(Everyone's still getting seated, some guy is off the table on a cel phone, lots of hubub. I guess they allow people to keep joining for awhile.)

BB $20 I think, 1000 chips apiece, I'm in on the button. I have KK. By the time the action gets to me, the bet is $100. I raise to $300. At this point I realize that the guy 2 to my right is not the original raiser but a caller. I realize this because a woman at the far end of the cramped, bustling table, now reraises to $500. The other dude folds.

What now? Normally I'd probably go all-in. But this is my first offline tournament (I had played in a few ring games) *and* I'd been on an ugly streak online of running up against AA with KK. So I call, I guess thinking if an A comes on the flop I can still escape with half my chips. Although how that was going to protect me from AA I'm not sure.

Ok so just writing this I realize it was pretty dumb to just call. To be honest it was probably mostly a deer in the headlights reaction, it all happened so fast I'm a little fuzzy on the memory. It's a little nerve-wracking going all-in 3 hands into your first real tournament, where you feel over your head money-wise to begin with. All I really wanted was a nice $100 no rebuy tourney at a time I can make it to after work on Fri. in LA. This is why I'll never go to the WSOP until I'm a serious pro. I just know I'd wind up with an all-in decision on the first hand and then probably bust out on some psycho beat like Goldie Hawn's son. (Note: I had probably only been playing NLHE for 2 months at that point. Now I would never fear AA with KK. It happens, but not often enough to worry about - IMO.)

But I digress.

So the flop comes QQJ. She immediately goes all in for her and my last $500. Ok pros, what do you do? Even though it's only the 3rd hand, I do have a little info. on the other bettor. I saw her win a $40 satellite to enter the tourney, and she seemed pretty serious the whole time. Also she's wearing dark shades.

Thanks in advance for any thoughtful analysis. I'm new here, but I just spent the day pouring over the forums. Very entertaining, and obviously there are a ton of really smart people on this board. I'm just curious what you think about this problem. I know what my home tourney buddies had to say about it. thx

-suzzer