How should I have played differently

[mvgilpatrick]

I'm still real new at poker...But I want to learn and have been reading up. I played in a tournament at my college for free and of course lost at the first table. I have started reading up...playing freerolls online and I still don't know how I could have played better in this tournament...I ask because I know there is going to be a tournament next quarter. Here's how it went down.

First hand..i was MP, QJo. few calls from early position, Guy before me triples pot. I fold.

Second hand, QJo again. Same deal..a few calls, and a raise. I fold again

After that, I never saw 2 overs again. Blinds are increasing every 10 minutes.

Finally I'm starting to get short stack because I'm not playing and a few guys just gave their money away. We are down to 7 players out of original 10

Last hand...pair 10s preflop. Early position. 2nd to short stack, I go all in.

I get a caller, I'm happy. until he hits trip 6 and im out of tourney.

What could I have done different? Is there some key MTT strategy that I am not understanding?

[HeavyP]

Sounds like you made good decesions and lost. It happens.

[Hubris1]

That is tourney poker, that is tourney poker more often than it isn't. Tourney poker isn't winning every time, its putting yourself in a position that you can win if the conditions are right. (Table texture, cards, position, player factors, etc.)

And if you're semi serious about poker, I wouldn't start with tourneys, I'd start with ring cash games and learn the basics while moving up a few levels, then move into sit and gos to learn shifting gears, stealing and playing players, then move into multi table tourneys.

[Sprayed]

Card dead happens. Try not to play connectors out of position especially when they aren't suited. With the fast blinds you do need to play a few more hands because you can't sit around. However, those limps will eat your stack. So, in early position if you are going to play look for something that you can raise. The more you play the better you will be in order to limp with suited connectors and small pp. With those hands early in a tourney you may be able to call a small raise to see if you catch something on the flop.