Forced Poker Hiatus/Vacation - RPM Closes

My online poker venue (RPM, a Merge skin) quickly and quietly shut its doors while I was in Tunica. I've been w/o any poker now for over a week, which has been good and bad.

Additionally, RPM pulled out of Poker Maximus before they closed their doors...so no MTTs to prep or play.

I'm assessing options with either Carbon Poker or Aced Poker to transfer current balance, rakeback, and other things. But, there's "VIP points" (like FPPs) that I've lost...

With regards to live play, I've also taken a break, but will be putting in live sessions in the next week or so.
Currently, I'm looking at FL (West Palm Beach - WSOP-C) and LA (LA Poker Classic) as two leading venues in the near future for MTT action.

Tunica Poker Room Notes

Gold Strike Horseshoe Casino, and Roadhouse are within walking distance on "Casino Center Drive".
Hollywood and Sam's Club are close together.
Harrah's is somewhat far from the other poker rooms.

Games running at Gold Strike:

Saturday night had a 5-10-25 PLO game.
Sunday night had a 200 spread limit badugi cash game going.
Sunday night also had 2 10-20 w/ half kill LO8 cash games. They seemed reg infested, so opted to avoid playing.

240 PLO8 MTT at Gold Strike

240 PLO8 MTT at Gold Strike

Hero late registered at the first break (after 3 levels).
10000 starting
blinds starting 25/50

initial reads:
1 - younger player
2 - older player
4 - mentioned he played some/a lot on PS
5 - older fishier player, seemed to like to gamble
6 - originally mid-age young person who wanted to gamble
7 - Andy - mid-30s large Asian
was extremely LAG in the LO8 MTT
8 - originally older person, eventually changed to another older person
9 - hero

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This hand occurred about 5 hands after hero sat down (as late registrant)
Hero UTG: dealt AK92 (AK suited)

hero: limps
one other player limps
sb calls
bb calls

(4 players - 200 in pot)
AKT rainbow
Hero check/folded to single PSB.

Analysis:
Retrospective, this was probably a nitty fold against unknowns. I think I should have called one street possibly...

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About 10 hands into the first level

hero in SB: dealt AA72 (A2 suited)

5 limpers
hero raises to 600 in SB
1 fold
all other players call

(5 players - 3100 in pot)
Flop: Q87 monotone (hero has nut flush blocker)
hero bets 2050
folds to seat 7
seat 7 (Andy) raises pot

Hero tanks for a while. Hero tells villain "You don't have the nuts, unless it's tc 9c xx...", but eventually folds.

Villain says "b/c it's you, i'll show you" - AK43 (K3 suited for flush)

Analysis:
This should have been a smaller bet (maybe 1800 or 1500?), since it's bet/fold and live game where villains don't keep track of pot size.
Should hero ever call for half? No, as villain's raise screams flush since raised preflop/flop aggressor.
7200 in pot + 7200 = 21600
Hero would be calling ~7200 to get 3600 back (and MTT life).

------------
Hero had been kind of tight.
A bit later towards level 5, hero won 1 small pot.

Hero stole one pot when ISOed weak tight player (seat 5) with AKJ4 rainbow
hero cbet flop (K95 rainbow) and villain folds

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Overall Comments about Tournament Field
Lots of limping in general, outside of 2-3 good players who tended to raise. (the players who raised tended to be online players as there were conversations about PLO8 and mixed games).

But, the level of play was pretty bad. Example a fishy player calls flop bet, then turn bet for MTT life.

board: Qx 6h 4h 2d
thinking villain: Ah 7x 4x 3h
fishy villain: AJ93 rainbow
river brings Jx and fishy villain gets 3/4.

No other really interesting hands. Hero maybe played 4 hands in 30-40 hands of MTT.

Seat 7 (Andy) was very aggressive and had some huge swings. Up to 50,000 chips, before giving some back, then rebuilding them up, all while busting 3-4 players. He admitted his very loose, aggressive style.

At second break, Andy was moved to a different table.
Before the table broke, there was maybe 2 raises preflop in ~40 hands, including one folded to BB.

