pushing the good player out

Nothing earth shattering here, just two hands that really made a huge difference in my live session.

Maybe this is a brag post but after playing about 40 hours of live poker this weekend, I was really struck by the fine line between winning nice pots and total disaster.

Two hands in particular stick out, against the same two villains.

Player A is a total donkey, calling off huge bets with terrible odds. Player B is a really solid player who respects position and knows when to get out.

Hand 1:
$1/$2 live game.
4 players limp in and I have A9 of spades on the button. I think I probably have the best hand, I want to see if someone is limping a monster and also want to sweeten the pot if I make a big hand. I make a baby raise to $8. 6 players call and we get to the flop:

Qd 8s 7s
Pot size: $48
Player A in the BB leads out for $17. 2 folds, Player B calls, 1 fold. I know that Player A can be betting anything here, like 22 or bottom pair or OESD. Player B is repopping Player A with something like KQ or better. I have the nut flush draw and an over and I know Player B will respect my raise, I make it $75.

Player A calls, says he has a good draw. Player B folds.

I know Player B is the one who had a real hand, most likely a weak Queen or middle pair. Player A told me he has a draw, which means he is drawing really, really thin. The turn is the T of diamonds. Player A checks...if he had 96 he just got there, but I'm sure he would bet it, and he would certainly bet T9 (pair + OESD). I'm now open-ended so if he has 65 he has 5 outs. I check behind.

the river is the 2d. He checks and says he missed. I take down a $198 pot with A-high when Player B would have turned two pair with QT.

Hand 2:
It's 4-way and I limp on the button with T9o.

Flop is AJ8 rainbow.
It checks to me and with no one showing strength, I obviously have to stab with OESD. I bet $8 representing an Ace, Player A in the BB calls and the other two fold, including Player B, who had a gutshot with KT.

Turn is a blank, I fire again for $20, Player A calls.

River is a Q, so I make the second nuts, Player A checks and I bet $45 and take it down. Player B tells me he would have rivered broadway - a small bet in position on the button wins me a small pot as opposed to losing a huge pot. If I had checked behind, Player B knows no one has an Ace and realizes he can probably win if he rivers a king or a queen, so he might call a turn bet whereas he folded to a small flop bet.