Nice Tournament Poker win at the local card club-$5,000

I haven't had much of a chance to play any poker the last month+ due to work.

I needed some time off so I went to the no limit event. I actually looked through my book "Tournament Poker: 101 Winning Moves" before I left. Frankly I knew I was rusty from the inaction. But,

I won...$5,000. Not bad.

A few highlights...

1. I was low on chips when it was down to 4 tables. One player under the gun moved all-in, another player with lots of chips moved all in. I had A-9 offsuit, and frankly, it was not a big hand. I had as many chips as the first player. I figured the guy probably had a good hand, and the 2nd player was using the isolation play with a pair.
Since I needed chips I called.
First player had JJ, second player had Q-Q...and I won when the Ace flopped.

2. That hand kept me alive, but I really hadn't had a big hand throughout the event. It was down to 14 players, and I found A-7 suited. A player with lots of chips raised, and I was low in chips but needed chips so I moved all-in. It was only a few more to the raiser. He called with 4-4, and I hit the 7.

3. I got strong hands from that point on. I refused to chop 5, 4 and 3 handed. I was in the chip lead, when this hand came up.....The first player moved all-in, He had $80,000. I had $150,000 and found A-Q. I moved all-in. The player on the BB only had $20,000---and the blinds were $2,000-$4,000---he would make more money if the original player got knocked out, so folded.

The first guy had K-7. He hit his 7 and now he was in the lead.

4. When it got heads up, my opponent had a 2-1 lead. But he was inexperienced. He offered me a few dollars to end the match. I said no. He raised to $38,000, and I called with 10-8 suited. The 10 flopped, I checked and he moved all-in. I called. He had nothing. Now I was the 2-1 leader.

5. Another hand...he limped on the button. I had J-3. The flop missed me, I checked and he checked. The turn missed me, I checked and he checked. The river missed me, and he bet a little more than half the pot. I had J high, and didn't believe him. I called him. He showed 10 high.

5. I won a few more hands, and he was getting real low in chips. I offered him a sweet deal to chop. He said no, because his friends were telling him he can win. 2nd place was $3,600. We split the next two hands.

On the last hand he moved in with Q-7, and I called with A-10. No one hit their hand, and I won $5,000 and the Oaks Card Room jacket.

I also had my picture taken holding me book, which they post for a week at the card room. Oh well...back to work.