64 chips

Played in a $5 buy in tourney last night. 1500 starting stack, 12 minute blinds, around 260++ players. Didn't really want to join this but couldn't find anything better.

Managed to double up early on when I limped a Qd9d in the SB with 4 other players. Flop was all low cards diamonds. BINGO. Got an aggressive player betting and I just went along for the ride. Villain showed A10 playing Top pair top kicker.

Middle of the tourney, disaster struck. Had a set rivered by a flush. Then a few hands later, I correctly read a bluff by a bad player so I played my middle pair all in on the flop. He rivers an inside straight draw.

This left me with exactly 64 in chips and blinds were at 100-200. Hahah.

Couldn't really wait for anything but I wanted a chance. Waited for a pot where there were lots of limpers. Finally got one and went all in with 3h5h. Flop got me a three. Then this really aggressive player overbets and scares away all the limpers. He shows A rag and doesn't improve which allowed me to survive and more than quadruple up. It was the correct play by him because there were lots of dead money in the pot and he didn't really care about eliminating me.

A couple of all-ins later, with some luck on my side, I managed to chip up to a semi decent stack that allowed some play (around 8xBB). One play that I find works well in MTTs if you're desperate in chips is to wait for a semi decent hand in late position. Then wait for an aggressive big stack to raise the pot. This usually scares aways everyone. You then push all in. More often than not, he is bluffing and is just trying to steal the blinds so he'll fold. If he calls, you have a good chance of beating him since his range of hands is pretty wide. I did this maybe twice then one aggressive player finally calls my reraise all in and shows 2 face cards against my small pocket pair. And I double up.

I now had a good stack close to average level and we were on the bubble (Top 20 gets paid). Just stayed tight and told myself to fold everything except monsters. Finally one of the midstacks in my table lose 2 successive pots and goes on tilt. And gets the honor of being the bubble boy.

Yeah. ITM. Coming back from 64 in chips. Bwahahahah.

I had about 9xBB at this point. But this is the part where all the low stacks go all in, so it is actually still prudent to stay tight. Just 2 hands later, we were down to 15. And then back to the bubble for the final table.

A super aggressive big stack raises 5xBB. Everybody folds. I was in the BB with KcJc. I push all in. He pauses and chats "What do you have ? AK or AQ, so maybe I'm 40%". He finally calls and shows 10c8c. Nothing flops and I double up. He comments "Stupid call by me".

Yeah. Final Table. Coming back from 64 in chips. Mweheheheheh. And I don't see the player who allowed me to survive.

Finally busted out in 8th when my pocket pair couldn't stand up to an AJ.

At this point, I was more than satisfied. I could have easily busted out middle part. Then again, during the bubble. Then again before the final table. So I'll take 8th and sleep happy. =)