Something of a hiatus ...

Yet another break between posts (sorry UBM! :p) but this time it has been becuase I havent been playing much. Not through design, but through the fact that the extensions to my house are nearing completion, plus work was in overdrive and there just hasnt been the time or opportunity to play seriously.

That said I haven't given up playing altogether and have managed a few sessions here and there. But given all the other things going on I haven't felt like playing extended NL cash sessions - so I've been tinkering with other games and formats. Mostly I've been playing cheap - $6.50 - HORSE SnG's, which I have been really enjoying. I particularly enjoy the O8/b and Razz levels, but my Seven Stud needs work ... I think I might be laying down hands to easily there. Overall I've been doing OK at it - one I came back from $33 in chips with all the table still remaining and still managed to get second !

But the last two days I've decided to give the Stars $4.40 180's a crack again. I've played about 20 of these before now, and had only two minor cashes, and no Final Tables. The play in these is often awful and I am always going out in about 90th to a sick beat or getting down to the last 30 or 40 and having to push the short stack. Primarily I had been playing tight early and not having many hands hold up. I decided to try a different strategy this time though, playing a little looser in position and being much more willing to either build a stack or bust early and move on. Its worked - played three in the last two days for two final tables, an eight place and an oh so close second.

In the last one where I came second, I got lucky early on. I raised in the CO with QTo, and was called by the Button, SB and BB. Flop comes Q x x rainbow, both x cards lower than ten. I bet 2/3 pot, everyone folds but the BB. Turn is another rag, so I jam, get called by the BB who of course shows AQ. But the river is a ten and I bust him and am immediately up to 3000. Not so sure if my play was that hot here - but I figured his range was wide in the BB, he could have a worse Q or even middle pair - you see people go broke with these often in these tourneys. Of course he could have had two pair or a set or a better queen but I figure this is where I have been going wrong with these, being tentative in the early levels and then having to nurse a short stack for an hour before eventually leaving with nothing. So I went for it and sucked out this time, and never looked back.

I hovered around the top third for most of the tourney, then called OTB with 55 after three limpers with about 30 players left. Flop comes 3 5 7 rainbow, everyone checks to me, I bet, the BB goes all in, the rest fold and I call. He shows 33 and I double up to chip lead. From there I was in the top five all the way home. Got to HU with a 3 to 1 chip disadvantage though as my opp busted the 3rd and 4th guys in rapid succession. HU I enjoyed and felt I was a real chance, I had the measure of this guy as he seemed to very much only bet past the turn when he had the goods. I managed to get it back to almost even in chips before I lost a big pot with AJ vs AQ. Worked it back a little then busted out when I raised Q4s OTB, he calls, I flop the Q, we get it all in, he shows Kx but makes the straight on the river.

All good fun - I'll have to think about whether to continue for a while with the tournies or head back to cash once I get more time to play.