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Also weird, my 25 chips were not colored up and raced off at a break.
Upon reporting to tournament director, he immediately took the chips out of play.
Sigh - should have kept them in my pocket as souvenirs :-P

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7500 at 100/200 break
5950 at 200/400
5500 at 300/600 dinner break

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Player reads after dinner break:

1 - younger player - seemed to be inexperienced
2 - older player; willing to chase player 7's bets for 1/2 the pot
7 - empty seat; Andy was moved to new table which changed the dynamic of the table
8 - eventually got replaced with older person who mincashed in LO8 MTT the day before, but said he'd never played omaha 8 before that time

Summary:
At first table, about half the table raised preflop, but now it's not the case for 2 levels.

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Side comment: Steel wheel sighting in live play!
Seat 4 was kind of fishy. He bet flop/turn (putting self all in) and player in seat 8 called the whole way.
Flop: Ac 2c 6x
Turn: Ac 2c 6x 5c
Seat 4 had 43xx for straight flush.
Seat 8 had 43xx

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hero's stack: 5000 at 400/800 blinds

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Hero on button: dealt AAQ4 (A4 suited)
4 limpers
hero raises to 3000
sb (seat 1) - calls
everyone else folds

(pot = 9200, 2 players)
Flop: 975 (two tone, hero has no flush draw)
villain checks
hero bets 2000 (AI)
villain calls and shows A984 (with flush draw)

turn: 97545 (no flush)
river: 97545 (no flush)

Analysis:
In live play, making smaller raise size to entice people to call seemed best, even though some/most players saw very few raises in general. But, either raise size seems fine.
One caller is fine to flop and getting it in on this board is fairly normal.

hero up to 7200 at 400/800

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Just before the break:

Hero on the button: dealt Ac 3c 3x Ty
2 limpers
Hero limps on the button
SB: calls
BB: checks

(pot = 4000 - 5 players)
Flop: 7c 3s 8h
everyone checks

(pot = 4000 - 5 players)
Turn: 7c 3s 8h 3d
4: bets 2000
7: calls
button: calls

(pot = 10000 - 2 players)
Turn: 7c 3s 8h 3d
4: checks
7: checks
button: bets 4000 (AI)
4: calls
7: calls

Hero shows: AT33
4: shows A2xx (no pair)

Analysis:
Flop: Hero betting on a dynamic board (nuts can change easily by river + possibility of being overset) with a low already out is kind of spewy. On this board texture, building a big pot in position is a mistake.
Turn: By slowplaying turn (not raising to squeeze either player), hero feels it can underrepresent/look like naked low that wants to get to showdown cheaply and bet rivers if checked to.

hero's stack: 7500

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After a level change, these hands occurred back to back. Hero's stack was at 6900 after chopping small pot and blinds passing by 1x or 2x.

Hand 1:
hero dealt: Qs 5s 5c 4h in BB
4 players call (including button and SB)
hero - checks

(5 players - 5000 in pot)
Flop: AJ5 rainbow
SB checks
hero bets 3000
1: calls
4: calls
others fold

(3 players - 14000 in pot)
Turn: AJ5K two tone
hero bets 4400 (all in)
1: calls
4: folds

1: shows 6532

(2 players, 1 all in - 22800)
River: AJ5KT two tone
hero: wins with set of 5s

Analysis:
Flop: This seemed pretty normal. There are very few AAxx that limp preflop. With such short stacks, hero has to accept JJxx in ranges.
Flop bet with 3rd nuts to price out flush/low draws. Higher sets would probably jam the flop before low comes on turn.
Turn: Although gutshot broadway wrap completes on the turn, hero has fold equity + boat outs to bet/call. Equity is ok considering villain's flop call range includes: top set, broadway wraps, low wrap gutshots, random flush draws).

Hero almost triples up to 22800.

---------
Next hand:

hero's stack: 22800 at 500/1000

(7 handed)
Hero in SB: Dealt Ac Qh 5s 3h

folds to button
button: limps
SB (hero): completes
BB: checks

(3 players - 3000)
Flop: J42 monotone (hero has nut flush blocker)
SB: checks
BB: checks
Button: bets 3k
SB: hero tanks, then c/r to 6k.
Button: calls
BB: folds

(2 players - 15000)
Turn: Q42T 3 flush (hero has nut flush blocker)
SB: Hero bets 5k
Button: quickly calls

(2 players - 25000)
River: Q42TJ 4 flush
SB: Hero checks
Button: checks behind

Villain shows Tc 8x 5c 4x (ten high flush)
Hero mucks

Analysis:
Flop: Hero tanked some before min-raising. Bet size seemed ok as some/most villains may fold to flop/turn aggression since it's polarized on flop (although there's a low draw on board).

