Playing around the bubble

[JonnyPoker]

Ok so I have been playing in some small no limit hold’em tournaments as of late and can not seem to get over the hump when it gets down to getting into the money. I want to know if I am playing my hands correctly. I have two situations both are similar.

First I was in a $50 NL tournament there was 70 people to start in the tournament and we are down to 11 players left 6 at one table and 5 at the table I am at. I was in second position with a little better than an average stack at the table with about 16000. I can’t exactly remember but blinds were at 1000-2000. I get 9-9 and so I push all in and I get a call from the big blind (who was also the big stack) she has J-Q off suit and I get beat as she flops a set of jacks. I figured O well I just got beat that’s Poker.

So then last week I am playing in a $100 NL Hold’em Tournament with 12 people left 6 at my table and I am in the big blind for 2000. The person in third position raises to 4000 (she is the big stack and I am the small stack with about 12000 in chips) I am dealt J-A suited so I come over the top all in and she calls with a pair of 7s and gets her third 7 to beat me on the flop.

My question is am I playing those hands to aggressively around the bubble? These tournaments pay out at 6th place. It seems like I was on both sides of these situations and lost both times. I am not sure if it is me and I need to make a change in the way I play or if it is just how it works out sometimes. Any advice would be appreciated. I am going to Vegas in two weeks and do not want to blow it when it gets down to making it into the money while I am there.

You can email me at steel_curtain20002001@yahoo.com or responde here.