Too tight in tournament play?

I usually play 1 table sit n gos , at the low stakes level, trying to build my bankroll slowly but surely.

Recently though, I've started playing some few 180 man turbo MTTs, as I don't think they're beyond me, and the reward structure is much better the the single tables.

I've done ok, getting to three final tables out of around fifteen games played, but my best place has been 7th, just out of the top money places.

Is this a good ratio, or am I playing too tight? I do see a lot of people pushing with practically any two cards in these games, though I'm also aware this is reasonable once your M drop to 5 or below and you've got position , and you're first in the pot.

One of the first hands I played a couple of tournaments ago, was :
Blinds 10/20;
Im in early position and make a 3xBB raise with AK off, one guy pushes all in, in middle position, and immediatley the next guy calls. It gets back to me and I fold as I know AK doesnt play so well against two callers, and surely the third guy in the pot has a monster. Also, with the blinds still very low, I can afford to fold and wait for a better spot.
Anyway when the two remaining in the pot show down, the first guy to go all in shows pockets 9s, and the caller has pocket 4s. Obviously, as I folded there was an Ace on the flop , and another on the turn !

Would anyone think I should have went with this hand, at this stage, or was folding correct?
I'd also appreciate any tips for the final stages. For example, if you're first into the pot, do you only raise with genuine hands at this level, as people seems to reraise you with average or less than average holdings anyway?

Thanks

Ali

well, with AK, and the chance to triple up, I gladly call here.
You may be way behind against AA, and behind to KK, otherwise it's a flip or you're favourite.
It's not only the chips you gain if you win the pot.
It's also about exploiting your big stack in future hands if you win it, and other players see you called with AK, not garbage.
This is not an advice..it's just what I would do.
I'm sure other players would also fold....so there's not a real guide I think.
Though, if I play these 180 men turbo, I want to double/triple up before it gets to 90 players left.
Because of the structure, there's not much time/opportunities to get a good stack before blinds become significant, so yeah...I jump in it with AK.
As said ,if you win with it you can use your stack to run the table, or in case you'll be carddead you got yourself plenty of time to wait.

When it comes to the final stage, say 20-30 people left, open up the other tables.
Focus on your table ofcourse, but try to find out who's stealing, reraising, folding to raise or reraise etc.
Not every player reraises light, so try to find out who will be your targets to steal from.
Look at stacksizes to find out whom to steal from.
Shortstacks may shove light, real bigstacks may put you AI light.
The medium stacks most of the time will only respond with a good hand.
So there's your targets...medium stacks, folding unless they have a good hand.
At the FT your play depends of your stacksize and your reads on other players.
Most of the time, within a few minutes there's only 6 or 7 left, because there's always players who folded their way into the FT, sitting on a shortstack now.
Most of the times there's also 2 or 3 real bigstacks (sometimes just 1).
Avoid the real bigstacks, unless you have it good.
Attack the players of which you see they're playing to get one step higher on the payout .
What I always try to keep in mind, is asking me the question, if I shove , will it hurt them if they call and loose, iow, do I have decent FE.