One likely possibility: Maybe hero overestimated fold equity (if any existed) as villain had folded once when a different villain showed aggression. Villain also seemed to only bet their hands (lock low and bad flushes are 2 examples)
The villain had made a PSB though, so this was a "probably not folding spot".
Hero thought about/fired second barrel on turn, even though not fully analyzing the following:
1. villain has a hand (likely)
2. can villain fold to turn aggression? ...not really likely.

At the end of the day, this was probably a check/fold flop (chasing half is not smart) and fold equity against this straightforward passive villain should have been close to 0...so, this may have been "instinct" rather than evaluating villain and just check/folding.


Hero's Mental State:
Hero's mental state got flustered. Talking to others/tweeting/reviewing mental game of poker "injecting logic notes" eventually helped to subside the "mistake tilt" factor.

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hero's stack at 500/1000 level break - 11200

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off topic after 500/1000 level
a "sub floor" thought all 100 chips should be colored up.
luckily, hero was able to tell floor (and ask dealers) to stop by showing that there are 600/1200, 800/1600 levels.

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Table change:
About 10 hands pass (between the misplay and the break).
As hero was putting chips in rack, hero grabbed too many and they dropped onto seat and floor.
15 seconds later, the same thing happened to another player at my table.
This other player thought they had more chips than they ended up finding.
Eventually, hero walked over to verify and came to conclusion that one of the dropped chips that were found were actually other players...
Hero had about 11k in chips.

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At new table, only 1 player (seat 1) was recognizable as a nitty, middle-aged person with glasses who was at 1st PLO8 table and was at LO8 MTT yesterday, playing similar nitty style.

This hand takes place 3 hands after moving to this table.

Hero dealt UTG: AQ53 (A3, Q5 double suited).
Hero raises to 2.5k
other players fold
button calls
other players fold

(2 players - 6500)
Flop: Q85 two tone (hero has no flush draw)
hero: bets 4000
v: calls

(2 players - 14500)
Turn: Q854 two tone
hero: bets 3500 (AI)
v: calls and shows AT92 (no flush draw)

(2 players - 1 all in, 21500)
River: Q854J (flush draw misses.

Analysis:
All of this seemed pretty normal. No reads on villain, but probably fishy based on this play. Villain peeled lightly with naked nut low draw...
FWIW, hero can scoop if villain's low is counterfeited (5 cards)
Hero is scooped if villain hits gutshot (4 cards).

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Hero out in 25th of 73 runners.

This field seemed a little bit tougher than the LO8 MTT based on table draws/reshuffling after table breaks (a couple internet players were at first table), but 50% of field still seemed very bad.

240 LO8 MTT at Gold Strike

240 LO8 MTT at Gold Strike

Hero late registered at the first break (after 3 levels).
10000 starting
hero had 9400 after registering
Limits: 200/400

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4th hand after the break:
Hero dealt on the button: A843 (A3 suited)

2 limpers
hero: raises
SB: calls
BB: calls
2 limpers call

(5 players - 4000 in pot)
flop: 767 two tone (hero has no flush draw)
everyone checks
hero checks behind

(5 players - 4000 in pot)
turn: 767T two tone (hero has no flush draw)
everyone checks
hero checks behind

(5 players - 4000 in pot)
river: 767T8 completing flush (hero does not have flush)
everyone checks
hero bets 800
everyone folds

Hero mucks hand, but hits the dealer as he's scooping up all the cards. All cards turn immediately face up, and 2 players mention "Wow, look! He's trying to cover up his cards because it was a bluff." The other half of the table didn't see it.

Analysis:
Flop: Betting this seems really spewy multiway.
Turn: A turn bet might actually take it down sometimes since everyone's shown weakness.
River: This seems mandatory.

Hand turned faceup:
LOL - This was a great "image play" to further affirm - as hero was only person under 30. The only problem is hero didn't get a chance to enter in too many pots as VPIP for the next 3-4 orbits....Sadly, no chances to "value bet thinner", although one would do this anyway in a limit game.

