There's been a few changes for this season and I'm all for it.  Starting stacks are now 15,000 with an add on of 7,500 at the first break.  All events are no rebuy events.  I love deep stack tournaments because it allows for more post flop play early.  With that said, most of these guys don't understand that concept.  Within the first 7 hands, we probably had about 70K exchange hands.  A guy sits with 13K at the 75/150 level and he thinks he's shortstack.  Calls a raise/reraise with A8 because he had to gamble somewhere, seriously.  Whatev, people play how they want to play. 

I went into this season with a different approach.  Most don't understand complex moves.  Some will just fold there way to the final table.  I planned to play extremely cautious.  Try to play position and play small ball unless I have a monster.  Honestly, these guys will call reraises with J2 just cause its suited and can hit a flush.  Is there really a reason to play a 20K pot in the first 3 hands with blinds 25/50.  NO!  My main goal is to just hand around. 

I never accumulated chips in the tournament.  I think I got has high as 30K at one point but blinds 500/1000, its really not that much.  The only significant hand was when I flopped a set holding  in the BB on a board of .  Turn  and I got someone to pay me off holding trips.  I did manage to make the final table, however only going in with about 20K blinds 1500/3000 and the shortest stack.  I started off in LP, folded to me and I went all in and took down the blinds.  I probably did that half a dozen times without ever having a showdown.  Nearly every single time it was folded to me, I raised.  If certain people limped, I pushed.  I was able to build my stack close to 80K, without a showdown!  4000/8000 level - fold to the button who goes AI for 82,200.  SB folds and I look down at .  Talk about a tough spot.  I HATE calling with this hand.  I don't mind opening, but calling sucks.  I could tell the button was uneasy.  So I started talking, asking him questions.  I concluded he didn't have a strong hand, AJ A10 range or maybe worse.  The only hand I'm really concerned with are QQ, KK, AA as these have me dominated.  Worse case scenario if I'm wrong, is i'm a slight dog and its a coinflip.  I call and he tables  .  SWEET!  I spike an ace on the flop and the board bricks out for him and now I take the chip lead.  Same level I limp in on the button with , SB calls and BB (2nd in chips) checks her option.  Flop  and we all check.  Turn .  SB bets 20K, BB calls, and I raise to 80K.  I felt like I had the best hand and if not, a little semi bluff.  SB folds, and after much deliberation, BB relunctantly calls.  I was very surprised to see her call.  The only real hand I see her calling with is a boat.  Any 3 would have to RR and I just couldn't see her calling with just a 5 or K.  She left herself with 40K.  River  and she goes AI.  Well, if she has it, she has it and I call.  she tabled .  Hmmmm.  Thanks for the chips!  I now have a commanding chip lead with 5 left.  Over 300K with the next closest person 60K.  Once it got down to 3 handed, I still had a good lead with blinds 5K/10K.  Then I doubled up a guy twice when I went in with the best hand.  I then double up the other guy when 77 ran into 99 and all of a sudden, we're all even in chips.  Thats how poker goes right.  We played a few more hands and decided to chop up the money, each getting about 280 and since I was 2nd in chips at the time, I took 2nd in the league standings. 

I was pleased with how I played but a little dissappointed as I felt like I should have taken 1st.  If I win either of those first 2 hands, I would have had something like 450K to 60K in chips.  Instead, my luck went the other way and it is what it is.  My goal this season is to be top 9 in points at the end of the season and sit the final table without having to wild card in.  Baby steps right?

See you at the felt!

TK