One hand does not make a life session

Why is that every once in a while I'll write a post and talk about what it is I plan on doing that evening, and then when I actually get to doing it it is not at all like I had planned? It's like I am jinxing myself, but I know that isn't true because there are other times where I mention something here on this space and it actually happens the way I planned it. Go figure.

Anyway, if I was to only talk about the good stuff and all the things that were going well then I wouldn't be writing about the true Schaubs and the blunders I can often make in the world of poker, and in life. I am not here to tell you how dominate I am, or how many tournaments I win. I simply don't play enough and do not have a large enough sample size to say with certainty whether or not I am truely a great (well this one I know), good, average or terrible poker player.

And to be honest, I really don't care at this point which one I am.

I'm not going to bore you with the details or the hand history from last night's live hand at the Rock but I will make the following notes for my own reference in the future:

• When raising limpers, always make sure your raise is significant enough to push out those ugly draw hands or ace rag hands that can bust you in the flop is right.
• When an UTG player limps, take note and put on the brakes if you whiff.
• When an UTG player checks to you and there is an ace on the board, and you don't have an ace - don't bet unless you have a read that tells you otherwise.
• Don't bluff calling stations.
• Don't fire a second bullet against a calling station.
• Don't fire a third bullet when you know he is going to call... he's going no where!
• If you know you are beat, just check fold and save that last bet, oh and the turn bet too.

Obviously I am very frustrated with the way I played a hand last night... and it cost me. Not financially, but it makes me question how far I have really come in this game. Whether or not I have actually learned anything over the past 2 years. I mean I know the answer to that one is a resounding yes, but its nights like last night that make me take a step back and evaluate my play and the line that I took. Obviously I was trying to represent a big ace as I had c-bet when the ace fell. The calling station called me down with just A9. I had not entered a pot for a raise once in the entire hour I had sat there. Basically folding everything and stealing a pot or two to keep up. I never bluffed once, and then when I do, I get called down by Ace nine.

I guess he just couldn't put me on a higher ace. Who knows, in fact, he probably wasn't considering my holdings at all. The problem was I didn't consider my surroundings. This was 1-2 NL after all. The game is very beatable if I just actually take the time to realize what I need to do to beat it. Not bluff at pots I have no business owning. I tend to fight for pots where I've been the preflop aggressor. It's like I really feel like I deserve to have it. I mean since I raised, I obviously had the best hand PF... this is just wrong.

I'll bounce back, but I am just so frustrated with myself right now it's mind numbing. A terrible sleep was to follow as I just couldn't believe how badly I played it. It was shocking.

I am not sure where else to go with this right now so I'm just going to end it and hit post.