Survivalist Poker
I had developed a playing style I don’t use much anymore, although maybe I should with how often my KK loses to an Ace-rag. But in this playing style, lasting longer in a tournament is more important than collecting chips. Now, keep in mind, this only applies to late stage tournament play, especially near the bubble and definitely would never apply to cash games.
Most of the time, poker players focus intently on the amount of chips they have and the amount of chips they could win if they stick around in a pot or raise the betting. With Survivalist poker, you have to change your strategy. Play hands with your focus on what will allow you to last longer in the tourney. Collecting chips is only second place to the amount of time you've lasted or could last if you don’t lose an all-in. Yes, you could last long IF you win the big pot, but how much playing time would you lose if you los the pot?
Having 5-10 BBs is ok, it’s no reason to panic and go into a shove/fold mentality. You can still have a lucky orbit and be back up to 20+ BBs in no time. Instead, shove/fold should be reserved for being down to say 3 BBs or less.
You also don't have to be concerned with collecting a large number of chips all at once. If you can stay in the 10-20 BB range you're still surviving.
Now, with a healthy stack, let’s say you get that KK or you make 2 pair and there’s a possible flush on the board. You bet modestly and then someone comes over the top with an all-in. If you’re playing to win chips/money, you would call in these situations hoping to dodge the flush draw or perhaps pick up a full house. If you’re playing to last as long as possible, you would fold to the all-in, and sacrifice the chips you put in for the sake of surviving.
When playing to survive, surviving is the only thing that matters.