WPT Championship Day 3

I went into day 3 with almost 300K and a ton of confidence. I woke up to take a look at my table draw and I was amazed. The only 2 names I recognized were Emiline Boich and Matt Stout. I began to look up databases of the other players and only 2 of them had a live cash. I showed up pumped and ready to go. When everyone starting taking their seats I recognized two of them from my day 1 starting table. One was a station and the other was a super nit. I folded for about 1.5 orbits when I attacked the nits BB with Js7h. A guy on the button called and the flop was 9s8s3s giving me a gutter ball and a jack hi flush draw. I bet about have pot and he called. The turn was the 10c giving me a straight. I bet about half pot again and he rips in a 1.5x pot sized raise. I tanked forever obviously scared he had a flush, but I did not think he would make that big of a bet with the nuts. So I called hoping to see a set....and he did. I faded the river and I was up to 440K. I chiped up to about 500K when I got the bad news that the table was breaking. I was sent to a table that included Justin Bonomo, Brandon Cantu, and Ben Fineman. I treaded water for a long time before I got in a big pot with Ben Fineman. He raised the button and I called with 8c6c. The flop was K97 with two spades. He bet 75% pot and I called with my open ender. The turn was a 7c. I checked and he bet about 25% pot. Normally I would be scared he has already filled up, but with the big bet on the flop I was thinking he had AK, AA, or a 7. I called the small bet with intentions of shoving the river (he had about pot behind) if any 10, 5, or spade hit. The 2s hit the river and I represented the spades by pushing all in. He tanked for about 1 minute before calling with K9hh good for top two. The pot pushed me down to 350K. We changed tables and I was moved with Cantu over to a table that had Jaka, Randal Flowers and Yivgeni. I won a small pot early against Jaka to get me to about 375K, then I was handcuffed. I was card dead at a table where I needed cards. I tried some light 3 betting and it was always 4 bet. I tried some light opening and it was always 3 bet. I opened with 22 when Jaka 3 bet me to 32K. I put in the extra 20K and we saw a flop. It was 9c5c2h giving me bottom set. I checked and he bet 42K I just called, becuase I have seen him get stubborn with hands and try to barrell thru. The turn was the 7c putting 3 clubs on board. I checked looking to c'raise all in, but he checked behind. The river was a Kc putting 4 clubs on board and I did not have one. So I attempted a blocker bluff and bet 77K. He tanked for 10 seconds and pushed me all in. I was down to 180K at 3k/6k when I picked up AK. I was hoping to get a three bet from Jaka, but instead the tightest player at the table made it 42K total. I was close to folding, but was a little frustrated and pushed it in. She made the call with 1010 and I bricked out.
On the upside my buddy Eric has made the final table. I am going down to watch him win 1.5 million today.

Justin "robert07" Young