Two steps back to get one step forward

I am in the process of grinding out a series of Step single table tournaments at DoylesRoom.com in an attempt to win an entry to a WPT event being held in December in Las Vegas.

Because each step offers five prizes, two that move you up one step, two that keep you at the same step and one that moves you down one step, in theory it should be easy to master and move forward.

Of course chance and poor decision making can also have an effect on the results.  I started the steps by using a “Gold chip” and then advanced up to step five before losing and having to start over.  I tried starting again from step one and advanced again to step 4.  In my last series, I was out and did not want to start at the beginning so I bought in step 4. I stayed there for about three sessions before losing at sixth place.

One of the problems I am finding at any of the steps, is having enough players in order to play. I waited for five hours on one occasion for a step 6 tourney to have enough players.  I had to un-register and give up as the hour was getting late into the evening and I would not be at my best.

Last night I wanted to restart my climb at step 4 but no one was waiting to play. I noticed that step 3 had 7 players registered.  I registered and within a minute a ninth player joined in and we played step 3. I finished in 2nd place and advanced to step 4. I registered for step 4 and the table filled up in 15 minutes and step 4 was under way. I finished 1st and sometime this weekend I hope to play step 5 and perhaps higher.

Do the sites you play on have a lot of players? Are there enough players interested in the same games as you? Do you have long wait times for the games that you like to play?