Now that I’ve finally won $2 in a freeroll tournament, I must say that I was deathly afraid when I found out the minimum buy-in for the $0.05/$0.10 tables is $2. The prospect of going back to fighting through a five hour long tournament, especially when I’m only really available to play the one starting at 10:40 PM, makes me cringe. Playing at the continuous running cash games at my leisure is a privilege I don’t want to lose. That’s why I was more nervous playing my first $0.05/$0.10 table than when I play $20 buy-in tournaments with my friends. My hands got cold and I got fidgety. I knew that once I put in the big blind to start playing, I was obligated to play until I broke even or better. Otherwise, back to the 5 hour hell I’ve been trying to get out of for the past month.

I played exactly 2 hands. The first I was dealt a Q5 offsuit. The river was J4J and everyone checked. The turn came up a 5 and someone bet out $0.20 in front of me. I raised it to $0.65 and everyone folded after me. The second I was dealt A7 offsuit, not a particularly strong hand. 3 people called the $0.10 and the flop came 9T9. Everyone checked and the turn came up a J, with no matching suits on the board. Someone bet out $0.20 and I called, along with the other player. The river came up an 8, giving me a straight. Everyone stayed in after a bet and raise to $1.50. I ended up splitting the pot with another player who also had A7 in the hole. I stood up from the table with $3.60 and celebrated my first step forward.

Tonight, I bought in for $2 and played with the intention not to lose more than $1.60 so that I would be able sit down at one more table in the future if I wasn’t doing well. Fortunately, I ended up winning several decent hands and one big one for $11.10. This was my second step forward. Now I have a little breathing room.

Here’s how that big hand played out.

Full Tilt Poker Game #8629331474: Table Glen – $0.05/$0.10 – Pot Limit Hold’em – 21:12:31 ET – 2008/10/23
Seat 1: JohnnyJ0811 ($2.60)
Seat 2: Lovethislife ($12.10)
Seat 3: villain77 ($7.40)
Seat 4: JohnnyWalker133 ($10)
Seat 5: girish133 ($4.70)
Seat 6: paranlbm ($1.70)
Seat 7: Andre Tat2 ($3.15)
Seat 8: shelle529 ($0), is sitting out
Seat 9: pippy8 ($8.75)
Andre Tat2 posts the small blind of $0.05
pippy8 posts the big blind of $0.10
JohnnyWalker133 posts $0.10
The button is in seat #6
shelle529 stands up
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to girish133 [Ad Qc]
JohnnyJ0811 folds
Lovethislife folds
villain77 folds
JohnnyWalker133 raises to $0.20
girish133 calls $0.20
paranlbm folds
Andre Tat2 calls $0.15
pippy8 folds
*** FLOP *** [6d Td Ac]
Andre Tat2 has 15 seconds left to act
Andre Tat2 checks
JohnnyWalker133 bets $0.70
girish133 calls $0.70
Andre Tat2 calls $0.70
*** TURN *** [6d Td Ac] [Tc]
Andre Tat2 has 15 seconds left to act
Andre Tat2 checks
gadamer1 sits down
gadamer1 adds $10
JohnnyWalker133 has 15 seconds left to act
JohnnyWalker133 bets $0.10
girish133 has 15 seconds left to act
girish133 raises to $1
Andre Tat2 calls $1
JohnnyWalker133 raises to $1.90
girish133 calls $0.90
Andre Tat2 calls $0.90
*** RIVER *** [6d Td Ac Tc] [8h]
Andre Tat2 has 15 seconds left to act
Andre Tat2 checks
JohnnyWalker133 bets $7.20, and is all in
girish133 calls $1.90, and is all in
Andre Tat2 folds
Uncalled bet of $5.30 returned to JohnnyWalker133
*** SHOW DOWN ***
JohnnyWalker133 shows [2c Ah] two pair, Aces and Tens
girish133 shows [Ad Qc] two pair, Aces and Tens
girish133 wins the pot ($11.10) with two pair, Aces and Tens
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $12.30 | Rake $1.20
Board: [6d Td Ac Tc 8h]
Seat 1: JohnnyJ0811 didn’t bet (folded)
Seat 2: Lovethislife didn’t bet (folded)
Seat 3: villain77 didn’t bet (folded)
Seat 4: JohnnyWalker133 showed [2c Ah] and lost with two pair, Aces and Tens
Seat 5: girish133 showed [Ad Qc] and won ($11.10) with two pair, Aces and Tens
Seat 6: paranlbm (button) didn’t bet (folded)
Seat 7: Andre Tat2 (small blind) folded on the River
Seat 8: shelle529 is sitting out
Seat 9: pippy8 (big blind) folded before the Flop