Set mining in MTTs

I’m not sure if I’m being results oriented or if this is actually something i should adjust, but in a live tournament I had 55 in pretty good position (HJ or CO) and i folded to a 3x BB raise. Normally the flop has a bunch of overs and I’m happy with my decision, but on this occasion I would have flopped a set in a 3 way pot where both players ended up getting it in on the turn with AA and a turned pair of kings. I would have scooped and gone much further in the tourney than I did.

Now an argument can be made that I’m being results oriented, but this probably was a mistake, for two main reasons.

The first is that I could afford it. I had about 35k and it would have been 1200 to call preflop.

The second is far better. When someone raises 3x pre, (who is a pretty tight player) I can pretty easily put him on JJ+ or AK/AQ, whereas I could be calling with a number of hands and my set would be pretty disguised.

Anyways, am I playing way too tight if I’m folding a small pair in good position for only about 3% of my stack, especially when I have the opportunity to gain big if I do flop a set? I think yes. This post was probably just my way of venting my regrets lol.

Yes too tight you have to call after seeing opponents showdown but the thing that knocks more players out of tournaments is hitting small sets and opponents with bigger sets straights and flushes good luck.

It is all about stack size. If stack size permits us to see few draws and sets then it is okay but we should always be careful about spending out stack in such cases.

Set mining mining is most optimal when you have at least 50 BB. Here I'll even float around with 33s or 22s. Set mining is all very dependent on chip stack

I'd say with a nice stack like you had and especially in good position set mining is ok. Only reason I can think not too is when your short which wasn't the case or maybe on the bubble and holding the chips could be more valuable or prevent a bad beat of set over set or flush/straight over set

It kind of depands on your position too, if the guy 3x from utg and you have 5s utg+1 you should probably fold