I disagree with most people on how to play these types of tournaments. I look on these large tournaments with relatively low buyins like I do a large freeroll.
By that I mean that you go crazy early on, take a chance or two, try to expand your stack while others are playing ATC. There's nothing worse than playing some tight game in one of these only to get to the first hour with the same approximate chip stack.
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Well, I actually disagree with this comment. Question.... what is so terribly bad about having a stack that is still approx. the size of a starting stack by first break? (sure it'd be nicer to have a bigger stack).
As long as your stack stays at or above re-steal size in mid-levels it's not a big deal imo.
My advice (or how I'd play it). I would play tight in early levels but as always, I would call behind w position in a multi-way pot w a good specualtive hand. Aside from that though, I'm playing my big
hands real fast and am looking to 3-bet isolate weaker "Loose" players (& or 4-bet, possibly shoving (depending upon eff. stack sizes)).
If I hit big on a flop I will bet out aggressively with it as there's often a ton of rookies who will pay you off in that MTT w weak/marginal holdings (ie. TPwK, MPGK, etc.). You can also charge them large if they're on a draw.
As far as being concerned with not being able to be discplined to play tight. I can't think of an answer for this one... I've never had a problem like that before. If it's action you're looking for, play a turbo SNG or 6-MaxNL.
I haven't played this tourney in quite awhile and maybe only a half dozen times. It was a huge donkfest in early levels though and I don't imagine it's changed much (players will call down big bets to the river with really weak hands, defending BB in early levels w stuff like K7o and with TPwK will call call call... so take them to value-town!). I think I was itm around 50% in these.. but no decent cashes but like I said, I have played few of them.
GL!