9 SNG Step 3 Ticket End 7th 42 hands

This SNG pays 1-2 Step 4 ticket, 3-4 Step 3 ticket, 5 - Step 2 ticket, 6-7 Step 1 ticket. I won a Step 1 ticket and get to start working up again. :-)

Step 3 seeems to be a much different game than I found at Step 1 and Step 2. There is a lot of folding and limited min raises. There wasn't a lot of post flop betting if I recall correctly as players often just checked to the Turn. Hand 12 we lost our 1st player in an AA vs KK match with A's wining.

Hand 17 I had Ac Qh UTG, I open raised 2 BB (100), UTG+1 called, MP called, HJ folded, CO called, BTN folded, SB & BB folded. A four way pot. Flop 5s 7d 5h. No help to me. All of us checked. Turn 6s. I decided to bet 175 into the 475 ot and MP & CO called. Maybe I should have bet higher, or just checked again. River 8c. I only have Ace high, I check, MP bets 250 into the 1000 pot, the CO & I fold.

Hand 22. I have pocket 8's (8d 8s) in HJ position.   UTG limps in w/50, MP raises to 100, I call, CO, BTN & SB fold, BB & UTG calls. Flop 8c 2d Qh. I hit my set. BB & UTG check, MP bets 100 and I decide to bet the pot of 725. That was probably too big of a bet as everyone folded.

Hand 40 we lose our 2nd person in an AK vs AQ match w/AK winning.

Hand 41. I overplayed my QJ. I'm UTG w/Qs Jc and I open raise 2 BB (200) and I'd be happy if everyone folded.  Action folds to the BB who raises me to 300 and I call. Darn. Flop 5h 8d Jc. I pair my J. BB bets 300 and I raise to 600. BB re-raises all-in which when I call leaves me with only 50 chips. I'm reasonably certain they don't have AA, KK, or QQ. My feeling is they have overcards of some sort like AQ. As it turns out they have Kc Jh. I'd not considered that possibility. :-) They had weaker cards than I expected but still better than mine. My error. Turn 10c. River Ah.

Hand 42 I'm blinded in for my 50 chips. I have 8s 4c to the BTN's 7h 4s. I have an overcard. The board plays out:  Qs 6h 4d 7c Kc. They hit their 7 and I'm finished.

I did feel very tense playing this session, feeling the players here are probably much better players than I am and wondering if I'll be able to even make it in the top 7. Well I did and maybe next time I'll feel less nervous. What will I feel if I ever make it to Step 4?