My First Cash Game Ever

I have to tell you guys this story I thought it was pretty funny. I think I will always remember my first hand in a live cash game. It was a couple years ago. Here is how it went down-

My buddy and I pulled up to a dark parking lot and he called some guy from his cell to come pick us up (the host did this so he didn't have 15 cars parked in his driveway at 4:00am). While we are waiting for the car my buddy hands me 200 bucks, and tells me "...don't worry about it. If you loose it fine, but If you make money I get a share of your wins." I was nervous. I know he said not to worry about it, but I would feel like a big turd if I lost his 200. So anyway, we get in the door and head straight down to the basement. There was one table going, with another set up and ready. After a couple minutes a few more players showed up and we started up the second table (playing 1/2 NL).

There were 6 players at the table. I was in fairly early position. I look down, and of course...it's rockets. I stop for a second because I couldn't believe I am picking up the monster of all monster starting hands on the first hand of my first ever live cash game. I didn't know quite how to play them. I had never played at this place before so I didn't know if they were real tight or crazy loose. Well I took a shot and made it $10 to go (had $200 total). I got two callers- one behind me (stacked at about $150) and one in front of me (the small blind, stacked at about $325), for a total pot so far of $32. My friend shoots me a look like...man, you are a moron. I just look over at him and give him a wink. The flop:

Ac Jd 8c

Not too shabby, I flopped a set, and it was checked to me. I liked the flop because I knew I would get action, but I had to be careful there were some serious draws out there. So I bet out 17 bucks with the intent to re-raise if I got raised. The guy after me folded. The guy in the small blind calls. Total pot- $66 The turn:

Jc

I just turned the boat, and on top of that it was a club. I was hoping that the small blind was on the flush draw. He bets out 35 bucks. I sit and think for a second. I want to give him some more rope. I just smooth call. Total pot- $136. The river:

7s

The small blind sits and thinks for a minute and he says- "I'm all in" For about .2 seconds my mind says...pocket jacks, but by the time .3 seconds had past my sanity came back. I call, flip my hand over, and double up. He just mucked. So after one hand my stack on the table goes from $200 to $412, BUT that's not the best of it. What is really sweet is- they were running a high hand pot. My Aces full of jacks easily bumped the Aces full of 8's out of the lead. I just needed it to hold up for 45 minutes.

It did. I won the high hand pot that was up to $250. Turns out I didn't turn $200 into $412 in one hand. I turned $200 into $662 in one hand. I took the cash from high hand and put it in my pocket. There was my buddies $200 that he gave me. Then I was just free-rolling!!