------------
Player reads prior to next hand:
3 - Seemed rather nitty (similar to hero's playing style)
8 - Seemed competent. Talked a bit about PLO/PLO8 mix that happened in STL.
9 - Seemed to care more about playing other MTTs

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Hero dealt in LP: Ac 7c 3d 2d

3: limp
4: raise
2 other players call
hero: calls
sb: folds
bb: folds
3: calls

(pot = 2000 - 5 players)
flop: T97 rainbow
all players check

(pot = 2000 - 5 players)
turn: T978 two tone
2 players check
7: bets
1 player folds
hero: calls
2 players call

(pot = 5200 - 4 players)
river: T9785 (no flush completes)
7: bets
hero: calls
2 folds

7: shows AKQJ rainbow
hero: shows A932

7 and hero chop pot

Analysis:
Flop: Check with no hand/backdoor nut low draw.
Turn: There was a really good likelihood that both players behind would call. They seemed very loose and not really great. Since they were also loose, the likelihood of A2xx (and quartering hero) is much less.
River: Same as turn. This is a "pull hand" to get people to stay in the pot to get half of each player's money (hopefully).

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hero's stack at dinner break:
12150 @ 250/500 blinds; 500/1000 limits

The MTT structure called for a color up chip break 10 minutes after dinner ended.
Dinner was from 7:30-8:30.
Color up occurred after the 500/1000 level ended at 8:40.
It sucked as that means the tournament runs longer, but it turned out to help hero refocus.

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Hero gets moved to a new table. Hero stole 1 pot a couple hands after sitting at new table.
Hero did isolate one weaker limper and stole the pot. It was a 2 high board (like KT7 two tone) and cbet the flop/villain folded.

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This occurred 1 hand later after winning previous pot.
Hero dealt in CO: AK 62 (AK suited).

2 limpers
hero: raises
sb: calls
bb: calls
2 limpers: call

(5 players - 3000 in pot)
Flop: A75 rainbow
all players check

(5 players - 3000 in pot)
Turn: A755 rainbow
all players check

(5 players - 3000 in pot)
River: A755A rainbow
2 checks
1 player bets
hero calls
all other players fold

1 player shows 32xx (no high)
hero shows AKxx

Hero chops pot.

Analysis: Hero calling on end with top trips is fine. Most boats would probably have went for value on the turn...
Hero's stack: 14900

------------
blinds: 500/1000; limits 1000/2000

hero dealt in mp: AK92 (A2 suited)
CO: ~4000
BB: ~12000

folds to hero
hero: raises
2 folds
CO (short stack - 4 preflop bets): calls
button: 3 bets
hero: tanks, then reraises
CO: calls (AI)
button: calls

(3 players, 1 all in - 12000 in pot)
flop: KQJ rainbow
hero: bets
villain: calls

(3 players, 1 all in - 14000 in pot)
turn: KQJA two tone
hero: checks
villain: checks

(3 players, 1 all in - 14000 in pot)
KQJAQ two tone
hero: bets
villain: folds

hero shows AK92
AI villain: mucks
hero: scoops pot

Analysis:
Preflop: It's not ideal to have lots of bets behind (4 big bets/8000) and be out of position. 4 betting to get villain all in versus flat calling is a good discussion. Personally, it's better to 4bet and show aggression as it overrepresents hero's hand (which is good in limit).
Flop: Hero bets entire range, villain calls because large pot. Feels like villain has a pair here, maybe even bad 2 pair.
Turn: 4 straight on board should slow down hero (who could be betting sets on flop) (and villain if villain does not have straight).
River: Bet is mandatory to rep a boat and get better hands to hero (like straights and bad 2 pairs) to fold.

