VC Student Poker - cashed!

A bit disappointing to have only come 21st - outdrew A-10 with J-8 but the other guy rivered a straight... anyways got a nice start, had A-K first hand and won a pot to move me up to about 2300, which was nice. It enabled me to limp a few times with small pairs, mostly missed but eventually hit middle set with 6-6. I lead out and get called. I manage to get all my money in with a checkraise on the turn and the other guy has bottom set. Double up to about 4K5. This does me well for a while, the table's aggressive and I stay out of the way until Il_Padrino comes to my table. I find A-Qs in second position and he minraised UTG. I decide to call and see what the flop brings. Q-Q-2 two suits get in. He shoves before I can bet and I call, he has A-K for the flush draw, turn is an A making that irrelevant, up to 8K. Don't have too many cards, fluctuate for a while. Get moved to Wlleiotl's table and he's got a huge stack (but busts near the bubble). Bust someone from Warwick with K-K against A-9, and get up to about 10K. This is good enough to approach the bubble, then have Alex Scott move to the table. Immediately loses a couple of key pots, gets short, then uses a strange strategy of all-in's and controversial calls to move up and down a lot. Have to fold the arlo near the bubble when there's fierce action before it comes to me. Have to fold it again after making the money as I get the suited variety UTG. Key hand comes when Alex minraises then a shortstack moves in for about the same again. For some reason I find a reason to muck A-K (still a couple of people to act behind me who have me covered)... sees A-J against J-8 oops. 8 comes and the 20-20 hindsight says good pass... that's the last of the good cards I get, down to 8K with 600/1200 blinds and I'm the short stack of the tournament, folded round to me in the SB and get called with the hand first described. Arse, but it's another $5 for nothing and it's doubled the free money VC gave me :-)