playing better and the sunday million

After another dissapointing week on the tables, I took a small break and started playing smaller more focused sessions. I only had a few W$ left in my account so attempted some more step ones, this time running a lot better getting all the way up to step 4 on my first attempt. With the step 4, you can either continue to try and turn into a WSOP seat or play the sunday million. I chose the million.

Seeing as it's 11pm and it started at 9.30pm, I can't say it went as planned but I think I played well so i'm fine with it. Haven't really discussed many hands in my blog so I'll go through the one's I played. Early on, blinds 25-50, i'm on the button with AJ and raise to 150, sb folds & the BB re-raises small to 350. I call and the flop is A Q 10. He bets 500. I try a small raise to see where I am, and he pushes so it's an easy fold. Down to about 8k....

Still at 25-50, I open with Jc10c in MP and get 3 callers. It turns into quite an interesting hand. What's my move on the flop?

PokerStars Game #29105894708: Tournament #167588029, $200+$15 Hold'em No Limit - Level I (25/50) - 2009/06/07 16:39:17 ET
Table '167588029 525' 9-max Seat #7 is the button
Seat 1: gray31 (9725 in chips)
Seat 3: AUSTRIA-1000 (9900 in chips) is sitting out
Seat 4: Playing A (8500 in chips)
Seat 5: effendi11 (11125 in chips)
Seat 7: Krisrom06 (11025 in chips)
Seat 8: melikman (9800 in chips)
Seat 9: Hatts83 (9925 in chips)
melikman: posts small blind 25
Hatts83: posts big blind 50
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Playing A [Jc Tc]
gray31: folds
AUSTRIA-1000: folds
Playing A: raises 100 to 150
effendi11: calls 150
Krisrom06: calls 150
melikman: calls 125
Hatts83: folds
*** FLOP *** [6d Th Ts]
melikman: checks
Playing A: bets 250
effendi11: raises 550 to 800
Krisrom06: calls 800
melikman: calls 800

My move...?

Moving on, at 50-100 I open with KQ in MP and the SB calls. The flop is 7-2-2, he checks, I c-bet 500 and he makes it 1200. I really just didn't believe him here, and grew some balls and shoved it in. He folds quickly....phewww...Back up to starting stack.

I then get a bit of a card rush and get my stack up to 13k at the first break. At 150-300 I get AA in MP and make my standard small raise of 750. I get called on the button and in the BB. The flop is pretty ideal J 7 3- two diamonds. I bet 1200 and the button then makes it 5200, with 5k behind. I push and he calls and shows KK. Ideal. But the sick two outer comes on the river. Would of been sweet to have a big stack on the table at a low level but that's poker. I'd been running pretty hot in other game uptil then it just so happens that variance catches up on the big game.

On a more positive note I'm feeling alot more confident when I'm playing and really feel like I can take down a tournie when I'm in it. Just need to build the roll now and keep pushing for the big result I know will come.