Been playing for under a year now, mostly 1-2 cash games and doing fairly well. I learn quickly and am always hungry for more knowledge.
Decided to try my first tournament this weekend at my local club. Around 80 entrants, 120$ buy in, no rebuys. 25k starting stacks.
I made it through the first few rounds, getting lucky a few times and playing tight and aggressive. Had built up an okay size stack (around 70 BBs).
Made it to the final table, final 9 players.
Pay was 1st place ($3000) down to 8th place ($600).
I thought I had played pretty well and was almost to the money, so I resolved to fold everything and let everyone else battle it out until the bubble burst.
After a few hands on the final table, I was in the big blind. the blinds were very high ($6000 BB with $6000 ante) and I was one of the shorter stacks at the table.
I wake up with aces (of course) it folds around to the button who raises 3x, small blind 3 bets to 50,000. After some consideration I think to myself, I could just fold and be in the money, then the poker player in me woke up and said NO, You can’t fold aces pre flop.
So I shoved. Button and small blind both call. They both have me covered.

The button turns over KK and the small blind turns over (wait for it…. AA) after a long pause I turn over my aces as well and the table predictably goes nuts…

Flop comes….. K, 2, 9, 3, 10…

Since I was the shortest stack I got knocked out in 9th just short of the money.

Being my first tournament I felt good about my playing and making the final table… What do you guys think? Should I have folded the Aces?

I’ve read so many comments about people saying the only acceptable time to fold aces is on the bubble in a tournament. That thought was definitely in my mind, but I couldn’t do it.. Great experience either way and I plan on doing more tournaments.
That’s my first tournament bad beat story.
Here is that final hand for the proof..

brutal runout for sure. No, you should not fold AA unless there are extreme ICM considerations (you are at final table at everyone else shoves preflop) or you are in a satellite tournament and dont want to risk getting eliminated since all paid spots are the same

ouch

Very unlucky! Hopefully run better next time!

Wow! brutal! I missed some big cashes (for my bank roll management) on Global but nothing live like this. Great start for a first run though I have a feeling it won't be the last. TBH I probably would have folded to get in the money. I know it is aces but $$$ talks. I say that, I ****ing jam instantaneously. lol

Just a comment - you have misinterpreted what you have read about folding aces preflop. It is not on the bubble of a tournament - it is on the bubble of a satellite tournament. That is a tournament where everyone who gets past the bubble gets exactly the same prize, usually an entry into another tournament. If you have a big enough stack that you are almost certain to last until someone is eliminated, there is absolutely nothing to be gained from playing any hand - including aces. In a standard tournament, where the higher you finish the more money you make, that doesn't hold true.

In your situation, having a chance to triple up with the best starting hand in poker, you can't even think about folding.

Also, an etiquette comment - when you go all-in with AA and get called, just turn your hand over. Slowrolling, which is what you did, is considered in very bad form by a lot of people. I personally don't get bothered, but some people really do.

100% agree