This is a $2 NL HE multi on Pokerstars. There's 1124 players and it pays out to 99 players. First place is around $525.

I haven't been playing many tournaments lately, so when I saw a cheap one starting when I logged on last night, I decided to go for it.

In the first level, I steal two sets of blinds, one from the SB when it folds to me and I raise to 3xBB and the BB folds (I had K8o) and another when I raise from MP with ATs to 3xBB and again everyone folds.

On the BB, I pick up 75o. UTG limps and UTG+1 min raises. He gets one caller (I have a few hands against him and his VP$IP is at 62%). The SB folds and I decide to call. UTG calls as well. The flop is 727 with 2 hearts. I lead out for 2xBB (40) into a 170 pot. Only the loose player calls. The turn is the and I decide to check-call here (not really expecting him to be on the flush). He bets 40, I call. The river is a ten and I check-call his 60 bet. I had meant to raise him on the river, but ended up chickening out. He had QJo and I took the pot.

I don't play anything for a little while and about halfway through the 2nd level, I pick up pocket jacks in the BB. There are 4 limpers in plus the SB, so I decide to raise it. There's 180 in the pot if I check, so I decide to pop it to 420 and see if I get any takers (if someone pops me back, I will probably push in and will be fine losing to AA or KK). Everyone folds.

I'm moved to another table or two and end up with KJs in MP. It is folded to me, so I raise to 150 (3xBB). The cutoff, SB and BB all call. The pot is 600. The flop comes KT7 rainbow and both blinds check. I decide to bet 300 (1/2 pot) and only the cutoff calls. The pot is 1200. I have my opponent covered by a whopping ten chips. The turn is a 9 and I just push my stack in (1405), he folds.

Later in level 3, I pick up pocket sevens from the button. With three limpers ahead, I go ahead and limp. The SB completes and the BB checks. The flop is 469 rainbow and they check around to me. I put in a pot bet (300) and they all fold.

I pretty much don't play another hand until the break. At the break, I'm at 2530 which is about average - maybe a little under.

Just after the break, I'm in the SB with A5o. It is folded to the button, who just calls. I complete and the BB checks. The flop is AJ8 and I lead out for 450 (pot). They both fold.

Shortly afterwards, I pick up AKo in MP. UTG raises to 600 (4xBB) - I have him slightly outchipped. I flat call. The flop is 48Q and I fold to his 600 bet.

-- I'm not real fond of the way I played this hand, but I'm not sure what the right course of action should have been. Opinions?

A few hands later, I'm in the SB with 79s and there are two limpers in. I decide to complete and the BB checks. The flop is 479 and I decide to push my stack in (vast overbet) - I get 2 callers. The first has K9o and the other has Q9o. I dodge the kings and queens and triple up.

Just before the end of the level, I'm UTG with aces. I raise to 900 (6xBB) and everyone folds.

-- At the start of this hand, I am just under 6k. If I bet just 600 here and get a caller - I'm not really too happy. I'd much rather put the raise higher and risk just taking the blinds than risk a caller and getting out-flopped with another hand. Although 6k seems like a reasonable stack, there are several at my table above me and a couple right at my chip level. Also, I'm working on varying my raises - not hand dependant, but situation dependant - so this seemed like a reasonable raise to me. I also considered just limping, but didn't in this case.

In level 6, my first hand to play is AQo from MP. UTG limps and I raise it to 1000 (5xBB). Everyone folds.

Just 2 hands later, I get AKo in MP and open raise to 1000 (5xBB). I get one caller from the button. I have him outstacked by about 1000. The flop is K65 with 2 clubs, so I lead for 2k. He pushes and I call (after some thought). He shows KJo and doesn't improve. I'm at 12k now.

3 hands later, I'm in the BB with K8o and a short stack puts in a raise to 600 (3xBB) when his stack is just 1131. He's on the button, so when the SB folds, I push him in. He calls with AJo. I flop a king and turn another and he's out. I'm up to 13k.

By the time the antes start (level 7), I have 12804 in my stack. There is one player above me at the table (19375) and everyone else is 3k-8.5k (except for a 405 stack that is sitting out). The 8k stack is the loose player from the start of the tourney (60%+ VP$IP). I end up sitting out for a few hands (missing AQo - where I would've missed the flop and folded; QJo, T5s, and 73o) - but apparently didn't miss much. When I sit back down though, the big stack makes this comment: "kickers, they matter kids"

I find his statement funny, because the next hand I'm in is AQs from the BB. A short stack in MP pushes all in (to 1655) and it is folded back to me. I call. He shows Q5o. We both flop a queen, but he is out when no 5 shows up. I'm up to 14.5k.

The very next hand, I have QJs in the SB. It folds to me and I complete. The BB checks. He is an aggressive player, and has pushed his stack a couple of times. He and I have not yet tangled though. He has around 6k. The flop is Q38 and I lead off with a pot bet of 600. He raises to 2k and I push enough to set him all in. He deliberates for the full time and then lays down his hand. I'm at 16.9k.

I don't play for a little while and pick up AJo in the BB during level 8. An 8k stack in MP open-raises to 1200 (3xBB) and it folds back to me. Banking on him having a small to mid pair, I call and will push him in if I hit either of my cards. The flop is Q72 and I check fold to a 2400 bet. He shows pocket nines.

In MP, I open raise with A8s to 1600 (4xBB), and pick up the blinds and antes.

The blinds go up to 300/600 with a 50 ante and a little while later, I pick up A8s again. I raise to 1800 (3xBB) from UTG+1 and everyone folds.

I'm in the BB with deuces and there are four limpers to me. I check and the flop is A24 with 2 spades. Not wanting to take any chances - I push my stack in and take the pot. I'm at 17.6k. At this point there's about 120 players left.

In level 10, I'm on the button with K8o and it folds to me. The SB is a huge stack (about 33k), but BB is tiny (2110). I raise to 3200 (4xBB) and the SB folds. BB thinks for a while and then folds as well. I'm back up to 17.2k. I'm moved to another table.

I'm the SB with A6o and it is folded to me. The BB is a medium stack of 7k, so I decide to raise to 4k. He comes over the top and now I'm not too sure about what to do. Its only 3k to call, so I decide to do so and hope he doesn't have a bigger ace. He has KJo. I hit a six on the turn and take the pot. I'm at 23.7k.

In level 11, I pick up aces in the cutoff. There's one limper to me and I decide I'm going to push him in and raise to 13k - everyone folds.

A few hands later, I pick up kings in MP. UTG raises to 3600 (3xBB) with 10k in his stack total. It folds to me, so I raise it to 13k again. He calls all-in and shows AKo. Unfortunately an ace falls on the flop and I get my first major hit of the night. I've still got about 15k with the blinds at 600/1200 and a 75 ante.

A few more hands later and I pick up AQo in MP and open-raise all-in. Only the BB calls (she's got 33k) - and she flips up aces. I don't improve and I'm out in 80th.

Anyone feel like picking this one apart?

/d

You're a bit passive with your AK... If I raised with that hand preflop, and it gets checked to me or I'm first to act, I'm betting the pot most of the time.

I think that basically, unless there's a lot of action before you, you need to raise the pot almost every time with AKo. With AKs you can sometimes just call as your hand is now a bit better 3-4 way.