Learning from mistakes

Played 4.5k hands this weekend. It was alot of fun to just sit down and play poker for an extended period of time on consecutive days. Ive been mobbed with career stuff lately, so it was a nice relief. Went out both Friday and Saturday night - good times. I did some reflection on my play. I need to really make an effort to keep logging hands. Time management will be essential.


Full Tilt Poker, $3/$6 NL Hold'em Cash Game, 5 Players

CO: $435
Hero (BTN): $663
SB: $603
BB: $600
UTG: $111

Pre-Flop: A K dealt to Hero (BTN)
UTG folds, CO raises to $12, Hero raises to $45, 2 folds, CO calls $33

Flop: ($99) Q A 7 (2 Players)
CO checks, Hero bets $66, CO calls $66

Turn: ($231) 3 (2 Players)
CO bets $72, Hero calls $72

River: ($375) 7 (2 Players)
CO bets $78, Hero calls $78

Results: $531 Pot ($3 Rake)
CO showed Q Q (a full house, Queens full of Sevens) and WON $528 (+$267 NET)
Hero mucked A K (two pair, Aces and Sevens) and LOST (-$261 NET)

Looking back on this hand, I played it incorrectly. Villain is a TAG reg, so he's a thinking opponent. After he calls my 3b, I cant expect to get value from anything Im ahead of (maybe AJ occasionally). I need to check behind on this flop so I can try to rep an underpair and get value from AJ on turn and river, also something like mid pr or KK/JJ might look me up for at least for one street. And there is always the outside chance that he'll attempt to bluff me.

As the stakes increase, minor things like this make a difference. Since my mathematical edge decreases with each stake increase, I need to capitalize on minor edges.