Filled half the hole....

Fired up another Rush session at 8pm tonight. Things started off like they were going last night...

3 bet a blind stealer with AJs from the big blind. He called, then raised my donk bet. Fold, down $4.

Raised with pocket tens. Got three bet and called. Flop was K83 rainbow. He bet, I raised, he called. We both checked turn and river. He had pocket aces. Lost $10.

Could have been much worse on that hand, but between that one and the couple before it, along with some blind payments, I was down $15 in 31 hands. I felt the steam starting to rise again.

I played about even for the next few orbits. I was trying to regain the handle - telling myself all the right things - "stop being results oriented", "focus on making good decisions" and all that stuff. I also decided to tighten up a bit - don't steal every time, don't three bet from the blinds with total garbage. Let's wait for a hand and try to get paid off.

An external source refocused me. A phone call. No, I don't want to renew my Sirius subscription - my car has XM and I've switched my subscription over there. Thanks much, love your product. Bye.

During the phone call, I switched into low-focus autopilot. Fold, Fold, Raise, Fold. After hanging up, my mood was evened out. I clicked back in, waiting for my big hand.

I got it. Pocket kings in the small blind. Folded to me. I raised, figuring the big would fold and I would win a quarter with my monster. Nope, he called.

Then I waited for the inevitable ace on the flop. Was happily surprised again. Jack-Seven-Six rainbow. I checkraise him, he calls anyway. Now visions of two pairs and sets cracking my kings dance in my head.

Turn is an eight. Straights out there now, and some new realistic 2 pairs. But I still need to get value from the worse hands that he'll call with. $4.25 into a $7 pot. He calls again. I'm ready for the beat now.

River is a 2. No flushes, a couple straights. I'm out of position and terrified, but I'm not folding this overpair. My money goes in. He calls instantly and I just wonder what beat me. I predict 67. Maybe 78.

The cards are revealed. He has Ace-Jack sooted - Top/Top. I win a $42 pot.

Wait, what's that?
I win a $42 pot.
Oh, so that's still possible?

A stunning development. I click on my PokerTracker "refresh" button - I'm actually $4 ahead on the night.

Things seem totally different after this hand. Blinds fold to my steals again. I hit some flops. Food tastes better, colors are brighter.

A couple orbits later, I raise up Freddie's hand, 34s, and stack a shorty with a wheel straight. $10 more profit. $19 more when pocket tens set up then boat on the river - Pocket aces can't get away. I race another shorty with pocket jacks - he's got ace-king. I somehow win. $10 more.

After 300 hands, I'm up $46.62 on the night. Just over half my $89 loss from the night before. That's enough to ask for now.