If you play cash, you really need to track your progress. PT allows you to do this and gives you an output in a rough guide to how well you are going with the BB/100 figure and it's what we all go by as to how well we are going.

You really need to gauge it over a lot of hands though, but however many you've played, it's a small stat that can provide so much comfort or pain.

I was having another shocking start to my cash session last night. I'd raise it up PF with AQ, then they'd all call - 4 people to the flop all calling $2. So I make my continuation bet on an fairly non descript board, but one I've missed nevertheless, get at least one more caller and I'm all of a sudden $8 down. Early on in the session, I tried a cont bet on the turn too, but they still call. Other hands, I'd hit TPTK and be against shortstacks who always seem to call pot sized bets for flush draws. When I then bet out again and they shove, I'm committed so have to make the call and it's more losses.

I finally thought I had a nice pot coming when I was dealt AQ the flop came AQ3. My opponant only had $30 out of a $50 max buy in, but he was soon up to $60 after I paid him off.

All these things happened to me for the first hour or so and I was getting a bit demoralised. It was nearly midnight and I decided that at quarter past, I'd call it a night. Then something wonderful happened, I realised the power of position! I'm not talking being last to act so pop it up, I'm taking post flop position. Now the funny thing is, you hear position is key all the time and I thought I understood the concept of it, but for some reason I wasn't able to take that into my cash game. Tourneys, I'm ok in, I know how to play them (I just suck), but cash, I'm learning so when I raise preflop with 8's (for example), get a caller and the flop comes J 6 2, I'm looking forward to the stupid min bets that the callers does cos when I repop him, I know there's a damn good chance he's folding and I not only pick up his money from calling the PFR, but also another dollar or two from leading out on the flop. Don't get me wrong though, I have all sorts of stats on the go from my HUD so I have an idea if he'll fold to a raise on the flop or not.

At my lowest point yesterday I was down nearly two buy in's, but after a quick Eureka moment and a nice couple of hands that held up, I managd to finish the session (at 1am, my God, no wonder I'm so tired) $12 up. Now this may not seem a lot, but it's running at just under 4 BB/100 which after the start I had was a miracle. Not only that, but it meant that I didn't totally kill my month so far.

I think I learned quite a bit during last nights game and hopefully I will take it on board next time I play.