Step3 - LAPT

I had planned on playing in The Mookie last night, however I fell asleep before it started. Two year olds do this to you. The only thing I played yesterday was my LAPT Step 3. I didn't play a hand until we were at 50/100. I limped from the SB and the BB and CL raised it up 4x and I folded. Point taken. The very next lap I have 1135 and pick-up AsKs from the SB and limp. He raises again to 400 and I take a second for dramatic effect and shove. He snap calls with the A,10. I win the hand and am up to 2270 and the chip lead in one hand.

The next hand I play is at 75/150 with 5 people left and I have a stack of 2195 in the big blind. The button makes a standard shove play for 1200 and I call with the A,J. He shows Q,8. My hand holds and we are down to four people and I have 3500.

About 4 hands later we are down to 3 people and I have around 3200. 3rd place has around 3100. I pick-up K,8 in the SB and make a 3x raise to 600 (100/200 blinds). The 3rd place player shoves for his stack. If I fold here I have 2600 and he moves up to 3700. Not a dire situation but now I have to pick-up a hand against that person to have a good chance to advance. One key decision is that I already have a redo which definitely creates more gambling situations. I decide to call and he shows the 10,4. I win the hand and advance to step 4.

These step tournaments create some interesting situations. I certainly haven't solved them but I am getting a pretty good grasp on what people are thinking in them and it has helped a ton when in marginal situations.