$55: Overpair in level 1

[Taraz]

I really don't like raising utg preflop w/ any pocket pair below JJ in level 1. Even JJ I sometimes limp, but that's cause I'm a little biatch. Anyway, it's early in the tournament, and if you get more than 1 caller it makes playing post flop difficult since you are OOP with probable overcards. Do you just check/fold Kxx flops?

[Moonsugar]

No, if I raise PF with this hand then with 2 or less opps I am leading at almost every flop. With 3 I lead if no A or K. IMO, that is how you have to play it if you raise preflop.

In the hand you actually played you get to probably the same situation before the flop, 4 ways in a raised pot. The big difference is you have the initiative since you were the preflop raiser. The downside is you can get reraised off your hand preflop. But I don't think that risk outweighs the initiative, mixing up play, and the perils of playing 88 postflop w/o a set and w/o overcards in a huge pot after having limped/called.

Limping is my default but I raise a fair amount.

There are lots of situations in SnG where there is only one right way to play the hand, first in preflop level 1 with 88 is not one of them.