Fifty First of One Hundred Seventy Eight

Wow, what a turnout today. I expected maybe ninety to a hundred players an ended up looking at nearly double that amount. Got there too early so I grabbed a poker magazine until sign up time. Walked the floor and glanced at all the cash games going on from one/two limit stud and hold'em up to three hundred buy in no limit mixed games. It was all too overwhelming, so I just concentrated on the tournament that I came to play. Am glad I dressed warm for they kept the room cold today. After a good read, went and signed up and then went to my assigned table and read some more. Talked with a few players I knew as they passed by, one of them pointing out the loud mouth at the next table that reached his first final table yesterday, and was now telling others how to play the game to be as good as him. I just chuckled. I don't even remember my first time reaching a final table, though it is probably in an old blog article from a couple of years ago. Cashing is good, winning is great, and I try to remember to check my ego at the door, so at least I don't sound as silly as loud mouth next door. We all start with two thousand in chips, with twenty minute rounds, starting blinds are twenty five and twenty five. Yes both big and small blinds are the same amount. They use to be five and ten with eight hundred in chips, but finally let us use the good chips, I only hope they threw out all those ugly five and ten chips.
About an hour in, near the end of the third level my stack has gone from the two thousand at start, to three grand, down to eighteen hundred, and back up to three grand. A lot of loose play at my table, and I am avoiding most of it. Had to raise with two kings when the board was low with a pair of fives. Got lucky when the guy calling my raises had a pair of sevens. It was a pair of sevens that did me in at the end when I went all in with only six tables of nine or less left at each table. Everyone else folded, and my ace rag did not improve. Fun afternoon, will have to do this again, for awhile longer and get to another final table.