I am completely done with Small Stakes Hold' Em, and I am about half way through Harrington on Cash Volume 1. I would recommend the later, but I think it was good to start with SSH. Although Miller focuses on things more from the a limit perspective, it is a good book to get your mind on the right track about certain hands and the general preflop strategy is pretty solid.

Things I have accomplished recently:

1. I got on IRC and have started to talk and not just lurk all the time.

2. Read through SSH, and am powering through Harrington on Cash. Slanksy is waiting for me at home to read when I get back.

3. Stopped the downswing and have made about a BI's progress back towards my initial deposit on Stars.

4. i had a huge boost to my playing energy by taking third place in the FTR 5 year anniversary freeroll, for a nice cash of $42 and my choice of FTR gear. Although this was at Full Tilt, it balanced out the losses I had taken at 10NL when I was screwing around over there without a big enough bankroll. My rakeback for the previous month should also be coming in, so I should have a nice boost to my bankroll when I someday move back to Full Tilt to play 25NL. I'll probably play the occasional sng or cheap tourney as well.

5. I finally feel as though I am starting to turn a corner with my understanding and play. I am not just raising and calling raises according to a chart, but more with a plan in mind.

6. Hands that I avoid playing now if all possible:

KJo and KJs. Too many times have I been dominated with these hands. Top-pair doesn't do it for me, for me to really want to continue I need top-two, the nut-flush draw, or nut-straight.

A10o. I'll maybe play this on the button or CO, but rarely. I also tend to play A10s more like an A-rag-x hand, just because you can be easily dominated when raising into the blinds. This took me a while to figure out, but here is my logic.

Suppose I am playing myself and my own typical hand range.

If I am in the SB or BB, I will likely call a raise with AQs, or AJs, and will reraise with AK. I am probably folding A9s and below until there are some limpers who I think will come along.

So what does that mean for A10o? You either pick up the blinds, get called and are dominated, or get re-raised and have to lay it down. Not a good result right? Obviously, there are looser players who call from the blinds with much less, but that requires more reads.

7. Keep the pots smaller with smaller hands like TPTK, and try to build big pots with big hands like sets, straights, flushes, and boats.

TPTK doesn't do it at ring like it does in tourneys. Expensive lesson for me at this point.