Hero's stack: 22300

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Overall, this new table seemed even softer and there was hope that table would not break too soon.
There was even one spot where it folded to villain in BB and they got a walk!
There was a small mental miscue when hero limp/folded KKJ9 on "orphaned" pot where flop was 2 high/1 low (like QJ5 two tone) that hero could have stolen as pot was 3 handed and neither villain showed strength.

hero's stack: 19000 at 1000/1500 blinds; 1500/3000 limits

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Hero dealt on button: AA73 (A7 suited)

2 limpers
Hero: raises
SB: folds
BB: folds
2 limpers: call

(3 players - 6000 in pot)
Flop: K8649 (two tone)
2 players check
hero: bets
2 players call

(3 players - 10500 in pot)
Turn: K8649 (two tone)
2 players check
hero: bets
v1: raises
v2: folds
hero: calls

River: K8649 (two tone)
v1: bets
hero: calls

Villain shows: 75xx (no low)
Hero shows: AA73

Chop Pot

Analysis:
Preflop/Flop are standard to raise and bet for value.
The turn check raise on 3 low board indicates the (likely) nuts. As it turns out, that was exactly right.
Sadly, this wasn't PLO8 and hero could get all in on the flop.

Hero's stack: 21100

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Villain (v1) was a tighter player.
Villain (v2) in this hand was very aggressive pre/post flop. Also, villain was loose and aggressive both preflop and postflop. This player also seemed to be observant.

hero in CO: dealt AA97 (Ah9h, Ad7d double suited)

folds to v1
v1: raises
v2: calls
hero: thinks for a bit, motions to raise, but then only calls.

(3 players - 7000 in pot)
flop: 9h 7h 3d (hero has nut flush blocker and back door nut flush draw)
v1: bets
v2: calls
hero: raises
v1: folds
v2: calls

(2 players - 14500 in pot)
turn: 9h 7h 3d 9d (hero has nut flush blocker)
v2: checks
hero: bets
v2: raises
hero: raises
v2: raises
hero: caps
v2: calls

(2 players - 44500 in pot)
river: 9h 7h 3d 9d 4s (hero has nut flush blocker)
hero only has 1500 left
v2: bets
hero: calls (AI)

Analysis:
Preflop: Maybe this is an automatic raise with double suited aces, even without a good low (wheel) card.
Flop: Top 2 plus nut flush blocking opportunities and to price out low draw is ideal.
Turn: This was a really good turn card. From villain's perspective, hero may go crazy with AAxx here too. But, with 5 bets going in, it just screams at least a 9, if not full boat.
River: Hero bets AI always.

Other notes:
1. Hero made a mistake by hesitating! It actually turned out well though as villain 2 may not have bet so aggressively.
2. After the hand, v2 (Andy, a middle-aged Asian player) said: "I saw you hesitate and put you on AAxx. But I didn't know your side cards."

hero doubles up to 47500

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Hero in HJ: dealt QQ87 (Q8, Q7 double suited)
v2: same villain from previous hand

2 limpers
hero limps
button: limps
sb: folds
bb: checks

(5 players - 7500 in pot)
Flop: AKQ (rainbow; hero has back door flush draw)
v1: bets
v2: calls
v3: folds
hero: calls
button: calls

(4 players - 13500 in pot)
Turn: AKQ3 (two tone; hero has Q high flush draw)
v1: bets
v2: calls
hero: calls
button: folds

(3 players - 22500 in pot)
River: AKQ34 (3 flush; hero has Q high flush)
v1: checks
v2: checks
hero: bets
v1: gets mad and folds
v2: calls

v2: shows KT98 (king high flush, no low)
hero: folds

Analysis:
Preflop: An argument can be made for folding as well. Only 1 nuttish component (QQxx for set value) exist with this hand although double suited are good blockers.
Flop: Betting villain seemed passive, so likely villain has the nuts (made straight). Raising is out of the question since villain's range in MW pot betting OOP is very often the nuts (JTxx). Hero is drawing in huge pot where if hero gets boat is likely best.
Turn: Backdoor flush draw adds to hero's equity, although flush draw may not be good and there could be some small reverse implied odds. If flush draw is likely good for high if it hits, this gives enough implied/expressed odds to call.
River: Value bet seemed about right as no one showed aggression on flushing river. A lot of worse hands can make crying calls, while hero can likely fold if c/r by (what is likely) the nut flush.
Villain 2 was scared of hero having nut flush and did not bet it...Villain 2 was aggressive, but smart player. However, value bet seems better from his perspective to get worse hands with crying call getting decent pot odds and flush coming backdoor.
Overall: It seemed like a cooler to see 2nd nut flush check/call.

hero's stack: 28k

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Hero in BB: Dealt A997 (9d 7d suited)

3 calls (including button)
hero: checks

(4 players - 6000 in pot)
Flop: Kd Td 4d (hero has 9 high flush)
hero checks
bad loose player bets
2 folds
1 call

(2 players - 12000 in pot)
Turn: Kd Td 4d 5c
2 checks

(2 players - 12000 in pot)
River: Kd Td 4d 5c Jh
2 checks

Villain (who bet) has 8d 6d x x (8 high flush)
Other villain mucks.

