See above - I decided to play the $1000 event after all. Just got back from the Rio (it"s 1.45am here) after just failing to make the end of Day 2. Came 73rd out of 4345 for $5600.
The last hand was a bit annoying. I have AQ in the SB, and am on about 7 Ms, so enough to make the inevitable raiser fold. The raise duely happens from the cut-off, but then the loose player on the button reaises. I know I"m ahead of him, so push. The cut-off folds and the button calls after much thought. He has a price though, so fair enough, and he has
-6c. The flop is horrible - it gives him a straight draw AND a flush draw. The turn hits his 6, then the river gives me my queen, but it"s the queen of clubs! Of course, if the cut-off hadn"t have raised, the loose player"s raise would have been smaller and he would have folded. All very annoying! That pot would have put me in the top 20 out of the 73.
Will now use the profits to play the $1500 event that starts on Wednesday.
1st prize was $600,000 and 9th was about $60,000. So close...