Click!

Like a seatbelt fastening: click.

Everything seems to fall into place.

I've been working on my shorthanded limit game at the Party $1/$2 6-max tables. By no means are these difficult games, but I wasn't just winning.

I killed these games.

Shorthanded concepts seem clear to me now, and they're easy to apply at full ring, where I also crushed the fish beneath my heels at $2/$4.

I've always struggled with limit poker, but everything finally made sense: when to push, when to back off, how to be aggressive without spewing chips, how to leverage your position.

Of course it won't be this easy all the time, but I genuinely feel like my game made a leap to the next level today. I know results don't necessarily indicate sound play, and of course shorthanded games have wide fluctuations.

But I've played more than 1,600 hands so far today and beaten these games for 10 BB/100.

Here are the primary leaks I've plugged:

1) I invest more in flush draws on the flop because I have a pot equity edge.

2) I play top pair with a weak kicker smarter. The advice I read in the link below suggests using this betting pattern: (flop) check-bet-call, (turn) check-bet-call, (river) bet. It saves bets when you're behind and wins them when you're ahead. This isn't a hard-and-fast rule, but it's often a good strategy when in early position and you're unsure of where you stand.

3) I more fully appreciate betting for value.

4) I'm more aggressive with my strong hands and more willing to call down when it's appropriate.

Playing these shorthanded games has been invaluable experience to improve my game. I highly recommend practicing them.

Here's some great advice: The most information 6-max posts for newbies