Analysis:
Folding an 9 high flush seems ok in a MW (4 player) pot, but maybe it's too nitty OOP against random aggressive fish who could be betting very wide on flop (possibly sets?).
It suffers from reverse implied odds.
All villains seemed to play straightforward (although bad), so there's a lot of better flushes.
Conserving chips by playing a pot OOP with reverse implied odds seems really bad...thus, the reason for folding on the flop.

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Hero in BB: dealt AKK3 (A3 suited)
MP: older player who seemed somewhat tight and had not been to showdown since hero was at table

MP: raises
folds to hero
hero: reraises
MP: calls

(2 players - 9000 in pot)
Flop: J64 rainbow
Hero: bets
MP: calls

(2 players - 13000 in pot)
Turn: J64 rainbow
Hero: bets
MP: calls

(2 players - 21000 in pot)
River: J6453 rainbow
Hero: checks
MP: checks

MP: Shows KKT5
Hero gets 3/4 pot

Analysis:
Preflop/Flop: This seems ok.
Turn: This may be a spew, since there's not too many hands that hero beats that call. But it might be a limit/pot limit distinction where hero bets turn in limit, but rarely bets turn in PL.
River: It feels like a check/fold as villain's range has a lot of A2xx that backed into a wheel and would bet. It seems less like 6/7/8 high straights w/o lows as many would have bet/raised the turn, IMO.

Hero's stack: 30k

------------
Villain (v1) in this hand was a bad maniac who seemed to just chase with any sort of draw in HU/3 way situations. V2 is an unknown.

hero on button: dealt AKK7 (A7 suited)

v1: raises
v2: calls
hero: calls
sb: folds
bb: folds

(3 players - 12000 in pot)
flop: KT6 two tone
v1: bets
hero: raises
v2: folds
v1: calls

(2 players - 20000 in pot)
turn: KT68 (two tone)
v1: bets
hero: raises
v1: calls

(2 players - 36000 in pot)
river: KT682 (no flush completes)
v1: checks
hero: bets
v1: calls

Villain: Had ATT5 ss!

Analysis:
Preflop: KKxx set mining value
Flop: Mandatory raise for value with nuts.
Turn: Same as flop.
This villain had very little idea of what he was doing. The villain flop/turn bets make little sense. Hero was raising for value on flop/turn
River: River bet seems good as villain's range is extremely wide with many worse high hands (sets/2 pairs) that could call. Although villain could have a low (in which case bet has no value) or QJxx...

Hero's stack = 29k.

------------
Hero's stack: 28k at 2k/4k blinds; 4k/8k limits
Hero dealt in BB: Ad Tx 6y 5d

folds to button
Button: limps
SB: completes
BB: hero checks

(3 players - pot = 12k)
Flop: Qc 4d 2s
SB: checks
BB (hero): checks
Button: bets
SB: folds
hero: raises
Button: calls

(2 players - pot = 28k)
Turn: Qc 4d 2s 9h
hero: bets
Button: calls

(2 players - pot = 40k)
River: Qc 4d 2s 9h 9d
hero: bets
Button: Says "I have to call, the pot is too big".
Button shows: 44xx (naked middle set, no low)
Hero's out in 19th.

Analysis:
Flop: This seemed about right. It would have been better to have a pair, but gutshot + nfd + 2nd nut low draw seemed really great.
Strength of the line might get villain to fold...
But, the problem is that villain seemed to play straightforward and was weak-tight.
Villain betting flop reps strength/made hand - although range could be [2 pairs+sets].
River: Firing River barrel is important because sets (that became boats) would do same thing + it may fold out some better hands (such as naked pair+ draws that missed (like top pair with oesd or low draw)).

------------
Hero out in 19th of 87 runners. The tournament stopped and 2 table redraw occurred.

Post Analysis: After talking with a tournament player the next day, the players agreed to pay 2x buyin after they got down to 18 players :(