$60 NLHE MTT: Playing high pockets near bubble?

[Gunner57]

I am a winning poker player however not at that advanced level yet. Over the last two nights have finished in 5 of 7 Tourneys on the bubble!

I just had one tourney where this was the situation:

ranked 10th of 22 left in tourney, top 18 paid

Blinds 400/800 ante 50

I was UTG with about 9000+ chips dealt KK. I raised to 2400. The villain was in 1st position had been playing tight the last few rounds but had been aggressive earlier, raised all in (he had about 15000 chips).

It was folded over to me Pot was about 13000 and I called for my remaining 6800 chips.

Did I play this right? Should I have folded? should I have come out with a smaller opening bet?

What ended up happening is the villain had pocket 10's and caught a 10 on the turn. knowing what he had, I made the right move but wondering if there is anyway to open KK better UTG so near the bubble. (I had a similar situation happen in another tourney about 30 min after and again lost with KK, this time to A 4).

Any suggestions or thoughts are appreciated.

 

[MuscleMan76]

I would probably be opening 2.5xbb at that late of a level, but 3xbb is still pretty standard.
With KK, you gotta get your chips in. You say he's playing tight, but there is still only one hand that has you beat pre-flop. Just seems unlucky, but that's gonna happen sometimes.

 

[ben_rhyno]

You have an M of around 5 and 11BB's. Open shove

 

[fletchdad]

Absolutely a good call. If you went out, get the next game going.

A shove could be ok as well, but I would WANT to be all in with another player and getting a shove over the top, as happened, is IMO a great result.

I would shove if I thought my image would merit a call, and 2 1/2-3x if I thought my image would induce a shove, maybe min raise, alto that can look even scarier, but with your M anything more is committing anyway. Whatever move would be more apt to get some aggro to get in the middle with us. Thats up to your take of your image and your opponents tendencies.

 

[baudib1]

don't raise 3x ever after 25/50 blind levels, it's pretty horrible. minraise at most in this spot, you want action and a bigger raise UTG is going to chase away a lot of action on a tight bubble. you can even limp here and hope someone shoves over.