How many BBs when you reach the final table is a good workable number? I am pretty happy to have 12BB if I make it to the final table. If I double up early I am ahead of mid stack. I also have about 2-2.5 orbits of analyzing the opponents, before feeling critical.

I think it matters more about how the rest of the table is doing. If the average is 12BB, then yea.. you should be contented with that, but if the rest of the table is looking at 50BB, you should be worried...

There are so many tournaments: different blind levels, blind times, number of entries, play styles...

There's so much that goes into figuring a good FT stack, that it's very specific to the tournament.

20-30 BB is Normal

You say you require time to analyze opponents during the first few orbits of the final table. You should not do this. Instead, open all tables of the tournament to take a look at how they're playing once you're down to 2-3-4 tables (based on tournament speed / your capacity) to preemptively study them. Never go into a final table without info on half the opponents.

Originally Posted by Fjarri

You say you require time to analyze opponents during the first few orbits of the final table. You should not do this. Instead, open all tables of the tournament to take a look at how they're playing once you're down to 2-3-4 tables (based on tournament speed / your capacity) to preemptively study them. Never go into a final table without info on half the opponents.

The exact point I was going to make, Fjarri.

In fact I open several tables at two points. I open them when approaching the bubble to identify where the lowest stacks are positioned in their own table orbit (how close to the BB which could wipe them out etc.)

I then like you have the final three or at least two tables open so I can monitor the big and low stacks and see how they are playing. Its all about as much game awareness as possible.

The amount of BB is relatively unimportant to me because if I have run good I will have a good stack. However, as is normal, on most days we all fight tooth and nail to make a final table so in one sense I content myself (realistically) with 'getting there' and then play the first premium (semi-premium) hand I am dealt all-in if all I have under my belt is a medium to low stack.

Originally Posted by Fjarri

You say you require time to analyze opponents during the first few orbits of the final table. You should not do this. Instead, open all tables of the tournament to take a look at how they're playing once you're down to 2-3-4 tables (based on tournament speed / your capacity) to preemptively study them. Never go into a final table without info on half the opponents.

I completely agree, but that info you have to take it with a grain of salt. I find players play vastly different in the final table vs 2-3 tables. Pay jump and shifting stack size really attributes to this. Someone that was chip leader on their table might 2bet at a much higher frequency than when they go to the final table where ever pay jump is quite significant. Also playing in a 5-7 handed is going to open up the range quite a lot more vs 9 handed final table.