FTP 40k Guaranteed 3rd pl finish recap

I used to play this tournament regularly when it was the 28/32k. The structure is the same as the 50/50 and the field is a manageable 300+ players on avg. While you might think higher buy-in tournaments have better players in general, the play is only slightly better than your $69+6 buy-in tournament. You will run across some well known pros but, there's still lots of dead money.

Incredibly, two players from my starting table made the final table (Charles Oakley and Kice32). I finished ahead of both. JohnnyBax was at my starting table also and got off to a decent start but, ended up running AK into KK after the 1st break crippling him and was unable to recover.

Like most tournament wins and deep finishes, timing and luck were on my side. I only lost two races. I won every coin flip, a couple of 60/40 races and most of the time got the rest of the table to fold when i shoved.

I got to the 1st break with over T$8k mostly due to these two hands:
http://www.pokerhand.org/?2318807 JsTs vs KdQd
http://www.pokerhand.org/?2318814 QQ vs 66

after the 1st break i took out a player with KQs vs TT
http://www.pokerhand.org/?2318819

I didn't play any big pots after the KQo vs TT hand until after the 2nd break:
http://www.pokerhand.org/?2318825 TPTK is *gold
http://www.pokerhand.org/?2318830 KK vs 77

stubbed my toe running 99 into KK
http://www.pokerhand.org/?2318833

after the 2nd break i got Bowser125 to fold to my push with TT:
http://www.pokerhand.org/?2318835

dubbled with AK vs AT http://www.pokerhand.org/?2318839

QJo is *gold vs KK http://www.pokerhand.org/?2318841 (the only bad beat i laid)

had to fold my monstah 33 to a caller and a push
http://www.pokerhand.org/?2318843

dubbled with 88 vs JTs before the 3rd break
http://www.pokerhand.org/?2318848

short stacked ninja:
http://www.pokerhand.org/?2318851 KTo open shove
http://www.pokerhand.org/?2318855 Q8o shove into a button limper and dubble
http://www.pokerhand.org/?2318857 K6s awww iiinnn
http://www.pokerhand.org/?2318860 JackAce !
http://www.pokerhand.org/?2318862 JackAce is *gold babeee!
http://www.pokerhand.org/?2318866 JackAce steal again YAWN
http://www.pokerhand.org/?2318867 dubble thru with 22 Quack Quack!
http://www.pokerhand.org/?2318871 JackAce really is *gold
http://www.pokerhand.org/?2318875 dubble thru with 99 vs KTs

Back to "real" pokah:
http://www.pokerhand.org/?2318880 how can i fold QTo from the BB??
http://www.pokerhand.org/?2318883 K9o SB steal
http://www.pokerhand.org/?2318889 Kill a shorty with AQs vs A7o

Final Table thoughts. I came into the final table comfortably 3rd in chips with T$130k. One thing that i've come to realize thru all my final table experiences is that alot of players will "crack" or donk out overplaying marginal hands. My final table strategy is to let other players donk out while I move up the payout ladder. I try to maximize value on any big hands. But, I haven't seen many to this point so i play somewhat conservatively letting other guys find the rail.

http://www.pokerhand.org/?2318891 I take down the blinds/antes with 88 in EP
http://www.pokerhand.org/?2318895 I call a shorty's push with 89o from the BB but don't get lucky
http://www.pokerhand.org/?2318900 somehow i don't go broke with AQo
http://www.pokerhand.org/?2318903 take down the blinds/antes with JTs

http://www.pokerhand.org/?2318909 I fold TT on a J-high flop. this hand was a very difficult spot for me. i thought the other guy might be on a draw after the flop but I wasn't willing to gamble with another shorty left at the table and the diff in payouts being $2500 for 6th, $3500 for 5th, $4500 for 4th and $6000 for 3rd. i came into the Final Table 3rd in chips and didn't want to finish lower than 3rd.

here are the chip counts a few orbits later when we're 4-handed:
Seat 1: Loeppenthin (391,517)
Seat 5: KillinKegz (36,034) on fumes
Seat 6: kice32 (201,137)
Seat 7: fitniss (373,312)

I was getting dealt total garbage and had to fold to open raises. Blinds and antes were eating me up and i finally had to jam from the SB with 97o after it was folded to me. BB called with 8-T0 and i got lucky. http://www.pokerhand.org/?2318914

short-stacked button steal with J7o 4-handed http://www.pokerhand.org/?2318918
i dubble thru the guy who's 3rd in chips with KQo vs 99 http://www.pokerhand.org/?2318921
JackAce steal 3-handed http://www.pokerhand.org/?2318922

my final hand. i push from the SB with the tourist after it was folded to me and the BB wakes up with AK. http://www.pokerhand.org/?2318924

So, i got my wish which was to finish in the top 3. But, it took alot of patience and luck to get there.

Lucko uploaded my HH when I was down to the final two tables into pokerXfactor (thanks amigo!). you can view it here. the final table starts at hand 75. My "luck" factor was 20 with the avg luck factor being 50. I'm very fortunate to have finished in 3rd. Now i can take some shots at more WSOP Qualifiers and take a little breather from the low-stakes cash game grind.