Satellite Fun

Taking the day off following leaving drinks for a colleague who will be sorely, sorely missed, I played through a bit of a hangover in the $3 rebuy satellite today for the Sunday 500K Guaranteed at 4:30. Crazy rebuy crack all-ins and suckouts as I actually spent $27 on rebuys and the add on. It ended up being worth it as by the skin of my teeth I played through 370 players (including an impressive chunk of dead money) to win one one of 19 seats. If anyone would be willing to sweat me on Sunday, I'd appreciate it.

Today was the first time I made it so far in a tourney with one prize level for the top spots. Trying to figure out exactly when to let up and slide into a seat rather than contesting pots is a tricky wrinkle.

I was about 12th in the chip lead with 2x the average with 45 players left, too soon I warranted to let up. Things got rather hairy when my slick got sucked out after being all in preflop against KJs, leaving me hovering between 18th and 22nd place with 27 players left. I was in serious danger of bubbling as all the short stacks but mine kept doubling up. Finally, with the blinds at 4k-8k (shortly to go to 8k-12k) and my stack down to 27k with 4 other short stacks bigger than mine, I found A8s in the small blind with only the limped UTG calling. I figured I was not folding anyone out, but I had the odds to call (1:5.5 with the antes) was likely to bubble out if I didn't get take a shot. The flop hit nicely enough with TPTK and I went all in, getting the UTG to call me with a lower pair and a sweetly dominated ace. It held up nicely:



That was enough as all that I had to do from there was wait for the last bust outs and in I was. I probably was about 17th of the 19 winners, but no extra glory as we all came in first: