Final Table Conundrum

The good news is I was 2 for 2 getting to the final table last night in MTT's, finishing in the money both times. But now that I am getting there, I am experiencing some frustration not getting into the "real money" - like top 3. This is not meant to be a bad beat story. I just want to know if I am playing right at this level and if what I am experiencing is typical.

First one I am the small stack (7k) with 9 left, most players have at least 12k, some a lot more. I get QQ in LP. Blinds are 600/1200. I have to push with this right? Well, I get one raiser and a loose player goes all in before me, so I have chance to triple up, so I call it. The raiser actually folds, so it's heads up and he flips A9os. Ends up getting the J high straight to knock me out.

Second one, down to last 5, I am sitting in 3rd i believe with about 9k in chips. (There were only about 35 players total in this one). Blinds were 200/400. On the button I get AA. Everyone limps in to me, so I raise up to about 1300 and all fold but one player I have pegged for playing any A and any two face cards. Flop comes Qxx. She checks. I go all in , figuring I can take the 4k pot right there or trap her playing a QJ or Ax. She thinks a LONG time and makes the call. QK she shows, and hits the K on the turn to take me out. Watching tha chat after, she says she put me on an overpair. WTF? Why would someone call all in knowing I had KK or AA?

Anyway, my question is was I making the right play in these two instances? I thought after the 2nd one that maybe I shouldnt have pushed all in, but not so sure. I think in the first I was right to go for the triple up short stacked.

Now that I am getting better at getting to that final table, I want to win one of these suckers!

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Tough luck on both hands... you played them well and got your money in there with the best of it. keep playing like that and you'll take one down soon enough.

- sed

AI is an over bet there - the standard play would be to bet 1/2 to full PS, depending on your style and the draw possibilities on the board. But if you suspect opp has a hand, overbet may fool them into thinking you're on the draw or buying a pot where you both have nothing. The negative is you may chase out a hand like 10 10, JJ or QJ/Q10 that would have called a more reasonable bet.