Two hands that crippled me in Stars 25K

[IMTheWalrus8]

I have been concentrating on my MTT play in the past few months, and gotten much more aggressive when I get some chips; I'll steal blinds with a wide range of hands from the CO, button and SB, and put some big bets in postflop with position and little else. This requires a lot of finesse, but I am enjoying playing this way, but have been at the same level in my BR since making four FTs in the space of a month in June.

I think I have improved quite a bit, but this lull in the BR is getting a little tiresome.

I think the two hands below are representative, and I'd love to get some feedback.

Last night's $10 Rebuy $25K on Stars.

Third hour. I've recently been moved and have only played four hands at the table. Average stack is @ 32000, there are about 250 players left, 99 get paid, and blinds have just increased to 600/1200, 75 ante = 2475 initial pot size.

My thinking is that it is time for me to start getting some chips, and I very much want to get aggressive at this table. I have found that being aggressive when you first get to a table often gives you a nice advantage in subsequent hands.

I get 6 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 8 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] in the CO with 1 limper in front of me.

I do not normally limp in with this hand, but will randomly play it in late position. So I called, aware that I'm taking a chance. Button calls, SB folds, BB checks. Four to the flop.

Flop comes Q [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 2 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] K [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]

BB and limper check. There is 6075 in the pot. I had seen the limper play one pot and take it down on the flop, so really didn't have a read on anyone. With t31,826 left, I think it's worth taking a shot at the pot. If anyone calls or raises I'm done with it, unless possibly a club comes on the turn.

So I bet 5,000. Button folds, BB goes all-in for 6961 more, and the limper folds. Having been caught, I fold.

Button makes a comment about my steal attempt, so everyone knows I just bluffed, in case they weren't paying attention.

Very next hand I get A [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] Q [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] with 26,826 left.

UG limps, folded to me, and I raise to 4,800. Folded to UG, who pushes all-in for 12,326 more.

One of the things I like about playing aggressive is that other players will try to push back at you with a wide range of hands, so when you do have a good hand, it pays off.

With no read other than my table image, the time in the tournament, my stack size, and the fact that only four hands are way ahead of me, I call. UG shows A [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 7 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], hits a 7 on the flop, and I'm crippled.

Thoughts? Is the risk/reward there for the first hand, both preflop and postflop? And regardless, doesn't the aggression set up the second hand nicely anyway?