I took a couple of swipes at qualifying for the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure (PCA) via their new SnG "steps" program. The first time I tried the SnG Steps format was at PartyPoker (please come back to the U.S. soon) and remember the days of getting from the $5 starter step 1, all the way to the $215 buy in step 4s after a month of going up and down the step-ladder on that $5 for nearly a month of play.

It didn't help getting KK vs. AA once I hit step 4 on the second hand.

About a month or so ago PokerStars they started the PCA Steps and for $7.50 you could parlay that step 1 ticket into a PCA package worth around $15,000. As with the PartyPoker steps, you could buy in at any level as well and start your climb with having to fight through the lower limits. This attracted the sharks at the final Step 6 SnGs who could buy in for the shot at the PCA seat for $2,000 without drilling through all the steps.

I only managed to get to step two before the online qualifying ended, but with an email I received these tickets can be used to grab a different kind of seat. The Asian pacific poker Tour also sponsored by PokerStars is hosting its Grand Final in Sydney, Australia at the Star City Casino on December 12-16th, and left over steps tickets from the PCA can send you there.

From the email...

This Sunday, PokerStars is proud to offer our players a series of special opportunities to make use of leftover tickets from the PCA Steps Sit & Go tournaments. On December 2nd 2007 at 17:30 ET, we're running six tourneys, each with a $9,000 APPT Sydney package guaranteed!

In each tournament, players may enter using a leftover PCA Steps ticket (corresponding to the title of the tourney - see table below); players without PCA Steps tickets may buy in with cash, of course.

Don't miss your opportunity to go "Down Under" and play in the Grand Final of the Asia Pacific Poker Tour, where players will be competing for a first prize guaranteed to be at least $1 million (AUD).