More 8-16 knowledge

I am really beginning to believe that 8-16 at Casino Arizona is the best level of poker. I played for 4 hours last night and lost $4. The play was very loose and mostly passive the entire night.

Here is why I lost. My pocket Aces had 4 callers and the big blind made it to the end with 6-2 offsuit and spiked his 3rd 6 on the river. I lost another pot when the turn made 3 of the same suit on the board. My opponent rechecked her hole cards. Then the 4th suited card came on the river. She lead into me and I had to muck my trip 4's.

Both of those were semi bad beats that are going to happen from time to time when you play with bad players. My mistake was trying to play J-10 offsuit from late middle position 3 different times. Twice it was raised behind me and I had to call another bet. That's $32 wasted dollars right there because I was impatient.

However, I did manage to play well in other situations where I have spewed chips in the past. I threw away my hand on the button 4 or 5 times after it was folded to me. Usually I would auto raise, but my competitors were probably going to call at least 60% of the time. I had crappy cards and I think all I would have done was dig myself a hole if I had bluffed at the blinds.

Also I won two pots by pushing a draw on the flop and turn. My opponents check folded on the turn. One time I even got paid off, when my nut flush draw hit on the river.

Another small mistake was that I was UTG +1. UTG posted a straddle. UTG was a loose aggressive player. He was far too loose, but every once in awhile he would play a little sneaky. I had Ace-Queen of diamonds and reraised to isolate. The big blind called and UTG called. The flop was rags, nothing over a 9. Checked to me, and I continuation bet. I get the big blind to fold, but the UTG calls. The turn was a deuce. Check and I bet again. Again he calls. I now think he must have some piece of the flop and will call it down. The river is a 10. He checks and I check hoping my Ace high is still good. He turns over 5-7 for a pair of 5's. He said he would have folded on the river, because he didn't believe I had anything, but I could have changed his mind with one more bet.

As for online poker.....Full Tilt kicked me in the nuts the other night. My very first hand of .50-1 No Limit, I bought in for the maximum of $100. I was dealt two Kings. The player to my immediate right, raised to $5. I raised to $20. He called. The flop came out 10 high and he bet $20. I raised to $60. He reraised all in. I am praying he doesn't have Aces. I call and he turns over the Aces. Down a quick $100 after one hand. I proceeded to lose another $60 or so on two different tables over the next 2 hours.

I am still at a loss for how to make money at these no limit games. My problem is that I seem to win the small pots and lose the big ones. It's not that I am getting sucked out on, it's that by the time I figure out I am hopelessly behind in a hand, I have lost $10-$30 while, I only seem to win pots of $5-$10 at a time. I keep trying to remember Phil Gordon's mantra of big cards, big pots and small cards, small pots, but it doesn't seem to be working.

I have been very careful about position and rarely find myself in bad position in these spots. It just seems that players hit trips against me when I have top pair and a good kicker, while the opposite does not seem to be holding true.