$1, 45-seat tourney, AKs in SB vs UTG raise, B call.

[Wish]

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t30 (8 handed) internettexasholdem.com

CO (t1215)
Button (t1130)
Hero (t1320)
BB (t1225)
UTG (t2680)
UTG+1 (t3500)
MP1 (t2140)
MP2 (t4420)

Preflop: Hero is SB with A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], K[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img].
<font color="#CC3333">UTG raises to t120</font>, <font color="#666666">4 folds</font>, Button calls t120, <font color="#CC3333">Hero ??</font>

So, we're neither particularly deep nor particularly short here, with effective stacks around 45 big blinds. No specific reads here, but the pre-flop calling ranges for most players early in these tournaments are absurdly wide, for any bet up to and including all-in.

Folding seems obviously out, which leaves calling and raising. Calling seems most likely to get me in trouble, playing OOP against two players (and maybe three if BB comes along) post-flop. If I raise, how much? Making it 400 or so leaves me the option to get away (I'd have about t1000 left, still at lowish blinds) if the flop and action look horrible, but leaves me with the problem of potentially playing OOP against several players (assuming I get calls). Am I down to shoving this preflop, early in a tournament, against a couple of guys who should have big hands, one of whom has me well covered?

[r987r]

raise to 650 and push any flop

[Wish]

What's the advantage of this line over pushing preflop? You're also implying that I should call a push from either villain, right, since this line has me pot committed?

[Cleverbeans]

I think a stop and go gets more value out of hands like Ax or small pairs that will release on some flops but might call the flop bet. That being said, I think at a $1 you're likely to get called by a worse hand often if you just push, so I'd consider it a viable alternative as well.