Late stages of MTT

Sitting with an M>15 - there are 350 players left and I am sitting in 125th.

Do I start to open my range? Should I tighten up to get deeper and only play top 10-20 hands? Should I only play in position? or against stacks that cannot bust me?

Help.

What's the payout structure like?
Where's the bubble?
How is your table playing?
How tight are the players two to your left?
Are they observant enough to notice how you're playing?
How are you playing, what's your image?
What are the other stack sizes on your table like?

Nevermind, guy to my left called my 2.5 BB raise - I had A7 - Ace hit the flop - I push the rest of my 55k stack and he calls with AJ. I can make the money in these things no problem but I cannot get it to the last few tables. It is becoming quite frustrating.

All good questions Chuck. They are not observant enough to notice that I have not played a hand in about an hour. The hands I showed down in that time were QQ and AK. The other players at the table were taking turns shoving their shorter stacks in and I had nothing good enough to call any of them, then when I had a hand like QQ, no one called my 2.5BB raise.

the bubble burst at 675 and we were down to 350 players at the time of my post. the tourney started with 4400+ players.
I finished 275th for $44.15 - invested $9.30 ($3+R).

DD,
Don't know if you are a stox member but they have some great vid's on tournament play. Not knowing your table dynamics makes it hard but I don't think A7 was strong enough to play. (obviously considering what happened it was not....but in general I would want ATs+, 99+, or AQ+ to play in those spots).

First, drop HOH's M. It's not accurate at all. < 15BB? Playing against a stack of < 55BB, what is the calling range of that bigstack? Wider than your pushing range?

Against a stack of 10BB, is that player's calling range wider than your pushing range?

You raised 2.5bb with A7? This is why you're not making it deeper. Then you push a weak Ace on an Ace flop. Let's see, if I have AJ+ I am calling... with any stack.

You have 15BBs, you're pushing 77+, AK, AQ, AJs from the time you have 20BBs especially when 55,000 chips is 15bbs and there is 350 players left. If you want to make the Final Table... the only place you want in an MTT.. is to get those chips in there.. and NOT with A7.

Yes you should open your ranges at m15 but you should fold ace rags there. Play more suited connectors and A10+. But not if there is a raise infront of you, just remember if your not the one doing the raising you shouldn't be interested (except suited connectors)

Unless you have a top 3 hand (AA-QQ) you are not looking to play postflop with stacks of <15 BB. Or the occasional pp in the BB where you toss in 1 BB to set mine or stop-and-go. You're looking to steal the blinds/antes and/or double up/bust. That means NO LIMPING and no standard raises (any cbet basically pot commits you). I shake my head when I see so many small stacks limp 1/10th or even more of their stack and then fold.

A-rag is usually a bad push, one of the worst. Stop doing it.

i wouldnt change your play based on tourney position but play differently according to your stack, 125 of 350 isnt too late in the game. loosen up more towards the bubble with a nice stack and you'll pick up some easy blinds

Mostly depends on the players at the table. How many are getting paid so on and so forth. If it is coming close to pay spots you can easily pick up blinds from short stacks because they want to make the money. If you still have a way to go before payout. What types of players are at the table. Do you have people that like to see every flop no matter what the cost or is your table tight only playing pockets or high cards. WHat types of players are going to be the key on whether you can pick up blinds and antes easily

your range of top 20 hands is to vast and A-7 isn't amoung the top 20.
should have limited to top 6 -8 hands if your stack allowed it.