I love smallball early on in any MTT so you can manage the pot while your stack is not yet "developed". Of course you must play this game from position or you'll be facing those idiot raises and shoves from the donks. That being said some times smallball just doesn't work early on because the rest of the table starts seeing it as a weakness....they come over the top with a big raise thinking you'll just fold. And, if you trap them with a small bet with a monster hand and then shove they will happily call you but the remaining donks just don't see any need to change their game. The next time you smallball they jump right in with a raise. So, yes, smallball can work but only some times.