Finally, a little MORE hope!

Played yet another $4.40 180 man SNG today to see if I can keep the streak alive. Started out the usual, building my stack up nice in the first hour and sitting in the middle of the pack come the first break. No big hands to speak of, nor that I remember, just some small ball and picking up pots here and there and avoiding any crazy situations. That seems to be the key.

2nd hour was good as well. I was on a pretty passive table and used some aggression to push people around and when it got down to 11 things got interesting. UTG I was dealt 33. I limped as I do with most small pairs hoping to see a cheap flop. This table was not very scary in terms of skill so I was willing to call a raise if I felt it was a player I could play post flop against. Only the SB and BB went to the flop unraised. Flop came TJ3. Whoo hoo hit my set. SB bet 2400 and I raised to 4800 hoping to do one of two things. Take the pot or hope he hit something and he will reraise me. He did the latter and went all in for 15.5K more. I called and had him covered. He showed a J9 and my set hung on for the win and we went to the final table and I was the chip leader with around 55K.

I started playing tight once we hit the final table due to not wanting to screw up and just get a feel for how everyone was playing. Yesterday the action was brutal so I hoped to see a few people exit quickly. That was not the case. I started playing some hands and was really getting pushed around. There were 7 players left and UTG raised to 6400. I was next looking at AK and decided to not be pushed around and made a donk move of going all in for my remaining 38K. Folded around to the BB who pushed with his remaining 24K and UTG called with his remaining 25K. Damn!

UTG showed AJ and the BB showed JJ. Luckily an Ace hit the river and I was sitting pretty with 5 players left.

When it got three handed I was second in chips but only about 10K behind the chip leader. I made some really bad decisions and at one point I was down to 40K but then this hand came up...1500/3000 blinds, `50 antes, BB with KK. Both players call and I raise to 9000. Button calls and SB folds. Flop comes 256. I check and the button bets 9000 and I reraise all in and get a call. That puts me back in second near the chip leader.

Then a crazy hand I was glad to have gotten out of. Button calls 3000. I raise to 9000 with 99. BB reraises to 15000, button reraises to 24000 and I fold. Button calls and the flop comes 7d 6h 8d. BB checks and button goes all in (shortstack). BB calls and shows Ah Qh. Button shows KK. Th on the turn which would have given me a straight but then the 5h hits the river and we are now heads up but I am now a shortstack.

Couldn't get much going. The cards finally went cold for me. I hung on for about 30 hands but ended up losing with K4 vs 43 on the flop of 234. So all in all I am happy with the finish. Great to be back on a final table after just one day and hopefully the upswing will be here for a little while longer. Thanks for reading!