Any tips for keeping chips in MTT's?

It seems like I play a great tight-aggressive game early on, and build up a stack fast, usually getting into the top 10 before the first break without a problem.

The only problem with this is that I can't seem to hold on to it... I either play too tight and just sit back while blinds increase and everyone catches me, or I successfully steal the blinds and increase my stack but fall prey to stupid calls when stacked well.

Any tips to help me find a medium?

Read SexyAceJoker's MTT guide, but I think you did already!!!!

I wouldn't be overly concerned about this - it's being in front at the end that matters, not keeping your lead, or even remaining in the top 10 or so. You probably know as well as me, towards the end there's no seeing flops, drawing hands etc - it's a case of all-in all the time. Everyone else is getting pair after pair, and you're continously getting rags . I find it's often a case of picking a spot, going all-in and closing your eyes. You can play better than your opponents by folding hands they would have called with, or by calling with hands they would have folded, but in reality often you need the right cards at the right time to win, and there's not an awful lot you can do about that.

I have some advice: When you get to the final table, I suggest doing two things. 1. For a 10 hand period, take note of the player who has played the fewest hands. This should be the person you try to steal blinds from. 2. If you have trouble doing this, just do what strong players do and raise preflop from the button or one off the button. This works best if no one has entered the pot yet and if you get called, you will have position to bluff after the flop. Also it helps to never raise min, becuase its too small a raise to get people to fold and a lot of the time they will think you are bluffing and will play back at you. My suggestion is to raise at least 3x or 4x the big blind.

As KilletKat said, you can check the guide to see an explanation on this or i can give you my thoughts on it. You said you usually make the first break being on the top 10, congratulations, thats the dream of every pokerplayer . When you get to this stage of the tournament ( 1 hour ) things begin to spice up, blinds have gone to maybe 75/150 , the short stacks are feeling the heat from the blinds , and this is where play really begins . A mistake many players ( I used to do it all the time ) do , is when they get a chip lead, they turn into cement . They think , because i have a chip lead all i need is to play ultra solid and slowly add to my stack . This in the long run is gonna burn you , because the other big stacks are gonna be doing a big stack's job. When you have a Big chip count, you have the liberty of seeing more flops, of putting more pressures, you can recieve a little bit more hits , and you can STEAL MORE BLINDS . Maybe you havent been doing this, but when you have a chip lead, you have to pick on players . You are 1 position away from the button, the SB and BB , both are short stacked (SB-1200, BB-1455 ) , blinds are 100-200 and you have 10000 chips, this is a standard 600 blind raise with any decent playing hand ( suited connectors, paint cards, pocket pairs ) , if they fold , you just made 300 chips for nothing. Chances are if they dont got a Pocket pair, or really high cards or a semi strong A ( :Ac: ) , they will imidiatly fold. But you wonder, what if i raise 600 and the sb goes all in and i hold . You know the answer already , you call, its only 600 more, and you wonder, what if he holds :Ac::Qs: , isnt this call bad . Some people might differ, but you have to see it this way . You are a 61 to 38 underdog , thats what a almost 2-1 underdog, you will win about 1 time for the 2 times he wins. You have him outstacked almost 7 to 1, in the long run if you keep making this move, you will outplay him and win all his chips, thats what this is all about ( you cant do this when you dont have the chips to do it ) . This works for 2 reasons , first you get his chips, second, players in that table are gonna fear you like the end of the world, they know your a maniac who came to play and win, and they know they need to put it all in the line to dance with you, with this image, you can smoothly run the table. BLIND STEAL, i cant say it enough, its the way to keep up with the growing stacks, if you sit down to enjoy your ride, blinds are gonna raise like no tomorrow, and they are gonna eat you away , the other stacks will grow , and they will begin making moves on you. Every now and then, when you steal blinds, show those rags ( once again some players differ ) but you have to let them know, im here to run this show,. They will fear when you raise and they call and the flop brings rags, and they will give more action on your premiums. One word of advice though, dont try and steal a players blind who has chips close to yours, or who has a big healthy stack , they really dont like it, and they can afford to play back at you. Keeping this is mind, not only will you keep your chips in the MTT, you are gonna be adding some much more chips and so much to your play and the most important thing is, you will become unreadable.

ahh thank you very much