My table today had Erica Moutinho, Sean Getzwiller and an Australian guy who I recognize but can't think of his name (Tony something?) and randoms. Roughly average starting table for 2012. The days of you and 8 randoms are long gone.

None of the people I mentioned had AA and it was 8x the bb.

The biggest difference betwen the 1500's I played and the 1K is I didn't recognize ANYBODY nearby and my friend didn't either at the 1K. The 1500 had Greenstein at the next table, Hellmuth 2 tables over, etc. I saw the guy that finished second to Hachem, Clonie Gowen when she still looked good, etc on breaks.

I didnt recognize anyone at my table in the $1k either, altho both David Benjamine and Ian Frazer were at the table next to me. I've played 2 x $1,500 events in the past week and managed to have multiple known pro's including Jason Mercier at my tables.

Also, at level 1, there were open raises for 7xBB as well as multiple limpers. If I raised to 4/5 x BB on the button with 4 limpers plus blinds, there'd still be 4+ players taking the flop.

My first table today was a lot easier than the 1500s, although I think I just had a good draw.

I liked the Turkish kid who sat down and opened 13x his first hand.

As expected, the field is composed all walks of life.

I am trying to make a score out of $1000. Parlay that and play $10K main event.

I am just debating if I should play $1000 event or just play WSOP $1000 qualifier at local casino.

At least this way, I've played at a "WSOP event." hehe. The stack is a little shallow to my liking though. After 2 hrs, blinds are at 50/100 with starting stack of 3000. It doesn't leave much room for real poker.

My 1k table on sunday was prob the softest live table I've had all year.

I plan on playing the $1500 next Wednesday (20th). What's the best strategy for these things? I was thinking of just being agressive from the gate and trying to double up early. Like pushing AKs and **** like that. What do you guys feel the best strategy is?

Play good poker every hand.

If what you're really after is to play the Main, you're probably better off playing a mega satellite at the WSOP. They run tons of them the week leading up to the Main. A min-cash in a $1k is only a little over $2000. You have to move up the pay chart quite a ways to get $10k. Plus cashing in a tournament will get you a W2 and a satellite won't.

Yeah, but the structure is terrible at the Satellite. At least the $1000 event gives you 1 hr blind vs the satellites are only 30 mins or even 10 mins turbo. So, does the $1000 give you a little more play for a good 3-4 hrs before it's a shove fest?

The only problem as you said it's so hard to get to $10K prize with a field of probably 3000. Tax-wise is ok since I will buy into $10K event if I win $10K, so it's a wash on the tax return.

Based on the $1k that's going now, you would have to finish 36th or better to cash $10k. That is such a longshot I think I'd have to try a mixture of 300 and 500 megas with maybe a turbo thrown in, instead. You even get T4000 in the 500's

To sum it up, the softness of the tourney takes a back seat to the starting stack

Just because you don't start with heaps of chips (we DO start with 120 bbs...) doesn't mean you can't have a big ROI in a tournament.