After starting to play live more at race track/casino near my home, I quickly realized that promos are key to me being able to profit at all. Playing 1/2 they say 10% rake max $4 but they don't mention the other 10% max $2 they take out for promos, so total rake of 20%, pretty tough to beat. So my goal last month was to get the 40 hrs necessary to qualify for the monthly $20000 freeroll, which is played as a survivor tournament, top 40 all get $500. Today was the tourney, I quickly realized I was at a disadvantage right away, as those who played an extra 40 (80 total) got 12,500 starting chips where I only got 7,500. During 2nd hour I was getting short stacked, ended up getting it allin in a race, and lost, I had about a bb more than guy I lost to. Next hand I was utg, so shoved blind while cards were being dealt. Another ss shoved and bb called, so 3 in hand. Trying to use all my mental powers to envision AA as I turned my cards over, it came up a little short, 24o. Well it turned into a straight and I tripled up. Won't bore you (anymore) with details but went on good run from there ended up cashing. Now if I had looked at those cards first I probably would of folded and went with whatever I got in my bb. There were at least 3 others that I talked to who were down to 1 bb and managed to cash. Guess luck is a big part of it.