PLO 8/better and Stud 8/better

So I've played two $1500 events since the No Limit Event I final tabled and performed quite poorly in both!. I think I lasted 6 levels in the PLO8/better but had very few cards to play and won very few pots. I don't think I ever crested 6000 chips. I did knock out Jeff Madsen, the 2005 player of the year. He's a young guy who plays extremely well and who I've had the opportunity to play with a few times now. In today's Stud 8/better I ran extremely cold and got scooped in 3 pots and was out in less than 2 hours. Here are the three hands.....(read ouch on all of them)

1. Me: Ks8s 2s -9s-Tc-7c-3h
Him: xxAh-Kd-Ac-8h-x
This hand started 3 handed but the other player crapped out on his high hand after the other player hit open aces. I decided that it was 50-50 whether this opponent was going low and made open aces and continued or made trips on 5th. Either way I had 3 shots to hit my flush and then going into 7th, any J or 6 also makes a straight which I felt would be good enough to scoop my opponent. Anyways, I didn't call his 7th street bet. Scoop #1 against me.

2. Me: 8cAh-6s-7c-8c-Js-3c
Him: x x 6c-3h-As-2c-x
This hand started 4 handed (the two other players were going high). On fifth street the Ace bet out into me and I raised with my 678 board. This is a very complex stud8 play as it only works in this betting situation. Now the obv. high only hands are forced to call a double bet behind me and they may be drawing dead to my board as I'm representing a made straight. They both folded, the lead three bet me and I called now it was heads up. I raised because although I know that my low draw is no good vs. his board but my 88 is likely the best hand vs. his OR if he has aces up, my low draw may be live and good if it comes in. Either way, this is a great spot for me because I force out the two other high only hands and create a huge overlay with their bets now in the pot without their hands to compete for high. Anyways, I can't improve my 88 and make a worse low. My opponent ends up making a 7 low and TWO PAIR on 7th street!!!! so I get scooped. I was unlucky to have my 88 drawn out on the river but I believe this play is very +ev. Scoop #2 against!

3. Me: JsJc Jh
Him: xx8
Villan2: xxT
Long story short, I put in 4 bets on 5th st. and 3 bets on 6th with rolled up jacks vs. 2 players and 'him' makes a wheel on 7th street (A2345) and scoops us both. Wow, three straight scoops and I'm out in time to make dinner with Derek and Tony O. Pretty sour. As fortunate as my final table run was I've been running way below expectation in the mixed events, I've left a lot in equity on the table.

Not too sure what's next on the list. I may play the $1500 HORSE event on Sunday and I might just wait and play the main event. It's getting pretty tiring all these live tournaments. Time to rally :).

I was very overwhelmed with the support I received from my friends back home in Hamilton. I'm not sure who's doing it was but somehow it made the local paper, "The Spectator". Here's the link.
http://www.thespec.com/Sports/Local%20Sports/article/392339