Live Poker is a Savior!

The cure for my bad run was live poker, in particular the 1/2 NLHE game with a $50-$300 buy-in at Ameristar. I won a couple of $100+ pots with top two pair and a set of 6's and did a nice job of avoiding marginal situations in smallish pots. For example:

I limp AsTs UTG and 7 players see a AxJs2s flop. I check with the intention of check-raising, but MP bets the pot and then the tightest player at the table raises what I know has to be a set of 2's so I let it go.

There are 5 limpers and I check my option in BB with ATo. The flop comes Ts8s4x and I probably should have bet out but I check-folded to some heavy action.

I lost a total of $4 on those two hands.

Then, I raise red tens to $10 UTG and get 2 callers directly to the left of me. The flop is 988r and I bet $30. UTG+1 calls and UTG+2 folds. Alarm bells go off in my head and I check the 5h on the turn. He bets $40 into the $90 pot and I read him for either 99 or AA, and I suspect he is putting me on JJ-KK. I stack up all my chips and he is not worried in the slightest, confirming my read. I say, "There is nothing that I can beat" and muck. He shows AA and says, "Nice fold."

It wasn't the best session ever, but at least it was a winner.