Final Table, 8 of 75.

So about two months ago I decided to buy Phil Gordon's "Little Green Book". However, UPS left it on my porch and someone decided they needed it more than me. Instead of buying it again at B&N I bought Eric Lindgren's "Making the Final Table". Why? Well, I've read books on strategy or how to play particular hands, what to do with hands from group 3 in late position etc. But knowing how to play those hands and how to win a tournament are completely different. So I saw where Eric had made several final tables recently and thought, why not. I read his take on getting to the final table. Ways to be aggressive in the beginning, continuing that aggression and playing the bubble. I was about to go out of town and the Bicycle Casino was having a $100 buy-in NLHE tournament the Friday before I left. Taking my new knowledge I went in with the attitude, play to win, not survive. If you go out 10th you get the same as you would if you get knocked out 75th, which is nothing. First hand I pick up pocket 9s from late position and make a small raise. Flop comes all diamonds with my third 9. Pro, I have a set, con, someone has or is drawing to a flush. Checks to me so I decide to test the water and bet the pot or around that. It wasn't so much to commit me, but enough to see where I was. The checker moves all-in. I think, ok, if the board could pair my full house would be his flush, odds of this happening, eh. But if he had the flush why move in, he must be drawing with the Ace. Odds of him catching his flush, good. But remember I'm here to win not merely survive. I call. Sure enough he has the Ace of diamonds but no flush yet. I catch the other 9 for quads so it didn't matter and double up on the first hand. I continued to apply pressure the rest of the tournament, occasionally showing my good hands just to keep people guessing. If I never show down my cards people will eventually call my bluffs (which I rarely do, I always have something going if I bet). Plus people remember what they see better and if my hands aren't being shown on the river then by showing them my good hands they'll remember "this guy always has the nuts". I did make the final table (first one in live tournament play) however, I lost focus and was busted by aces shortly after final table play started and finished 8th. I feel that I could have done better but I shouldn't gripe about 8th. I've since read the rest of the book and think its pretty good. Some of the end is fluff but aren't most poker books?