Two question about first hour play

[Chu]

SnG specialist here, trying to learn MTT play. One general and one specific question here.

1. What to do with QQ in the first hour.

With Aces or Kings i'll go as agressive as they want, and jacks I tend to throw away when the preflop action starts to get crazy, but what do you do with queens, especially if your in a tourney where you can assume most of the players are pretty bad? A quick example from a $22 on party I just played. Blinds are at 10/20, I'm on the button. I get 3 limpers in front of me, and I make it 150 to play (too small, too big?). SB folds, BB calls, 1 limper folds, 2nd limper makes it 400 to see the pot, 3rd limper calls. Everyone involved had ~1000-1200 chips at the conclusion of the previous hand.

Kings or Aces I wouldn't hesitate a second to shove, Jacks i'd muck instantly, but what do you usually do with queens in this spot if you don't have any good reads yet? How much does the level your playing at effect this?

2. Where should you be after the first hour?

For the first hour, I generally play super-tight, and as a consequence 90% of the time I am sitting within 5-10% of where I started. Those last 10% I'm usually busted or doubled up thanks to the whims of the cards. Where, in general, should you fall after the first hour? How much does this figure vary (i.e. how much risk should you be taking) depending on the first hour attrition rate of the tournament?

EDIT : Added stack size in sistuation #1

[ZBTHorton]

1. In a 20+2 this early in the tournament...you could be up against almost anything here. I definitely see the flop.
And for what it's worth, I definitely see the flop with JJ too. IF you don't feel comfortable pushing(I'm thinking AK here) call, and then value bet the flop. If he pushes, fold, put your tail between your legs and try to build back up.

2. It really just depends. I think the vast majority of 2+2 MTT's play very tight during the beginning stages. It's just going to depend on whether you get morons to play with you or not.

I generally feel very good about my chances if I am around the average stack. Once the bubble comes around, it's time to make a move.

[webiggy]

I actually play much more loose in early stages. I'm looking for cheap flops, will play gapped connectors and mid-pairs regardless of position. I'm looking for opportunities to steal pots with well timed bluffs.

Once I have a nice chip stack, I'm mixing up my play between limping and raising. Sometimes I'll raise with trash and limp with big pairs and vice versa. When raising a pot, I'm coming in with 3xBB regardless.

This is effective because they can't tell what you're holding alot of the time. On consecutive hands, I raised with Kx 3xbb and folded to a bet. The next hand I was dealt AA. Raised 3xBB - was called. Flop turned up rags. I checked and an opponent bet all in. Called him and took down an t8500 pot.

Good luck on the transition.

iggy