Silver Star MTT 3rd place finish

[usmfan]

cross-posted from MTT:

I'm not a frequent visitor to the MTT section but I figured a brag/thanks thread was in order. I finished 3rd last night in a B&M MTT. This was at the Silver Star Casino in Philadelphia, MS. The buy in was $35 for 900 chips, 15 more for 500 more (5 of which was for the dealers). I started with those 1400. Blinds started 25/50 and increased every 15 minutes. I realize this is kind of a crapshoot blind structure but I was just looking to have fun as I had been killing the 10/20 game there over the weekend. Rebuys were allowed to the first break as well as an add-on. I played off a few chips until close to the first break.

Key hand:
I'm BB with ~t1600. Blinds were 100/200. Folded to the button who limps in and the SB folds. I check my Kh5h. Flop comes J[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 6[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 4[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] I quiver.
I check to the button who bets 200. I smooth call.
Turn is a blank. Check. Button bets 400. I decided to shut it down or get him all-in. I raise all-in for ~1000 more. He thinks and calls.
He turns over Jc6c. River is a blank and I double up.
You may wonder why I just smooth called. I had seen this guy play some really weak hands and he was very passive, except when he had something that he thought was the best hand. Then he would push, usually at the cost of pushing out hands that he dominated and not getting paid for his monster. When he bet low, I put him on at least a J. However, I thought 2 pair was possible given his range of playable hands. I was pretty sure that a flush would have been a push on the turn if not the flop.

The add-on at the break was 25 for 2000 or 50 for 4000. I was at t3300 so I added on another 4000.

Rest of the tourney was fairly standard with some blind stealing versus low stacks. I also got a rush of about 4 hands of KK (twice) AK and JJ right near the middle of the tourney which allowed me to build my stack.

Final table was 10 handed. Blinds were 2/4k. Just about everyone was low stacked relative to the blinds. Fortunately, I seemed to be the only one who understood the concept of fold or push. I picked up the blinds a couple of times. Twice I had position and odds to call all-ins by low stacks. Once I lost and the other time I picked up 2 small stacks in the same hand. I think I had like 82o in the BB with blinds of 6/12k. MP2 pushes all-in for 15 total. SB is all-in for 4k. I call for the add'l. 3k. Flop comes a beatiful x82 rainbow. No help for the others and MHIG.

My biggest mistake of the night was when we were three handed and I had J7o in the BB of 40k. I had 60k behind my BB left. Small blind and I were almost dead even. Chip leader had maybe 40-60k over us. SB pushes. I folded, but in retrospect, I think I should have just pushed back. I was getting about 2.5 to 1 for the call and blinds were prohibitive anyways. Thoughts on that decision are appreciated.

Final hand was A4o. I pushed from the button for 53k. Blinds were then 25/50k, so I knew BB had to call. SB dropped and we went HU. He flipped over K6o and I felt good until the 6 fell on the turn.

All told, I spent 100 on the buyin and addons. Payout was 810. My biggest win to date. I wouldn't have gotten as far as I did if not for the tips that I've read here (read well timed aggressiveness). Thanks to all who post.