building a big stack at beginning of live MTT

I usually can build a big stack at the early stages of tourney's then seem to loosen up too much and trend downward. It's almost as if I play a better game short. I've got a much better win rate when I get down early in a tourney and grind it back. Any input on what I might be doing wrong when I get 200+ bb's. It's gotten so bad that I actually feel uneasy being the big stack, and feel invincible -25 bb's. Playing a couple tourney's in the foxwoods classic this week and any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance and as always good luck at the tables.

I would look for a problem in terms of VPIP and WTSD%, and would also pay attention to the most minus spots. Often I meet people who start playing much looser with a large stack.

Psychology at beginning, vs going forward...

The tourney psychology at the beginning for a lot of people is: "play tight, then I'll loosen up once the blinds are up." You know this, and it works in your favor, you can make a lot of bolder moves, without anybody calling, because they don't want to risk their stack.
Since you have proven you can build the early stack, the next step is: how to hold my position, improve my position using the big stack?
This is the tricky part, how fast do you want to increase your stack, or do you want to semi-aggressively build it, so that you aren't risking it all, going into the higher, later blinds?
If you are going into tourneys, I would try moves that are slightly riskier, but still in your comfort zone. Riskier moves, but the right moves. Might use position pressure more, analyze some of your tourney wins and losses; see how position played into it.

Hands Analysis

fishfood80 said:

I usually can build a big stack at the early stages of tourney's then seem to loosen up too much and trend downward. It's almost as if I play a better game short. I've got a much better win rate when I get down early in a tourney and grind it back. Any input on what I might be doing wrong when I get 200+ bb's. It's gotten so bad that I actually feel uneasy being the big stack, and feel invincible -25 bb's. Playing a couple tourney's in the foxwoods classic this week and any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance and as always good luck at the tables.

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If you could share some hands or even a group of hands played when you have a big stack it would help to indicate your errors. We then can help you with discovering the drivers behind those mistakes.

As stated your fix is easy do not loosen up! If you cannot stop yourself from loosening up you have a discipline problem. Perhaps you think you have won something by building your stack. YOU HAVE NOT!
When you get a big stack take a moment to focus on the goal. Win this thing! How do I do that? Keep these chips.

Having a big stack means you can wait for premium hands and premium opportunities. You do not need to create opportunities you can wait for them.

Patience is a big part of discipline.

when you are bigstack in early stages you must play very closed, in stages of push or fold being bigstack helps us to press the middle stack.