How do you play this hand? From beginning to end?

[Toddy]

Very, very early in the $10+1 stars tourney. About 2000 poeple in it. Blinds are 15-30. I get AK from MP. Raise to 120 and just the BB calls. Flop is A-7-3 rainbow. (How would you bet here) I bet $300 pretty much the pot. I get an instacall. Turn 9d (4 diff suits on the board). I bet $500 get a call. River was a Jack. Well at this point im pot committed so I just go all in and get a call. He has A9 for 2 pair. I was so aggressive because its just a $10 tourney, but what is the right way to play this? Thanks

[Dariel86]

There is probably a more appropriate forum for this thread.

[Seth Money]

Toddy,

This should be in the MTT forum but I will say this, there are two statements I really don't like about this post and maybe you can learn from this.

1. "Well at this point im pot committed so I just go all in and get a call."

2. "I was so aggressive because its just a $10 tourney."

#1, The big blind checked after the river did he not? So you saying your pot committed means nothing because your a dictating the action here, you have the decision your not being forced to make a decision. If he bets and you think your pot committed then you call but you saying your pot committed then he checks and you go all in that is your own fault. If you believe there is a chance he has you beat, like some red flags in your head him instacalling you twice. Wouldn't you just want to check? Worst case scenario is your beat and you still have chips to play in this very very early tournament /images/graemlins/smile.gif

#2 If your mindset is "its just a $10 tourney" you are going to fail long term, not to be blunt but I play in those tournaments all the time and it not "just a $10 tourney" its an outlet for me to play better, I want to win every time I play, I don't care if its for some saltines and ramon noodles. If you think like that you will fail. Every tournament is an opportunity, every time you play you should want to minimize all the mistakes you can and play to the best of your ability no matter the prize or entry.

Seth