a heart flush out there. BB decided to bet all-in w/670 chips. Again I think a bit about it, but decide he probably doesn't have the flush either. I could be wrong on both my assumptions, but he has liked to bet aggressively in the past, even when he hasn't had the best cares, BUT sometimes he did. Also, I've played passive a lot and often folded to his big raises so he might be figuring I'll do that again. Once I noticed I was playing pretty passive I decided I needed to continue playing that way most of the time and hopefully have the opportunity to trap him with his aggressive betting. I call. BB shows 9d Qs. NOTHING!!  I win.