I haven't really played too much tournament poker (or any poker really, I've got about 150 hours in and so far I'm just about break even in cash). I had an interesting run today and I was hoping for some critique.
First hand is the one where I busted. I start out the hand with about 60K (I had just won a large pot and did not have an exact count). I think I'm perceived as tight, but fairly aggressive as I've been mostly card dead until recently. Blinds are 1600/800 Ante 200.
Hero has A
Q
from UTG+2.
Villain UTG+1 (LAG) has hero covered and raises to 3500.
Hero (UTG+2) reraises 9000. (Looking back, I'm not sure I like this sizing, maybe it's a bit big. Also: Is folding an option here in tournament poker? Against a LAG, I don't think so.)
Folds around to villain who makes it 22,700.
Hero tanks and calls (I'm thinking he has a range of 99+, plus a wide range of large suited broadway type hands, maybe KQo/ATo+ plus maybe A5 suited).
Flop: 865 rainbow.
Villain bets 13000 into the pot.
Hero thinks for a little bit and decided to shove for my remaining ~40K or so thinking I don't really have enough of a hand to call him down and he'll probably just take my stack anyway with this line, but I still have an edge on his range incorporating fold equity. He instacalls and has pocket 6s for a set, I'm out, he gets my stack, nice hand. This meant he had a much wider range for 4 betting in that spot than I thought.
Looking back, my only possible mistake, even given my slightly bad read (I did not think he was that loose), is the preflop call. I essentially committed myself to the pot with a little bit more than a 50% edge on his perceived range. Looking back, I think I should have either folded or shoved. Both have some merit, especially given my blockers to pocket aces and queens. I'd have been really happy if he'd have folded sixes (not sure how he could have called given my range at that point) against my AQo and if he called, I'm getting a little worse than a coin flip. Then again, I'm not sure I like putting my tournament life on the line with ~37.5 BB and AQo. This is probably why I enjoy cash games more often.
Another earlier hand I had about 35 BB on the button and picked up pocket queens. Having been card dead, I'm pretty happy with this situation. Until the pot is 3 bet to about 15 BB. I tanked and decided to fold as both the 3 better and initial raiser were relatively tight. I might have called with 100BB plus hoping to set mine queens or see a cheap showdown on a tolerable run out. I'm honestly not sure I like this fold: Should I have been willing to shove here and flip with what was likely another premium hand (though, I don't think Jacks or TT were entirely out of his range there)?