Fast Blinds and Low Stacks

[Kraythe]

I play fairly conservative in tourneys though I mix it up to keep them guessing. However, I find myself constantly under the chip stack average or just stagnating where I am. As the blinds start to reach high levels I become shorter and shorter stacked and end up having to make a move on cards Id rather not play to get a playable stack. This happens especially in tourneys with 5 minute blinds.

Can anyone give some tips on building chip stacks early or handling the extremely rapid game play?

[baudib]

those turbo tourneys are really a crapshoot.

[MNMP2]

I am looking to either double up or bust out with the first solid hand I get. There is no use fighting the blinds through most of the tournament. So pick your spot and go for it. If you get a couple solid hands early, you can build enough of a stack to dominate your table and then make steal plays at opportune times to maintain or even build your stack in the middle to late stages.

[jmontis]

yep MNMp2, it really is that simple.

MTTs take a lot of skill and luck, and the luck part is getting cards at opportune moments and having them hold up too. The best players bust out of probably 70-80% of their tourneys, but when they win, they are big wins.

[Kraythe]

Well this doesnt really address the speedy nature of the blinds and the pressure that puts on the hands. I wonder if people are tempted to play more loosely with these tourneys.

[TanO]

5 Minute blinds just don't give you enough time to play your edge. The best MTTs that give you chips & time to operate are those with low blind structures, bodog's MTT's are particularly good for this. There's also a Sunday tourney on Interpoker where you start with 2500 and the blinds are 20 mins instead of the usual 1500, 10 min blinds at that site, thats another good one that gives you time to really play your cards.