I played my first tournament in over a year last Saturday night. It was a $22 buyin $40k guarenteed on Party Poker. There were 2200 entrants and I placed 25th. Woot. I cashed $232 for a profit of about $210. Not too shabby considering I haven't played a tournament in well over a year.

I kept tally of the key hands that I played in (basically all-in situations and wrote down whether I won or lost them.) Here is the list (if I do not mention the blinds that means I forgot to write them down at the time) I will always say my hand first:

50/100: TT v AJ - win
AJs v TT - win
AKs v 66 - win
600/1200: AJ v KQ - win
800/1600: Q9s v 55 - win
QT v A9 - win
1500/3000: A6 v A7 - tie
A4 v AQ - loss
4000/8000: AK v AQ v AQ - HUGE win for me, this put me as chip leader with 100 people left
4000/8000: A6s v 99 - loss (he was sb, I was BB, folded around he raised to 24K, I reraised to 80k, he pushed, I had to call another 60K or so)
4000/8000: AJs v 99 - loss,he pushed for 50K in late position, I called on button , blinds folded.

didn't see much the rest of the way, stole the blinds once or twice, but got dwindled to 150k when this hand came up:

10000/20000: I'm the button, folded around to guy on my right who min raises to 40000. I have 150k he has 330k. I reraise all in with A4s. Blinds fold, he calls with 77 and I don't pair my Ace or get any flush.

I'm knocked out in 25th place out of 2200. I suppose I should be happy with that finish, but after having the chip lead with 100 people left I felt I was playing very solid. A couple key hands lost and that's all she wrote. Oh well, there will always be another day.