Just reviewed a $109 HH with a strong field where I played pretty well except for in a few spots with an awkward stack and marginal hands. My main objective with a stack between 20-30 is to use anything over 20 to try and get myself up over 30 where I will have a little more flexiblity.

1. In this hand the BB was really flatty and floaty and I knew a turn barrel would put me under 20bbs so I passed. Also, the SB could reshove. I fold.

 
Merge Network $5K Gtd – [Deep] No Limit Hold'em Tournament – t300.00/t600.00 Blinds + t60.00 – 9 players – View hand 2057994
TournamentPokerEdge.com Hand History Converter

UTG+2: BB = 16.4, t9819
MP1: BB = 20.9, t12511
MP2: BB = 24.1, t14437
CO: BB = 9.1, t5450
Hero (BTN): BB = 26.6, t15948
SB: BB = 12.5, t7490
BB: BB = 46.1, t27651
UTG: BB = 29.3, t17605
UTG+1: BB = 25.6, t15363

Pre Flop: (t1440) Hero is BTN with J 7

2. In this hand, I dont think opening and cbetting is an option with a micro stack, a SB that likes to 3bet from that position for some reason, and a BB with a reshove stack. A shove is actually +EV here according to the M charts, but I dont know if the 2.3bb I pick up because of it are worth it since it doesnt change my chip stack much. I fold.

Merge Network $5K Gtd – [Deep] No Limit Hold'em Tournament – t400.00/t800.00 Blinds + t80.00 – 8 players – View hand 2057999
TournamentPokerEdge.com Hand History Converter

UTG+1: BB = 20.7, t16558
MP1: BB = 13.4, t10701
MP2: BB = 23.6, t18897
Hero (CO): BB = 20.9, t16708
BTN: BB = 3.0, t2370
SB: BB = 45.3, t36261
BB: BB = 22.2, t17750
UTG: BB = 8.8, t7029

Pre Flop: (t1840) Hero is CO with 9 Q

3. This is similar to the previous hand, but it's not a shove according to the M chart and we're too short to open. I fold.

Merge Network $5K Gtd – [Deep] No Limit Hold'em Tournament – t400.00/t800.00 Blinds + t80.00 – 8 players – View hand 2058010

TournamentPokerEdge.com Hand History Converter

UTG: BB = 20.6, t16478
UTG+1: BB = 13.3, t10621
MP1: BB = 23.5, t18817
Hero (MP2): BB = 20.8, t16628
CO: BB = 2.9, t2290
BTN: BB = 39.4, t31488
SB: BB = 28.8, t23003
BB: BB = 8.7, t6949

Pre Flop: (t1840) Hero is MP2 with Q J

I was doing fine with 30bbs at the previous blind level, passed on all these spots, and got 20bb in preflop in a standard spot a few hands later.

I am wondering if I should be taking any of these spots to try and get up over 30bbs so I dont have to settle for push fold.

My guess is that it may be ok to raise some of these hands if you plan on going with the top pair weak kicker and drawing hands you will flop instead of pot controlling and taking free cards. But if you are going to play cautiously post flop, I think you have to fold pre flop like I did. I just dont know which is better.