Those are nice to drag in, I'm always torn whether to use it as T$ or just play. It is the strongest argument that I have in my head for playing cash games at stars is to build up the FPP to freeroll T$ to play the bigger events. So what did you do?

Well, to me, the FPP are only for tournaments these days as I've gotten all I want out of the FPP store. If they add some new stuff, my tune might change though.

In any case, if I am playing at PS, I generate about 1500FPP every 1-2 weeks (depending on how much). If I am releasing a bonus over there, I can generally do the 600 for that in about 2-3 days of playing - so in other words, I generate a fair amount when I play.

As for the best way to get T$ it probably is the 9 handed SNG for 1500FPP if you can swing it with regularity. The play there is often poor (this coming from 3 shots myself - so take it for what its worth). This one in particular was over in 64 hands - so I was not putting a lot of time in. Compare this to the 500FPP super where 9 entries get in - and there's a lot more work and a much bigger field to work with. The 27 player 500FPP SNG isn't a bad format either though.

I'll probably still play the $200+15 $350k tournament - if only because I dream of hitting that final table. I could easily use it up playing tournaments at a lower level (the $50s or $40s come to mind) - but they just don't hold much interest to me with a free entry to such a large tournament. However, as it happens - this is something I will think about. And probably the most important of all is the fact that the $350k tournament isn't an ideal time for me - so that's probably the driving reason to find a different tourney to enter.

Alright - here's the report of the SNG I played to earn my seat to the $350k this past weekend:

Level I (10/20)

9 players, BB with T5o. MP open raises to 400, cutoff reraises all-in. I fold. MP calls. MP shows TT; cutoff shows K4s. The final board is 5JK4A - so cutoff takes it.
8 players, SB with 92o. MP raises to 60, MP2 and button call. I fold. Flop is 665 with 2 clubs. Checks to the button who pushes, MP calls and MP2 folds. Button shows A3s (clubs) and MP shows 77 (with a club). MP's hand holds up and he doubles up.
7 players, Button with 65o. Folds to cutoff who limps, I limp. SB completes and BB checks. Flop is 9TK - checks around. Turn is an 8 and I fold to a bet of 120.
Cutoff with A9s (clubs). UTG and MP limp, I raise to 80 - both limpers call. Flop is 964 rainbow and they check to me. I bet 220 and they both fold. I'm at 1640.
MP with 97o. Folds to me - I fold. (Everyone folds - BB takes it).
UTG+1 with K2o. UTG raises to 120. I fold. Cutoff reraises all-in. UTG folds.
UTG with Q2s. I fold. (Everyone folds - BB takes it).
BB with KK. UTG and cutoff limp. SB raises to 240. I reraise to 660. UTG and cutoff call. Flop is 4JQ with 2 diamonds. SB bets all-in (710). I reraise allin (to 980). UTG folds. SB shows AQo. My kings hold up. I'm at 3690.
6 players, Button with 72o. UTG, UTG+1 and SB limp. BB checks. Flop is KK8. Checks to UTG+1 who bets 60 - everyone folds.
Cutoff with AQs (diamonds). I open raise to 100. Button reraises all-in to 780. Folds back to me - I call. Final board is 258A3 (with 2 diamonds...). I'm at 2910.
UTG+1 with K5o. UTG limps, I fold, Cutoff limps, SB completes. BB raises to 100 - everyone calls. Flop is J99 (2 spades). BB bets 80, only cutoff calls. Turn is a 5 and BB bets 100 - cutoff calls. Ruver is a 7 and BB checks. Cutoff bets 580 and BB folds.
UTG with 44. I limp. SB completes and BB checks. Flop is 57K with 2 spades and they check to me. I bet 60 and they both folds. I'm at 2950.

Level II (15/30)

BB with 53o. Button limps, SB folds, I check. Flop is 8JQ and we both check. Turn is a 9 and I check-fold to a 60 bet.
SB with K4o. UTG+1 and cutoff limp. I fold. BB checks. Flop is 29J with 2 spades. UTG+1 bets 60 and they both fold.
Button with 42o. UTG+1 limps, I fold. SB completes and BB raises to 150. UTG+1 calls, SB folds. Flop is A24 and they both check. Turn is a K and BB leads for 120. UTG+1 folds.
Cutoff with 97o. UTG limps, SB raises to 90, BB folds and UTG calls. Flop is AK9 (2 diamonds) and they both check. Turn is the 4d. SB bets 150 and UTG calls. River is the Kd and SB bets 150 - UTG calls. SB shows A9o (no diamond) and UTG shows A7o (no diamond) - so they split.
UTG+1 with AJo. UTG folds, I raise to 120. Cutoff calls and BB calls. Flop is 268 with 2 hearts. BB checks, I bet 120 - they both call. Turn is an offsuit 3 and we all check. River is a 5 and BB leads for 180. I fold (so does cutoff). I'm at 2665.
UTG with A9o. I limp in, Cutoff raises to 120. BB calls - I call. Flop is KJJ and I check fold to a bet of 90 from Cutoff.
BB with A5o. Folds to SB who pushes. (He has me covered by 50). I fold. He claims "I had it" - which I don't care...
SB with 64o. Cutoff limps and Button pushes (same guy as last hand). BB calls all-in (1740) and the limper folds. BB shows QJo and button shows 96s. QJo holds up when it gets a jack on the flop and the button is now pretty short stacked - good job buddy...
Button with K7o. UTG, UTG+1 limp; SB completes and BB checks. Flop is 46K with 2 clubs. BB leads for 30 and UTG raises to 120. SB and BB both call. Turn is a 3 and UTG bets 540. They both fold.
Cutoff with 54o. UTG limps, button raises to 180 - UTG calls. Flop is 984. UTG checks, button bets 150 - UTG calls. Turn is a 7 and UTG bets 150 - button calls. River is a 5 and they both check. UTG shows QJo and button shows AKo.
UTG+1 with A4s (spades). I open raise to 120. BB calls. Flop is J92 with 2 clubs. BB checks, I bet 120 - he folds. I'm at 2635.
UTG with 76o - I fold. SB completes and BB pushes allin to 855. SB folds.
BB with JJ. Button limps, I raise to 480 - he folds. (The 480 here was purely by accident... meant to do 150... don't ask me how I screwed that one up...).
SB with 75o. UTG+1 limps and button pushes all-in to 870. UTG+1 calls. UTG+1 shows KQo and Button shows QJo. KQo holds up and knocks out another player.

