New Orleans poker (and Wild Bill's wedding)

So I was down in New Orleans for Wild Bill's wedding and managed to sneak in 3 sessions at Harrahs while there, so figured I would give a long-overdue update and detail some of the action, which as many locals probably already know, can be pretty head-scratching.

The first session didn't go so well. Bill and I sat down late afternoon for $200 at a just-opened 1-2 NL table and I promptly folded about two rounds of garbage trying to get a feel, having not played in awhile.

The key sequence was consecutive hands immediately after that. I looked down at A,K suited, raised to $15 and got a caller. Flop came K, 10, x rainbow and I led for $20, getting the taker and feeling good about where I was. Turn brought another brick and I put out $30 and again the guy two to my left came along with a call. River came with a Q and here I pulled up the brakes. Was this guy playing K,Q? Or even worse, A,Q? I checked and he came out for $90. Now, writing this makes it seem obvious to me that I was beat, but at the time, at the table, when I knew for all the world that I had been ahead until that point, made me want to call down that $90. So I made the call and he showed neither K,Q nor A,Q but Q,9 for the gutterball and not even the nuts gutterball, to add insult to financial injury.

So, taking all this in, I hope to be able to get back in a hand with this guy, and soon. Well, careful what you wish for, because the very next hand I look down at K,K. I raise once again to $15 and this time get 3 callers. Well, wouldn't you know it, the flop again brings a K high rainbow and I check my set. Guy to my left bets at it, gets both callers along and I put my last $30 or so on top, getting 2 of them along for the ride and feeling nice and toasty.

Which, as anyone who plays regularly knows, is a bad idea. Running cards fire the guy to my left another straight into my face and I'm down a buy in. He admits he thought I was tilting. No consolation to me.

Bought back in and did some grinding for a few hours until an ill-timed bluff forfeited my meager comeback and left me down for the session.

Day two to come...