2 HU one $2 other $5, End 2nd & 1st 48 & 43 Hands

Mainly blogging these because of the $5 HU. The $2 I could have played better, mainly making calls when I should have folded. Cards also didn't fall my way, but I didn't help that any with my overall play.

The $5 I had a pretty aggressive player who liked to show me his not so good pocket cards when I folded to  his bets. He did tend to bluff and I did get caught a couple of times. Hand 4 I was knocked down to 820 chips when he paired a 9 on the River to my Ace high with the board paired twice.

Hand 8 I ended up calling his bluff and winning. As the SB I had 1190 chips w/98o, I O-R 2 BB and he RR me to 3 BB, I called. Flop 10h 9h 3d. He bet 200 into the 240 pot and I decided to raise him to 400 to see how serious he was. Though I'd paired my 9, I was hoping he'd fold. He called. Turn 6d. He checked and I checked. River 10c. I wasn't happy with that but I didn't feel he had a 10. He bets All-In w/ 1280 chips. I think about it a bit, and partly based on his earlier play, I decide to call. He only had Ac Js. I win and he's down to 600 chips. Things are looking up for me. He goes into a continual All-In bet or raise mode.

Hand 12. I have KcJc as SB and O-R 2 BB, he RR All-In with 680. I call. He shows Jh 10c. Looks good for me, K vs 10. Flop 7c 5s 4s. So far so good. Turn 10h. Rats! River 8c. He doubles up and is back in this session. :-/

Hand 15. I'm the BB w/AQs and 1870 chips. He O-R 3 BB and I RR to 150. He RR's All-In and I call. He has pocket 2's and they hold up. I'm down to 800 chips. :-/ Next hand I take a chance he is bluffing again, and one more time I end up correct.

Hand 16. I'm SB w/T9o, 785 chips and O-R 2 BB, he calls. Flop Kh Jh Qh. I have a straight but no hearts. BB checks and I bet the pot of 120 hoping he folds, but he calls. Turn 6h. Nuts, now he only needs one heart to have the flush. He checks and I check. Not sure, but I'm pretty sure that means he doesn't have the flush. River 6s. He goes All-In. I think about it and still feel I most likely have the best hand, and if not, well, that's the way it goes. I call. He shows 8s Js. I win and am back in the session w/1600 chips.

Hand 18. I'm SB w/KTo and 1575 chips. I O-R 2 BB and he calls. Flop 9h 4s Kh. My K is paired. He checks and I check. Turn 9d. The board is now paired. He bets 90 into the 120 pot and I decide to raise him to 180; he RR's me to 270 and I call. Not a good sign for me. River 6h. He bets 630 into the 660 pot. I don't like that, but he has bluffed before, so I decide to call him and he shows 8c 9s, having hit trip 9's on the Turn. I'm now down to 580 chips. :-/

I play cautiously and try not fall into his baiting traps. Hand 24 I have AJs. Turn and River are AA and I beat his AJo. I'm up to 920 chips.  Hand 39 I'm disappointed he folds as the SB when I have QQ. Hand 40 I have pocket 5's and hit my set on the Flop. I slow play them and bet the 320 pot on the River, win and now have the lead once again with 1530 chips.

Hand 42. Another chancy hand when he goes All-In on the River with the board showing 3s Ad 2d Kd Jd. I have Kh 8d. I have the flush but only 8 high. Again I decide he likely is bluffing and call. Indeed he was with Qc 3c. He's down to 100 chips and things are looking very UP for me!! :-)

Hand 43. I have K9o vs K5o for him. I pair my 9 on the flop and it holds I win.

Being patience and willing to take chances when I could have the winning hand, based on how he often was playing (he showed me a lot of poor pocket cards he'd big bet on) , paid off. Yes he could have had the goods on those calls but I felt I needed to take that gamble to win against him.