Level III (25/50)

5 players, Button with 85s (clubs). Cutoff limps, BB checks. Flop is AQ3 with 2 clubs. BB checks-folds to a 50 bet from Cutoff.
Cutoff with K6o. UTG min raises to 100. Button calls, BB pushes all=in to 2560. Everyone folds.
UTG with A7o. I raise to 200. Cutoff calls. Flop is 279 rainbow. I bet out 300 - he calls. Turn is a 3 and I bet 800 - he folds. I'm at 3240.
BB with 66. UTG limps, SB completes, I check. Flop is 67J. SB bets 50, I raise to 300. They both fold.
SB with J4s. Folds to me, I complete. BB checks. We both check it down - final board of A8568 and he takes it with KTo.
Button with QQ. I raise to 200, both blinds fold. I'm at 3415.
Cutoff with 86o. Button raises to 100 - both blinds fold.
UTG with 75o. I fold.
BB with J4o. UTG min raises to 100. SB calls, I call as well. Flop is AAT. I check-fold to 300 bet from UTG.
SB with A5o. I open raise to 200, BB calls (has me covered by 200). Flop is 77A with 2 hearts. I bet 200 - he folds.
Button with 95o. I fold.
Cutoff with 32o. I fold.
UTG with Q3o. I fold.
BB with J4o. SB completes, I check. Flop is J47 with 2 spades. SB bets 50, I raise to 200 - he calls. Turn is a K, he bets 50, I raise to 900. He folds. I'm at 3815.
SB with QQ. I open raise to 200. BB calls. Flop is 24J with 2 clubs. I bet 200, he calls. Turn is a queen and I bet 600 - he calls. River is the 2c (making the flush - but making my boat). I bet 1000, he pushes all in for 2405 - I call. He has A5s (clubs) and I take it down. I'm at 7220.
4 players - I have 7220. Player to my left has 1765; Player to my right has 1855 and Middle player has 2660.
Button with 54 - I fold.
UTG with A8s. I raise to 200, SB calls (2610). Flop is Q85 with 2 diamonds. SB checks, I bet 200 - he folds. I'm at 7470.
BB with ATo. UTG raises to 250. I call. Flop is KQ5 with 2 spades. I check-fold to a 200 bet from UTG.

Level IV (50/100)

SB with 97o. UTG raises to 300 - I fold.
Button with J8s. UTG raises to 300 - I fold.
UTG with TT. I raise to 500. BB reraises to 900 (min reraise). I push - he calls. He has AJo. Final board is 6QTJA and I take the pot.

3 players. I have 9150, LHO has 1940; RHO has 2410.
SB with 42o. UTG raises to 400. I fold.
Button with T2o. I fold.
BB with J6s - they both fold to me.
SB with 53o. UTG folds, I complete and BB checks. Flop is 2JK - we both check. Turn is a 5 and I bet 200 - he calls. River is an 8 - I check-fold to his all-in.
UTG with KTo. I raise to 400, SB raises all-in to 2040. I fold.
BB with K8s. SB raises to 500, I call. Flop is 66J, he pushes all-in to 2010. I fold.
SB with QJo. I raise to 2500 - BB folds.
UTG with 93s. I fold.
BB with T8o. UTG raises allin to 1540. I fold.
SB with T8o. UTG raises to 400. I fold.
UTG with T7o. I fold.
BB with J4s. UTG raises to 1490. I fold.
SB with J4o. UTG raises to 400. I fold. (Notice a pattern yet...)
UTG with Q5o - I fold. SB completes and BB checks. Flop is 249 - all spades. SB bets 100 and BB calls. Turn is the and SB pushes. BB calls. SB has [6c] and BB has [5d].

2 players. I have 7750. Opponent has 5750.
BB with Q4o - he folds.
SB with J8o. I complete, he checks. Flop is A23 - all hearts. He checks, I bet 300 - he folds.
BB with QQ. He raises to 300, I reraise to 1000 - he calls. Flop is AQ3. I lead for 700, he min raises to 1400. I push - he calls. He shows KQo. He's done.

I'm not saying it was a bad call on this table with how it was playing and I definitely see the advantage of calling. If you didn't win, you might be looking back on that hand as one of the reasons why you didn't. If you did win the AQ hand and the tourney, you might be looking back at that hand as the reason why.