Hand in Local Tournament

In one of my local firehall tournaments, 100 dollar buy in, started with 90 ppl, you get 4000 in chips, blinds started out at 25-50, increase every half hour, typical quick, 4-5 hour fire hall tournament.Two hours in, maybe 30-35 people out, blinds at 250-500 and i have about as much as what i started with, 4300. i am big blind, 500, and 2nd player to act calls the big blind everyone else folds including the small. the player who called is a woman who i have no read on. i have j hearts 5 spades and check in the big blind. flop comes 2,3,5 rainbow. i go all in for 3800 and she calls with 77 and it holds up. was this the right play or should i have bet small? checked?

[deadmoney98]

I don't think this was the right play for two very important reasons...

1) You bet much more than was necessary to accomplish your goal, and in doing so risked your tournament life, because...

2) Your bet can only be called by a superior hand (and in this case probably never gets a fold from a better hand).

So yes, I would say you made a mistake, but who hasn't. Shortstacked it can be tough to get away from top pair anyway, though this seems like a hand to play cautiously, you are OOP and basically any turn card is a scare card.

[2005]

I think you can lead for like 700 and fold if the limper pushes(if there are no antes and the blinds aren't going up really soon).