Casino Tournament

Last night it was time for to take the crew from the Legion for the every 8 weeks and buy them at the casino. With the extras that tagged along there were about 12 of us. The tournament had 34 players that started. The first thing I noticed when I sat down was that they had upped the starting chips from 3000 to 5000 chips. I am kind of surprised because it cut down on how many people reentered during the first hour of play. That meant less money for them in fees and less money for the prize fund. It also changed my how you needed to play in the mid levels of the tournament. I drew table one whicj=h meant that if I didn't get moved I was on what would become the final table. I recognized many of the players at my table from past tournaments as very tight players. There was one young player that it became very obvious quickly that he had not played a lot tournaments. He liked to raise a lot but only doubled the big blind. He called to the river and then folded to most any bet unless he had caught. It was clear that his were chips to win. Early in the tournament I had AK suited in mid position. I would normally raise in this position but he was big blind and I thought he would raise and then I would reraise to get more chips in the pot. Several players stayed in the hand. Flop was 9-7-2 with two diamonds. He made a min bet. Everyone called. King on the turn. He doubled his bet and then I reraised about the size of the pot. I got one other caller besides him. River was a blank, no straights or flushes possible. I made what I would consider a value bet and got one caller and won a nice pot. I know had a decent stack compared to the rest of the table. I tried to play as many hands with the kid as possible with the blinds still low and was able to win several more pots to double up by the first blind level. Then it happened they moved him from my table. I looked at the guy next to my and said damn there goes all our free chips. After that I was pretty much card dead for the next level. Then they broke a table and here he comes back with double the chips he left with. Perfect! Blinds are now getting high and we are down to about 15 players. I need a double up to make the final table. I have about 6000 in chips left and it's not enough. A friend at the table is the big blind and has the short stack at the table with the young in small blind. It is folded to small blind and he limps in and big blind moves all in for a few thousand more. He calls and shows 7-5 off. BB has A-3. Young flops a straight to take my friend out. Very next hand with one big blind only I look down at AQ suited. Everyone folds to me and I push all in expecting to take down the one big blind. Young guy insta calls. Everyone else folds and he turns over QJ suited and goes runner runner for a straight to take me out. LOL! You got to love poker. I did go over to a 3-6 cash game and made $50 very quickly and also won a little on the slots so it was a good trip. As usual I was the last man standing from the Legion group. When I am going to learn and have a last man standing side pot on these trips!