First tournament ever!

[fluffysnurgle]

Today I played my first tournament; I've been playing ring games for a while but never bothered with tournaments. I played in a Pokerroom freeroll. I ended up placing 80/710 and winning $20. Not bad for a first timer.

The only question I had pertains to the very first hand - I was dealt AA in the big blind! I decided to just go all-in in the hopes that someone would think I was a maniac and call. (There would be some evidence to support that position, heh.) No one did, but I was wondering if this is the right move, or if I should raise less and try to get a caller.

[eeeee]

Schweeet! Congrats! Nice payout for a freeroll, too!

IMHO, your first-hand all-in is an option that is mostly dependent on the number of callers/limpers/raisers before you. You were last to act. If there were some/plenty limpers/raisers before you, your all-in could be OK to a) narrow the field or b) take the adequate pot then and there. If there weren't several limpers/raisers before you, then the all-in was probably over kill.

There's many here that would say not to risk all your chips on the first hand. For purposes of pot building, it probably (hindsight is 20/20 vision) would have be advantageous to put out a good sized raise and hope for a caller or two, or better, an opportunity to reraise. You may have even achieved the same results without risking all your chips.

I have all-in'd on the first hand a couple times before with AA, KK, and it has paid off (knock on wood.) I had the same premise as you, that I'll appear to be a maniac, and I have I've gotten a caller or two. I think it is reasonable thinking, and might even work the next time you try it. But I have read here at FTR that it is not a recommended strategy for a long-haul tournament.