I think you are always playing to win - just how much is the question. I'll give you two examples. The first is the example from the opening post. There is nothing wrong with pushing it once you get in the money and think you have a hand that might either steal a pot or double you up. Even if the cards are marginal, doubling your stack there could have you rising up several places or even give you a chance to win it all. If you lose the hand and bust out, you still have cashed.
Example 2 is when you are very short-stacked and on the bubble. The popular thinking is to push with any decent hand and try to double up and survive, but depending on position, if you can hold on until the bubble breaks, you'll have a positive expectation. Just last week, I had 7 chips left with 12 players left and top 10 payed out and the blinds were 4 and 2 (we had just colored up a little before then). I decided to fold both the big and little blinds unless I had A-A or K-K. With 1 chip left, two players busted out before it got back to me. I had made the final table with one chip! The final table decided to chop, and I gave up $50 to the chip leader as did places 6,7,8, and 9. I ended up getting $800 with one chip to my name.
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