NL tourney betting strategies?

[ckessel]

I've played a lot of limit ring games and I have a really tough time with NL tournaments. By sheer tightness I'm usually in the top 1/3, but always short stacked relative to blinds by then and I don't make the money.

The main problem I have is betting good, but not great, hands in the early-mid rounds. Things like AJ, 77-JJ, etc. How much preflop? What if you hit top pair, what do you bet? I'm constantly finding myself hitting top pair and betting about the size of the pot and then having someone raies me all-in. It's like deer in the headlights....did he hit 2-pair/trips? A good chunk of the time I call that's the case, if I don't call I'm so short stacked after a couple of those people could care less if I push all in.

Any good books? I've read David S. tournament book for advanced players and frankly, the ideas don't work well online. People aren't a) aware of the gap effect, and b) more importantly don't care. They'll bust out and just buy in another tourney.

Looking for some pointers on how to approach the betting in tourneys. I'm happy with my hand selection, just not how to play the non-nut hands.

[Bigdaddydvo]

Harrington on Hold Em covers betting sizes extensively. Worth the read.