big stack donk

Ok, does anyone else have this problem?  I would consider myself a pretty good tourney player.  I usually make very few mistakes the whole way through, cash a lot of the time, and even have won some pretty big ones.  It just seems like every now and then, when i take down a huge pot that skyrockets me into, say, the top 10, i almost immediately turn around and blow it.  But if i gradually earn chips and grind it out, i'm fine.  Ex: 5k guarantee, 50 people left, we're already in the money.  I'm sitting about 30th and take down a huge pot to put me around 6th.  I have 75k chips, chip leader has 120 k, to my left (of course).  Blinds 2/4k, I get dealt JJ on the button.  He limps, gets back to me, i raise to 7k.  He re-raises to 15.  Without even thinking, i make it 30 and he pushes, AND I CALL!!   Now i'm sure every one of you reading this can tell me what he had after his first re-raise, and so could i when i actually thought about it.  He turns over aces, i'm out in 48th.  Now i guess i'm not looking for advice because i know exactly what i did wrong.  Maybe just some comfort from other players that might have a similar problem?? 

the siren shouldve gone off when he limp raises, im puzzled as to why you reraise. Sorry not too comforting, but i dont really know what to tell you. Learn from it next time i guess.

I think you tend to relax when you get a big stack and do things you normally wouldn't with a smaller one.  I've been there (still go there ONCE in a while, but it's a lot more rare then it used to be).  I was reading a book by Phil Gordon where he fell into the same trap at a final table.  He figured it was his time to run over people and they all would back down.  Quite the opposite, but he failed to adjust early.  He then talked to a buddy who said, "hey, you got most of the chips, make them come after you."  And he ended up winning.  It's a lot easier to give away your chips then it is for others to win them from you if you keep your focus and play solid.  I was in two games this week where I was the shorty (sit and go....10 player).  Both times, there were 6 left when I was the crap stack.  I buckled down and told myself I was going to hang tough.  I ended up doubling up both times when I was short and ended up winning both games.  I just told myself that I was going to make them win my chips rather then giving them away.  Easier said then done, though.  Just have to keep reminding yourself each hand. 

 

Tough break buddy. So hard to lay down that JJ becuase all you are thinking about is the huge stack you'll have if you win the hand. BUT I will say that at the online tourneys it is all too convenient that whenever you have a hand like JJ, QQ it always seems like someone else has a big pair. This doesn't seem to occur as often in real life.

JJ is the sort of hand where I take pleasure in folding it, look to get information pre flop and if you can get away from it then good. In that situation , I'm assuming you raised by 7 not to 7, then call the reraise and see if you make a set. If you can make a judgement to fold to an all in then great although it will always be hard if the flop is all babies. That's why MTTs suck as far as I am concerned, you just can't make those laydowns that will make you a good player as often as in a cash game.