I find my issue in large low stake tournaments is that I can usually make the money, but never have a big stack to be able to run truly deep. I actually find I'm more aggressive early, taking advantage of unknown opponents but tighten up as we go. Probably backwards as I read the above...
Example: Played a $0.11 MTT on Stars today. 4700 people entered, 900 paid or thereabouts.
Couple of coin flips early got me a top 5 stack with 1500 left, but I ran into the issue I always seem to get into: I can't build it. Either I go card dead, and
bluffing at low stakes, even close to the bubble doesn't work for me, or, I tighten up and coast into the money. After that, because the flood gates open, I find I have trouble getting a stack to get me to the final table.
In fact, the last MTT I made, sadly, was one of the $0.02 SnG that starts 990 players. Finished 5th that day.
I also hit a wall when playing aggressively where I'll spike AKo or TT, raise pre and then totally miss the flop. I'll get a flush or straight board with AKo, or get AQ6 or AK4 suited with TT. I'll continue, and then get called.
So I guess to sum this up,
- What's the right mind set to keep a top 5 stack a top 5 stack through the middle stages of a tourney. Your play has to change, but how?
- What's the best way to tackle missing a flop with a premium hand? Do you fold, cut losses and go at it again? Or do you push back and hope for a fold?
Keep in mind, I'm dealing with Stars and micro stakes...
I finished 167th, respectable, but went card dead after the bubble, saw nothing better than A9o, and was getting raised & re-raised constantly.