Shootout SNG strategy? (short starting stacks)

Hi,
At the local bar they have some free tournaments, but I'm not sure how to play due to the structure.

there are 3 semifinal 10 player sngs, where the top 3, along with their stack, go into the final.

The starting chips are 1000, blinds 5/10, levels 15mins.
All the semifinal tournaments need to end within 1 hr (otherwise they stop and count the stacks) and it usually does (people are quite loose)

The final has 9 players with their previous stack, blinds 25/50, levels 8-10 mins, depending on how much time is left :s. The prize is top 3 places, 1st 30, 2nd 20, 3rd 10.

So how do I optimise my play to win at least 1st, 2nd, or 3rd?

The semifinals i can possibly play 1-2 times if theres no players waiting.

What should I do with a shortish stack in the semifinal and the final table?

Situations:
4 players left, blinds 50/100, few mins left in the level, my stack is 1650. I'm dealt A4o utg. Raise or fold?



Also 8 players left in the final table, folded to me on dealer, blinds are 100/200, I have K7 or something similar, stack is 1300. is it ok to push or wait longer? the BB's stack was maybe 3k-4k, SB maybe 2k.

Also 8 players left in final table, blinds are 25/50, mid pos, one person has limped, I have AQo. my stack is 1650. what is ur move?

What happened was I raised to 200 and an old guy playing really loose calls behind me, everyone else folds except for the original limper who also calls (who is really loose pf but folds most flops).
Flop is something like 887 rainbow. we check, except the old guy bets like 100. Not sure what that is supposed to mean, thought maybe he was drunk or something, the other guy folded and I called. Then the guy bets 500 on a 6 on the turn. stack left was 1300 so nice bet from him, but what am i supposed to do there? The best I could be is A high. But at the same time, that guy is kinda nuts too, later he called someones bet on the river with 75o (he didnt hit anything by the riv).

Also this final table had a habit of people mostly just limping and never raising pf. theres one guy who limps all his pocket pairs, but the other people are limping more random kind of hands, and small raises dont knock them out. Because the levels are just 8mins, do i play tighter and just push the best hands , or play a bit loose when ppl many ppl limp and try to get a bit lucky with the flop while i can still pay a bit (25/50 50/100blinds)?

I personally would not play this style or structure. This is set up as an all in donk fest. To play - you need to be very loose aggressive, shove a lot and hope you are running good because this is set up for luck to win, no skill involved imo.

Good Luck!

I play a two separate pub tournaments, one in a respectable place and one in a dive.

You cant bluff drunks who fall in love with their low pair.

you need to use the double or nothin strategy. if you're not in position to win by laying down any and everything....then shove all-in every chance you get. curious people who want to see the flop will generally fold, unless its just that unlucky time for you they really do have a sweet hand. that means, regardless of blinds, if there's a timer on when the thing's gonna end and you're not ahead...all-in! risk the coin flip for the riches or take down the blinds and the sissy limpers. without a few nice pots when time isn't an issue, shove like a mad man. if its folded you on the sb with 38o...shove that sob

Just play the strategy of a sit & go tournement.
Start tight and get looser if the blinds start to raise...

I think I agree with all the shoving. yeah its a bit of a luck fest, but its just i want to sit in the bar and chat to my friend and also win at the same time :OO. But getting hard if u make a normal or decent raise any like 3 ppl call or something. Or else its like a limp fest even when the blinds are higher.

Chug: Its even worse than that. there was this old guy calling down with 75o on the riv against someone else, when he didnt hit anything and i was like gah, i folded AQ on the turn to him in another hand and wondered if he had anything at all .