Trouble with shorthanded home tourney's

[Cosmo 0]

About once or twice a week my friends and I get together and usually play some $5 tourney's. It usually consists of 5-6 people and I know i could become a pretty consistent winner although I feel as my game is too tight(I play it like it's 9-10 handed). I think some of my flaws are with my starting hands preflop. For Example, This past weekend I was dealt K-Js in first position, I came out raising and got one caller. The flop was garbage and i bet out, I got called, the turn came another blank I bet out again and got called. At this point I was suspecting my opponent had a draw of some sort because of just him calling my bets. The river hits and it's another low card. I bet out again and i'm called by KQ. I lose cause of my kicker. Now heres my question should i have not been playing KJs in first position? My logic behind it was that 6 handed I thought I had a pretty decent hand and I really hate folding that under those conditions. At a full table I wouldn't think twice about playing it as I would just throw it away. Now i'm wondering if in these smaller tourney's I should stick to my same tight strategy in early position. The hands like K-10, K-J, Q-J,A-10,9-10, K-Q are really bothering me, because they look like solid hands 6 handed and are tough for me to throw away

[Guest XXEddie]

two things, since its a short table with only 5 or 6 if youre gonna play KJS you might as well raise, also note that your opponent is a calling machine and with call you with K high...for future hands

[Swift_Psycho 1]

Don't worry, just don't bluff the same guy again with K-high. You know he'll call you with complete crap now so don't be afraid to value bet something like 2nd pair against him now since you know he will call you down with nothing. Playing K-J sooooted short-handed is fine, but always try to be the aggressor. K-J blows if you are not the one being aggressive. If you can run over the table, start doing so. If they are calling stations, wait for quality hands and then don't be afraid of value betting your decent, but not great hands(as I mentioned a few sentences earlier). Good luck.

[Socrates 0]

What were the bets you made. Did you make it too cheap for him to stay in. I see alot of pople who have over cards and they bet the minimum or close to on the flop, the turn and the river just hoping the other person will go away and avoid the fact that they are giving great pot odds to the other guy to call a small bet.