If you're against someone who is overly aggressive, wait until you have a monster, and punish them. For people who are a bit too passive, play aggressive to them, but definitely be wary if they push over you that they probably have you beat. Anyways, I'm sitting at around $650 right now and have definitely learned a lot more about my game and keep trying to improve it each day. I may spend some FPP's some day soon on a book, since I have yet to read anything yet.
Following the jump, you can see a couple hand histories from today's tourneys. And if you are interested, here's a cool link that I got from a friend. I think the beats are catchy and that chick is a crazy cat.
Hand 1 : How you go from split pot to why you shouldn't play A rag in early position. (Ended up bubbling out in 4th in this one.)
PokerStars Game #5314057554: Tournament #26785641, $10+$1 Hold'em No Limit - Level III (25/50) - 2006/06/20 - 20:04:17 (ET)
Table '26785641 1' 9-max Seat #1 is the button
Seat 1: trader17 (645 in chips)
Seat 2: Chimaera666 (3605 in chips)
Seat 4: decipherXL (1030 in chips)
Seat 5: Sethpark (1755 in chips)
Seat 6: phonemanct (1645 in chips)
Seat 7: stacyaces (805 in chips)
Seat 8: Tongey (2490 in chips)
Seat 9: jaad (1525 in chips)
Chimaera666: posts small blind 25
decipherXL: posts big blind 50
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to decipherXL [Ad 3d]
Sethpark: folds
phonemanct: calls 50
stacyaces: folds
Tongey: folds
jaad: folds
trader17: folds
Chimaera666: calls 25
decipherXL: checks
*** FLOP *** [5h 2c 4d]
Chimaera666: bets 100
decipherXL: raises 100 to 200
phonemanct: raises 150 to 350
Chimaera666: folds
decipherXL: raises 630 to 980 and is all-in
phonemanct: calls 630
decipherXL said, "doh"
*** TURN *** [5h 2c 4d] [5d]
*** RIVER *** [5h 2c 4d 5d] [2d]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
decipherXL: shows [Ad 3d] (a straight flush, Ace to Five)
phonemanct: shows [Ac 3s] (a straight, Ace to Five)
decipherXL said, "woo"
decipherXL collected 2210 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 2210 | Rake 0
Board [5h 2c 4d 5d 2d]
Seat 1: trader17 (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: Chimaera666 (small blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 4: decipherXL (big blind) showed [Ad 3d] and won (2210) with a straight flush, Ace to Five
Seat 5: Sethpark folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: phonemanct showed [Ac 3s] and lost with a straight, Ace to Five
Seat 7: stacyaces folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 8: Tongey folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: jaad folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Hand 2 : Getting AA shorthanded can be so costly -- amazing he didn't lose more, but I never had a clue he ever had that strong of a hand. (Ended up 2nd in this one, should have won but he got lucky and doubled up with my KK vs. 33 when he hit a 3 on the flop and all was pushed preflop.)
PokerStars Game #5315413661: Tournament #26790885, $10+$1 Hold'em No Limit - Level VI (100/200) - 2006/06/20 - 22:03:21 (ET)
Table '26790885 1' 9-max Seat #8 is the button
Seat 6: brucep123 (5255 in chips)
Seat 7: decipherXL (7210 in chips)
Seat 8: Matapang (1035 in chips)
brucep123: posts small blind 100
decipherXL: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to decipherXL [Th 9d]
Matapang: folds
brucep123: calls 100
decipherXL: checks
*** FLOP *** [2d 8s 7d]
brucep123: checks
decipherXL: checks
*** TURN *** [2d 8s 7d] [Jc]
brucep123: bets 200
decipherXL: raises 400 to 600
brucep123: calls 400
*** RIVER *** [2d 8s 7d Jc] [4s]
brucep123: checks
decipherXL: bets 1200
brucep123: calls 1200
*** SHOW DOWN ***
decipherXL: shows [Th 9d] (a straight, Seven to Jack)
brucep123: mucks hand
decipherXL collected 4000 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 4000 | Rake 0
Board [2d 8s 7d Jc 4s]
Seat 6: brucep123 (small blind) mucked [Ah As]
Seat 7: decipherXL (big blind) showed [Th 9d] and won (4000) with a straight, Seven to Jack
Seat 8: Matapang (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)