'CSI' or 'M'

I would like to get your thoughts on the idea of 'CSI' as Nelson calls it in "Kill Everyone" or "M" as Harrington calls it. I understand its relatively basic concept.

I used to be one for just waiting until I got a very good hand before playing, then getting blinded out but after reading these books I will push much earlier for fold equity.

I play B&M short stack games and like to push when my CSI is about 10.

Also its essential playing the SNG's on the net.

An example: Pockets nines in BB after three or four limpers with a CSI of 10 will win a good percentage of your stack if you were to push all in and everyone folds. And you are favourite against AK with very good odds 3:2 at a 50% chance (By the way is this equity that I hear about)

It does obviously depend on peoples stack sizes and style of play but it does put pressure on your opponents, generally they don't want to risk their tournement limping with QJ for example.

Just something I have picked up in my short time playing.

Thoughts

Yeah, you're right, keeping an eye on your M is very important in tournaments. You only have so many hands until you WILL run out of chips if you wait around for the nuts. At an M of 5 even having a 35% chance at a pot 10 times the m(your stack plus someone calling so it's 15.5-16.5 bb depending if it's someone in blinds calling) is 5.5 big blinds.

Waiting for a great hand, M down to 2, and you could have a 80% chance of winning a pot of 6.5 bb-7.5 bb is 5.2 bb.

And that's without taking into account your fold equity.

If you go all-in with a range of hands, importantly including your good ones, you could get your AA in at 80% favourite at M of 5.

One thing I learned to watch about your M is predicting what it is when the blinds increase, if your at say 15 now but blinds increase in next 2 min or so then your really at about 7.5.