Aussie Trek

So round 2 didn't go so well: busted in the first 15 minutes in hand where we were both destined to get it all in on the flop. Short version: in mp I find 77, standard raise; button (played a lot of pots) re-raised (min), I called. Flop: 7AK. I'm prayin' he's got AK here, I bet 3/4 pot, he shoves, I instacall. He turns over AK, trailing my set with only 6 outs. Spikes a K on the river, thnx gg.

Since then, I've final-tabled 2 more of these bingo-tournaments, taking 6th in one and either 7th or 8th in the other, as well as getting to the final 2 twice and making the top 20 about 5 times (I play 2-4 at a time; two last night that started minutes apart I was in the top 15 in both for much of the tournament, until the final 3 where one I busted, and the other was my 6th place finish).

Maybe it's a sick waste of time to try to get into these, but I want to get into next Saturday's Round 2 tourny. If I bust in that I may call it quits, and try some real-money super-satellites for the Aussie prize package ($10,500 buy-in plus air-fare from LA plus 10-days stay at the Crown Casino plus $4500 travel money (if you travel alone, which I would be)). Never been to Australia, might as well give it a go. And hey - if I can do it for free, all the better.

You just have to remember that it's not "real poker" until about the final 2 tables, and you have to take chances - but also minimize the damage you could take. It's a fine-line, but I've been getting deep into a bunch of them so I must've figured something out.