18 SNG Step 2 Ticket End 6th won Step 2 Ticket 103 Hands Step 2

Payout  1-5 Step 3 Ticket,  6th - Step 2 Ticket, 7-8 Step 1 Ticket.

So-so play early and poor play last couple of hands where I should have been more patience and likely won a Step 3 ticket.

By hand 38 I was down to 600 chips and it was looking like I wasn't going to even make the top 8, but I was able to make a comeback and by hand 73 where we had the final 9 I had 2560 chips. Hands 100, 102 & 103 were my last poorly played ones. Six of us were left and this was the Step 2 to Step 3 bubble.

Hand 100 I'm HJ w/pocket 2's (2c 2s), 4750 chips (3rd highest stack), blinds 200/400. UTG folds and I limp in w/400, CO calls, BTN & SB fold, BB checks. Flop 3h As 8c. BB checks and I bet 800 into the 1400 pot hoping everyone will fold. CO calls & BB folds. Turn 9h. I check & so does the CO. River 5s. We both check again and CO shows Ac Kd. I give up 1200 chips.

Hand 102. I'm BB w/Ah 4s. Action folds to the SB who open raises all-in w/1340 chips. They are the short stack and were playing 6 sessions. With blinds at 200/400 I figure they could go all-in with almost anything so I decide to call. They show Ac 8s. I need a 4 or lots of hearts. The board plays out: 9d 6c 3c 5d 8d. I'm down another 1340 chips with 2210 left ... 5th in stack size to the short stack of 1760.

Hand 103. I don't feel as poorly about this hand as it would be helpful if I could pick up some more chips. I'm the SB w/Qc 10s. Action folds to me and I open raise 2 1/2 BB (1000) to the BB who has 6750 chips. and if all goes well, they'll fold and I'll pick up the 400 BB chips. The BB doesn't really need to challenge me as they have the 2nd highest chips stack. However they decide to call. Flop 4s 7d Qd. I have top pair and 1210 chips left so I decide to go all-in. BB takes a long time deciding and finally calls showing pocket 7's (7c 7h) having hit a set on the flop. :-/ I could use a Q. Turn 5h. River Ah. It's over and I win the Step 2 ticket. Not bad, but it would have been nice to win the Step 3 ticket and with a bit more patience on my part I feel I would have!!