how bad was losing these chips??

[MaxWeiss]

I'm new at tournaments, so I just don't know how stupid this was. B&M tourney at the Oasis Open in Mesquite. There's two tables and 17 players left in the tournament, nine places pay, t552K in chips. Before the hand started I had t68K (think I was chip leader but not positive), villian #1 had t37k and villian #2 had about t20K. The blinds where 400-800 with a 200 ante, and I had been stealing quite a lot since I got some chips, as the blinds and antes totaled over t2000 each time.

I was middle position, folded to me, I made it t3000 to go and the button (v#1) and the big blind (v#2) called. I had Ac7d and the flop was Kc9c7c. The blind checked and I bet t6000. V#1 raised to t16K total and V#2 went all in after hemming and hawing for a little while. Given the situation and those players, even with that action, I thought there was about 50% chance that neither of them had a flush.

Anyway, as you can probably guess I went over the top of V#2, and V#1 was very upset but called for the rest of his stack. He called with KhTd and V#2 in the blind had check-pushed with a made flush with QcJc.

My question is how bad was that push on my part and how bad was it that I got in that situation to begin with?? I could have coasted to the money and probably still picked up many more chips stealing, but in my head that was my chance to lock up the win so I thought I should take it because even if I lost both the main and side pots, (which I did after a Th came on the turn and no ace, seven, or club came on the river) I would still be left with an average chip stack.

Is that thinking totally wrong at this stage of the tournament?? I'm thinking I should have just folded and then pounded on the table preflop more just like I had been doing. But I just don't know for sure.

Like I said, I'm new at MTTs, so please tell me what to do and how stupid I was! Thanks!!!