Made up hand

[Miffed22001]

I adjusted this from a torny i played yesterday.
Lets say, reasonable buy in $20+2
200 odd entrants, 30 paid 35 left. You are 8th, a comfortable position, you probably need about 30-35k to make the FT in any decent shape.
Only when u get to the FT do u stand to make a profit, payment for itm is $22, 10th pays 48 and the bigger payments are at the top
You have (if u have one at all!) a tight table image, not rocky just tight that u raise good hands and limp in lp when given the oppertunity. Your biggest edge is that you can outplay 80% of opps postflop. Your stack has come from one hand holding in a race, and one opp making a badly timed bluff into your nut hand.
Ok?
EP medium stack (6K) raises 3bbs to 900 (standard), a gambOOler who may very well be on tilt pushes for 18k. (he puhed KQs utg for no reason and got called by short stacked AA and KK, since then hes been pushing quite a few times, but you know he likes a race but he may very will be tilted)
You have 12k on the bb with 300 invested and AK
What is your play and why?
Ill post my thoughts in a bit, im just intersted on how other would play this.

[lambchopdc]

I've called here hundreds of times and i probably will again. At absolute worst you are a coinflip with the tilty guy. (He won't push Aces or Kings). The early position raiser will only call with AA or KK, (unless u get a real fishy overcall with AQ, QQ, JJ, etc.). But the fact that you have AK, and the fact that tilty guy is probably pushing Ax makes it less likely that EP has either hand. If you are almost positive u can outplay all of the other players....winning this hand should send you soaring towards final table, if you lose the hand, oh well, go join another tourney.

Sidenote: A month ago I would have folded here, saying some shit about "well i can find a better spot to get my chips in, ill wait." A month ago I also was losing money every day. I started saying screw it i'm playing for 1st from the second the tourney starts until i have every last stinkin chip. I'm always looking for spots to double up. Well since then.....i've made 17 grand.....coincidence....no. Call every time.

[hydroseeds]

It's going to be necessary to have a stack to get to the FT and win some money, which means you will likely need to win a flip somewhere and accumulate a good amount of chips.

Which makes this a calling situation. EP will likely fold, and at almost-worst you're in a flip with Mr. Aggressive (if he has AA or KK, oh well, bad luck). On the better side of things, if he has KQ, or Ax, you could have him completely dominated and taking his chips would likely get you to the FT in decent shape.
Even if EP bettor calls, you have him covered - so even if he does win the main pot, you can win the side pot and still have a chance to come back.