Ups and Downs

So far this month has been positive. I need to keep reminding myself that when I have losing sessions. April started off very well. Before the last few days I had already nearly reached my goal of $500. I have since lost over $100 and am down to $345. I have a long ways to go to get where I really want to be. I need to remember to take it in stride.

I made a worthwhile attempt to satellite into the $400k guarantee. I entered a $7 + $0.50 STT super sat to the $50 + $5.

I got lucky early when my 8-8 beat J-J. I didn't play another hand until I pick up 4-4 OTB (On The Button) in an unraised pot. I raise not really wanting a call, but the short stacked BB calls. BB checks the flop and I put him all-in. He calls with Q-10 not giving me credit for anything. The 4's hold up and I am in the chip lead with (6) left. A few hands later someone takes out (2) people and it's down to (4).

A couple hands later I'm in BB w/ K-J. (1) limper and SB calls. I check to see a flop of K-J-9. I take someone out holding K-9. Down to (3). With (3) left I am very aggressive. The short stack is busted and its heads up with pretty even stacks. I have about 30BB so I intend to be somewhat patient as a seat is awarded only to 1st place.

I keep up my aggression and win every pot but (1) in which he re-raised my PF bet all-in. It was only about (5) hands into HU when my 5-5 beat his K-10 (with a 5 on the river) to take 1st place.

Unfortunately the $50 + $5 didn't go very well for me. I didn't really get much for cards, but that wasn't my only problem. I really misjudged this tourney all together. I had really believed I could play very tight and win my seat as ~23% get seats to the $400k. I continued to watch after I was busted to get an idea of where the tourney was when the seats were awarded. I watched Lee Watkinson patiently wait for the bubble.

What I learned from continuing to watch the satellite was that the blinds were nearly the size of the starting stack when the seats were awarded. I learned that I needed to be much more aggressive with some less then premium holding if I was going to last long enough. Otherwise I would just be waiting around hoping my all-in stood up like my first attempt.

This weekend Full Tilt will have a $750k guarantee. The buy in for this event is $500 + $35. A little steep for me to even sat into. So I will try again next week to satellite into the $400k.