Okay, I'm graduating from university soon and have been concentrating on school and thus haven't had a job since summer. As a result my only money comes from playing poker which you can imagine isn't quite consistant. Well when I'm in town here I play in these bar tournaments, it's a $30 buy in and the play is really bad so I generally do well in them. 3 lost all-ins later (within 5 hands) I'm out and they tell me they're playing a cash game. It's $1/$2 no limit (the bar I usually play at does .25/.50, so this is kind of a jump for me), and I have $150 in my pocket (which represents a higher-than-I'd-like-to-say portion of my net worth). I decide to play, thinking these guys are easy money and that I can take 'em. For $1/$2 blinds, there's ridiculous raising going on preflop. It seems every other hand would be limp, raise to $35 (!), and call from the limper (!!).

Well after two orbits and a whole bunch of 93 offsuits, I get ten-duece in the big blind, no raise and about 3 limpers, plus the small blind. The flop comes QT2 giving me two pair, with two diamonds on board. I bet $8, everyone folds but the button. Turn is another ten. I check it to him hoping he's on a draw that he's gonna make. Instead he bets $45. Not really sure what to do I just go all in. He snap calls and shows QT. Ouch

It's been six months since I played that game. Last time I lasted about 10 minutes too. Flopped top and bottom with 93 on a board of 953 and someone bets five times the pot with A4. Turn is (of course!) the duece and I spend the next few days upset at myself for playing a $200 buy-in without a job

All I can say is... ouch

Lesson learned!