Monday poker

In tonight's $40 tourney, I gambled to get some chips early - with the cash game already starting, it was go big or go play cash. Someone raised, another player called, and I called with :4c :5c. Flop came :2c :3d :Jc. So I have a flush draw, and an open-ended straight draw.

I bet out $600, and the original raiser goes all-in. I called. I didn't hit, and that was it for the tourney.

In the cash game, I got some really good cards. I started with $100 playing $1/$2 no limit. I got pockets Kings twice, pocket Jacks twice, and AA once (see below). My stack was up to about $300, but then I lost a lot of money with :Ac :Jc on a :Jd :8c :2h flop. The other player had pockets 8s, and I lost almost all of my stack. I knew he was strong, but when I called his all-in I also knew that he would play KJ the same way... it just turned out that this time he had me drawing dead.

I rebought another $200, got dealt :Jd :Js. A very agressive player raises to $20, I flat call. Another agressive player re-raises another $40. The first player calls, so I decide I have the best hand right now and I go all-in for $169 more. They both call. The re-raiser had :9d :9c, and the other loose player had :5s :6s. My hand held up, and I was up to $600.

A couple of hands later, I was dealt :Ah :Ac. The big stack at the table raises to $12, someone calls, I re-raise to $42, and another player, plus the two original players in the pot call.
Flop comes :Kh :Th :4h. The original raiser bets $200. In my mind, he could have the flush already, but more likely something like KT, TT, KK, AK, QJ, QQ. I decided to gamble and take a chance with my nut flush draw, and overpair. I go all-in for $470 more. He calls with :Jh :5h. Turn :7d, River :Qd. No help, and I'm done for the night.

I'm not sure what I need to do to beat these awful players... if I raise my big hands two much, I won't get any action, but getting 4 callers for $42 pre-flop means I'm not raising enough. If only I hadn't had the :Ah, but any other ace I wouldn't have lost another cent after the flop...