Playing KK Early in Tournament

[mlee]

I know that I probably played this wrong. Should I have raised more before the flop? I know now that I shouldn't have gone all in, but how terrible was this decision? If I raise, how much. Should I have just called?

I appreciate your help on this.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t30 (9 handed) converter

UTG+1 (t1510)
MP1 (t1780)
MP2 (t1920)
MP3 (t1560)
CO (t1550)
Hero (t1050)
SB (t1470)
BB (t2640)
UTG (t1460)

Preflop: Hero is Button with K[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], K[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img].
<font color="#666666">4 folds</font>, MP3 calls t30, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises to t60</font>, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, BB calls t30, MP3 calls t30.

Flop: (t195) 2[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], 8[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 4[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
BB checks, <font color="#CC3333">MP3 bets t90</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises to t990</font>, BB calls t990, MP3 calls t900.

Turn: (t3165) 6[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">BB bets t600</font>, MP3 calls t510 (All-In).

River: (t4275) 9[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(3 players, 1 all-in)</font>

Final Pot: t4275

[Lloyd]

"Standard" formula is to raise 3-4XBB and add 1 BB for every limper. In this case, you should raise to 120-150 and hopefully isolate the original limper.

The flop looks like a good one for you. There's always the chance of a set, but if you're up against that "oh well." There are no draws and no logical 2-pair combinations. When MP3 bets 90 there is 285 in the pot. I would definitely put in a raise but there's no reason to go overboard and go all-in. Just make it around 250-300 and play from there. You've got to think you've got the best hand and want to extract as much as possible.

If you're going to be playing MTTs I'd highly suggest picking up "Harrington on Hold Em" as you're missing some very fundamental concepts. Reading that book, in addition to being an active member of this forum, should get you up to speed fairly quickly.

Good luck.