8th April

I played a 90 player sit n go. It lasted around 3-4 hours. I ended up coming 10th.The buy in was $1.25. It was double stack which I liked. I thought that If i could do well here, I'll be able to get deeper into tournaments.

When we got to ten players, it became 5 handed with two tables. I was in small blind with qj. Normally I wouldn't play this hand as it could easily be dominated. With the first two players to act folding, I decided my hand was probably on of the strongest. The largest stack who was on the button, raised the hand previous, and again raised this hand. I figured that he was purely pot bullying us, using position and his 80k stack size. The rest of us were on about 20k. I was aiming to come first and if I could double up here, I could be in pretty good shape once we got 9 handed. He raised to 6k, I decided to move all in so he couldn't outplay me on the flop and abuse his position. I also gave him the choice to fold but as soon as he called, he turned over aq. Exactly what I was afraid of. I figured he would raise with anything so it might as well have been a random hand. The only other hands I would've hated to see more than aq would've been, QQ,KK, or AA. Being dominated I was about 2.5:1 underdog. With JJ I would have only been 2:1 underdog. I was hoping for a coin flip really.
I would've been happy enough to see anything else, even AK.

I played pretty well through out the tournament. Picking my spots, bluffing on dry boards. Floating some players. Creating the illusion of trapping them. Folding when I know I'm beat. I only started stealing blinds when they got to several hundred. One hand which I'm very happy about playing was, having pocket jacks on the button and just limping in. It became 3 handed as the small blind folded and big blind checked with one other caller. my dream flop came up and it was Jc Jh 10d. The two other players check to me. I decide to bet minimum after about 2 seconds. It looks like a steal. The big blind folds. The other player quick calls. Next card to come up is a 7c. He quickly checks to me. I decide to pause for a little while and raise minimum again making it seem like i'm trying for another steal. The river comes an Ace of clubs. He decides to bet out here, about 1.5 pot size. He obviously hit something strong and I decide to shove my stack all in which is roughly twice his bet. I end up doubling up as he turns over KQo.After that, reaching the money was easy. I didn't really pot bully with my stack because I was constantly getting rags. When I did hit my hands hard, I got more or less as much as I could get.

My error was playing the qj without having a proper read on the Chip leader. Maybe I was tired, but putting all my chips in on a coin flip when I was totally covered was not exactly the best move to make seeing as how my blind was only 1k. the pot was about 10k before I decided to push the 19k into it. I could have picked a better spot. Knowing my weakness in playing shorthanded games, I probably could have waited for someone else to make a stand and then play my strong 9 handed game with position on the big stack. Especially with all the other players with similar stacks, It was quite possible. The difference in pay between 7-10 was not noticeable enough for me to hold out. However, I really should have waited for a pocket pair or better position and play against one of the other medium stacks. These are lessons I will take with me for the next game.

Overall: Little change in money, Buy in $1.25. Return was $1.98.