Small pairs

I need some help playing small pairs... I believe the technique is to try and see a flop as much as possible... does anyone have any insight how the proper way to play small pairs? It seems like I always get into trouble with them... For example, I was playing in a tournament and was dealt 33. The flop came K-8-4. I had a good read on my opponent so I took him all in. He called and showed AQ. He hit his A on the river and everyone at the table gave me crap for playing 33... If I don't hit a set with a small pair should I automatically fold?

yes see flops at no more than 2x the BB and if you dont hit the set on the flop get out....

In a tournament it depends on several factors including the table and your chip stack in relation to the blinds, or M.

If your M is large, then you can play more speculative hands like small pocket pairs in an attempt to flop sets which may break someone holding a hand like AQ on an A-3-7 flop. However, if the blinds are large then you probably don't want to commit any of your chips when you're going to be throwing the hand away after the flop 88% of the time.

Position is important as well since limping in early position with a hand like this leaves you vulnerable to being re-raised behind, not even getting the opportunity to take a flop. Folding small pp's (22-66) in early position isn't a bad move, especially for beginners who may take them too far. In late position, maybe a few people limped already and you're getting great odds on trying for your set, but in early position you're basically hoping for the correct odds with no reason to think you'll actually get them; in late position you have a good idea where you stand.

The table itself is quite important. Are most pots raised? Who's raising? Who's limping in? How do they react when someone limps? There's more but you get the idea. You want to know these things to determine whether perhaps limping up front with 33 is all right. If one limper leads to 5 guys limping and taking a flop, well then yeah that's probably okay to try and take a cheap flop with your 3's. But if there's a few guys that bump up pots preflop, and like to isolate limpers, well you're just asking for trouble and throwing money away by putting that blind into the pot.

As far as your play goes, you claim to have had a solid read on the guy, and you made a solid play. You got it all in as a 2:1 favorite, but sadly it wasn't to be. People like to poke and prod at others to make themselves feel superior, and if it's online, welll......that's just what they do. Usually in person unless it's with friends nobody would say anything to you, but they might comment on how someone stacked off with ace high. Who cares though? Phil Helmuth berated Tom Dwan for a perfectly justifiable play getting all in with TT in a heads up tourny, because that's just what Phil does. He was telling Tom Dwan that he's a donkey, LOL!!! Just keep making +EV decisions, and you'll be fine.

Its funny I was watching Chris Moneymaker play a mtt on pokerstars a few weeks ago and he did much the same thing with 33. Everyone on the table and railing was saying what a great move it was. Thats just poker people love to flame others playing but you got your money in ahead so dont feel to bad, be happy you made the right call for you.

As for playing them I say the same try and see cheap flops see what happens.

I usually limp or call up to about 3x the BB. it also depends on position of the table.